Electrical Wire Colour Meanings

This color of wire is used to transfer power to switches and outlets in all types of circuits.

Electrical wire colour meanings.

Black or red for a second live wire 3 phase live wires. Red black and blue it s important to remember that the above color information applies only to ac. Don t be confused by the number of electrical wire colors you find we ve got just the. Remember black and red wires are always hot meaning they are source wires that carry power from the electric service panel to a destination such as an outlet or a light.

The us national electrical code for both ac and dc mandates that the grounded neutral conductor of a power system be white or grey. Green or green with a yellow stripe neutral wires. Other color combinations such as striped wires may be used for other applications. Consider all black wires to be live at all times.

Electrical wiring in canada is governed by the canadian electric code cec. The protective ground must be bare green or green yellow striped. White single phase live wires. Also black wires are often used as switch legs in circuits which is the connection linking a switch to the electrical load.

Hot active wires may be any other colors except these. However common practice per local electrical inspectors is for the first hot live or active wire to be black and the. What the color of an electrical wire means black electrical wires. Knowing the electrical color code that dictates which wire does what is imperative not only in the correct configuration of an electrical system but it s also paramount for your safety.

These are the most common colors used in electrical wiring. What 12 different electrical wire colors actually mean wiring a light fixture or new appliance.