GFCi Double Insulation Hot Colour Codes
It may be worth looking at alternative terminology that is used throughout the world for various things. Although the site may be designed for the USA, many users will not be from the US & so alternate terms may be important. US readers may also have cause to read literature from the rest of the world or work on imported equipment.
Ground Fault Current Interruptor (GFCI) devices are not known by that name throughout the entire world. For example, in Australia they are now commonly called a "Safety Switch" & units are commonly designated RCD (Residual Current Device) with combined miniature circuit breaker & RCD units designated RCB0 or RCD/MCB. They were previously called Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers (ELCB) or just Core Balance protection. I have never seen the designation GFCi used here at all.
Another point is that Double Insulated items may have a conductive outer casing (unearthed because of the Double Insulation status) with just an adequate insulating barrier between the conductors & the casing. This may just be an air gap. This leads to the silly situation where a Double Insulated item such as an amplifier can have a metal casing become live when a wire is pinched when putting it back together. I saw this more than once as an electrician when doing electrical safety checks.
Much of the world also does not use the HOT designation but instead the terms Neutral & Active are used or the Hot wire referred to as Live.
Another point of confusion can be wiring colour codes. Throughout much of the world BLACK is the NEUTRAL colour not a live conductor & a WHITE conductor may be a ACTIVE, LIVE or HOT wire.
For single phase circuits the newer standard in may areas is Blue for Neutral, Brown for Active & Green / Yellow for earth with the older colour code being Red for Active, Black for Neutral & Green or Green/Yellow for Earth.
Regards,
Brian.
It may be worth looking at alternative terminology that is used throughout the world for various things. Although the site may be designed for the USA, many users will not be from the US & so alternate terms may be important. US readers may also have cause to read literature from the rest of the world or work on imported equipment.
Ground Fault Current Interruptor (GFCI) devices are not known by that name throughout the entire world. For example, in Australia they are now commonly called a "Safety Switch" & units are commonly designated RCD (Residual Current Device) with combined miniature circuit breaker & RCD units designated RCB0 or RCD/MCB. They were previously called Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers (ELCB) or just Core Balance protection. I have never seen the designation GFCi used here at all.
Another point is that Double Insulated items may have a conductive outer casing (unearthed because of the Double Insulation status) with just an adequate insulating barrier between the conductors & the casing. This may just be an air gap. This leads to the silly situation where a Double Insulated item such as an amplifier can have a metal casing become live when a wire is pinched when putting it back together. I saw this more than once as an electrician when doing electrical safety checks.
Much of the world also does not use the HOT designation but instead the terms Neutral & Active are used or the Hot wire referred to as Live.
Another point of confusion can be wiring colour codes. Throughout much of the world BLACK is the NEUTRAL colour not a live conductor & a WHITE conductor may be a ACTIVE, LIVE or HOT wire.
For single phase circuits the newer standard in may areas is Blue for Neutral, Brown for Active & Green / Yellow for earth with the older colour code being Red for Active, Black for Neutral & Green or Green/Yellow for Earth.
Regards,
Brian.