Hello.

I would like someone to clearly lay out to me what colours match what phase (?) according to the standards out there. I know that colours are just a convention, and that as long as keep the colours coherent across a circuit it is really Ok, but i'd like to know about the standards.

Tipically i use BLACK for NEUTRAL (or COMMON or NEGATIVE or whatever you want to call it) and RED for LIVE (or POSITIVE). I have seen also BROWN for LIVE and BLUE for COMMON. GREEN or GREEN&YELLOW is always earthing.

The problem is that i have spotted on occasion mixtures, like black and blue, red and blue or black and brown. I have seen other colours mixed as well, but those (white, yellow, violet, etc) were in complex circuits, like a PBX.

Thanks;
Bruno

 

Textbook -- https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/reference/chpt-2/wiring-color-codes/

In Britain we have something called the 16th Edition which dictates everything you could possibly want to know about electrical installations. As part of the 16th Edition there are regulations on the colour of wires which have recently changed, ref http://www.iee.org/Publish/WireRegs/cablecol.cfm

More specifically for your query check the Cable Colours Leaflet: http://www.iee.org/Publish/WireRegs/Cable Colours Leaflet.pdf

I cannot comment about other countries around the world.

Dave

 

In the US of A, white is neutral. Black, red, and blue are hot when dealing with 3-phase. Black and red are hot when dealing with split single phase.

For the international standard used in Portugal, check here: http://www.emsd.gov.hk/emsd/eng_source/pps/electricity_new_8/guidelines/index.htm

 

Why do they use blue for neutral and brown for live? Isn't blue a much more "livelier" colour?

 

No Idea. Here in NZ and also Australia, the convention is similar to UK and europe.
For permanent/fixed wiring (behind the walls)
Red is Phase,
Black is Neutral and
green is earth...

For non fixed wiring (appliances and extensions)
Brown is phase
Blue is Neutral and
Green/Yellow is earth.

Is suspect we all did it that way just to frustrate the US.

 

Why do they use blue for neutral and brown for live? Isn't blue a much more "livelier" colour?

By analogy:

Water is blue and neutral (on the pH scale).

Trees (at least the bark) is brown and live/living.

This is probably not the reasons why they are selected as such, but is the way I remember.

Dave

 

According to:

No Idea. Here in NZ and also Australia, the convention is similar to UK and europe.
For permanent/fixed wiring (behind the walls)
Red is Phase,
Black is Neutral and
green is earth...

For non fixed wiring (appliances and extensions)
Brown is phase
Blue is Neutral and
Green/Yellow is earth.

(...)

and

By analogy:

Water is blue and neutral (on the pH scale).

Trees (at least the bark) is brown and live/living.

(...)

Dave

you get:

Red is for bleeding children.
Black is for incinerated children.​

Makes perfect sense. =)

 

you get:

Red is for bleeding children.​

Black is for incinerated children.​

Makes perfect sense. =)

Whatever works for you!

Dave