Wire color codes or cable color code charts for both AC and DC are classified based on national standards for each region. You may find different colors in different countries, so that’s why we need to check it by ourselves or consult a in mind that not every country has all the wire color codes recorded in a document. When it comes to this, we need to use local custom or “alternative” color code is a crucial thing to be noted. Especially for electricians, electrical engineers, technicians, and even regular you have opened a light switch box or an electrical outlet, you might have encountered various confusing colored those of you, who haven’t learned about it, let me explain it to you do we use different colors for cables? No more and no less to differentiate the cable wire colored in black is different from a cable colored in brown, orange, red, or need to know what is the specific purpose for each color before touching it you better don’t touch or plug-unplug the cable unless you know what is the meaning of its color.Knowing the meaning of the color will keep us and our electrical system we start learning about wiring color code, let us understand what electrical wiring is a bit first. Electrical WiringElectrical wiring is an installation of the electric devices and cables. The devices can be electronic boards, switches, sockets, and room wiring needs to be taken seriously. We must follow the safety standards and installation practice. The types of the wire and its size are strictly classified to the operating voltage and current only that, the temperature, exposure, moisture, and chemical level are planned wiring standard and electrical wiring installation are made with the purpose of the best safety for people and standard varies for each region or country. They are modelled based on code produced by national or international standards remember that older installations may use different colors. It is wise to make a note about color code history. With this strategy, we will get better safety and easier the list below, you will learn aboutLive wire colorColor wiring diagramConductor color codePhase color chartPositive and negative wire colorsWire color code chartsEurope Wire Color CodesMost of Europe uses this IEC 60446 International Electrotechnical Commission standard for electrical color code charts. The colors and the labels can be observed below Single phase, Line L = brown Three phase, Line 1 L1 = brown Three phase, Line 2 L2 = black Three phase, Line 3 L3 = grey Neutral N = blue Protective earth PE = green-yellowFrom the list above we can conclude that For single phase system we will findPositive = brownNegative = blue For three phase system we will findPositive = brown, black, greyNeutral = blue United Kingdom Wire Color CodesThe UK now adapts IEC 60446 as its own wire color codes from British Standard BS 76712001 Amendment No 22004. There is a little extension that UK also uses grey color as line conductor. Same as above, the UK wiring color code with extension along with 3 phase color chart will be Single phase, Line L = brown, grey Three phase, Line 1 L1 = brown Three phase, Line 2 L2 = black Three phase, Line 3 L3 = grey Neutral N = blue Protective earth PE = green-yellowFrom the list above we can conclude that For single phase system we will findPositive = brown, greyNegative = blue For three phase system we will findPositive = brown, black, greyNeutral = blueUnited States Wire Color CodesThe US follows National Electrical Code NEC wire color codes. The wiring color codes from NEC are classified into flexible cables and fixed CableThe wire color codes from this category are extension cord, power cable, and lamp cords wiring V line voltage Line L = black Neutral N = white Protective earth PE = green, green-yellow V line voltage split phase Line L = black or red Neutral N = white Protective earth PE = green, green-yellow CableThe wire color codes from this category are 3 phase color charts, all of the cable behind the wall, in the wall, or on the 208, 240 V line voltage wire color code Three phase, Line 1 L1 = black Three phase, Line 2 L2 = red Three phase, Line 3 L3 = blue Neutral N = white Protective earth PE = green, bare copper no insulation, green-yellow striped for isolated systems277, 480 V line voltage wire color code Three phase, Line 1 L1 = brown Three phase, Line 2 L2 = orange Three phase, Line 3 L3 = yellow Neutral N = grey Protective earth PE = green, bare copper no insulation, green-yellow striped for isolated systemsRead also supernode analysis Canada Wire Color CodesCanada follows the wiring color codes standard by Canadian Electric Code CEC. The wiring color codes from CEC are classified into flexible cables and fixed CableThe wire color codes from this category are extension cord, power cable, and lamp cords wiring V line voltage Line L = black Neutral N = white Protective earth PE = green, green-yellow V line voltage split phase Line L = black, red Neutral N = white Protective earth PE = green, green-yellow CableThe wire color codes from this category are all of the cable behind the wall, in the wall, or on the unisolated system Single phase, Line L = red, black Three phase, Line 1 L1 = red Three phase, Line 2 L2 = black Three phase, Line 3 L3 = blue Neutral N = white, grey Protective earth PE = green, bare copper no insulation, green-yellow striped for isolated systemsFor isolated system Single phase, Line L = orange, brown Three phase, Line 1 L1 = orange Three phase, Line 2 L2 = brown Three phase, Line 3 L3 = yellow Neutral N = white, grey Protective earth PE = green, green-yellow striped for isolated systemsAustralia and New Zealand Wire Color CodeAustralia and New Zealand follow the wiring color codes standard by AS/NZS 30002007 for flexible CableThe wire color codes from this category are extension cord, power cable, and lamp cords wiring color Line L = brown Neutral N = blue Protective earth PE = green-yellow and New Zealand follow the wiring color codes standard by AS/NZS 30002007 table for fixed CableThe wire color codes from this category are 3 phase color charts, all of the cable behind the wall, in the wall, or on the = yellow, light blue, black, green, green-yellow striped Single phase, Line L = red, brown Single phase, Switched Line = white Three phase, Line 1 L1 = red Three phase, Line 2 L2 = white Three phase, Line 3 L3 = blue Neutral N = black, light blue Protective earth PE = green, bare copper no insulation, green-yellow striped stranded wire China Wire Color CodeChina PRC has the wiring color codes standard for flexible cable and fixed cable as CableThe wire color codes from this category are extension cord, power cable, and lamp cords wiring color Line L = yellow, green, red Neutral N = black, blue Protective earth PE = green-yellow CableThe wire color codes from this category are 3 phase color charts, all of the cable behind the wall, in the wall, or on the wall. Three phase, Line 1 L1 = yellow Three phase, Line 2 L2 = green Three phase, Line 3 L3 = red Neutral N = black, blue Protective earth PE = green-yellow stripedBrazil Wire Color CodeBrazil has the wiring color codes standard by ABNT NBR 54102004 for flexible cable and fixed cable as CableThe wire color codes from this category are extension cord, power cable, and lamp cords wiring color Line L = any color except green and green-yellow striped, yellow is prohibited if green or green-yellow striped is used, blue can be used when there is no neutral cable. Neutral N = light blue Protective earth PE = green, green-yellow CableThe wire color codes from this category are 3 phase color charts, all of the cable behind the wall, in the wall, or on the wall. Three phase, Line 1 L1 = black Three phase, Line 2 L2 = white Three phase, Line 3 L3 = red Neutral N = light blue Protective earth PE = green, green-yellow stripedSouth Africa Wire Color CodesSouth Africa has the wiring color codes standard for flexible cable and fixed cable as CableThe wire color codes from this category are extension cord, power cable, and lamp cords wiring color. South Africa uses this IEC 60446 International Electrotechnical Commission for flexible cable Single phase, Line L = brown Three phase, Line 1 L1 = brown Three phase, Line 2 L2 = black Three phase, Line 3 L3 = grey Neutral N = blue Protective earth PE = green-yellowFixed CableThe wire color codes from this category are all of the cable behind the wall, in the wall, or on the wall. Three phase, Line 1 L1 = red or yellow Three phase, Line 2 L2 = white or blue Neutral N = black Protective earth PE = green-yellow striped India uses this standard for wiring color codes. The colors and the labels can be observed below Single phase, Line L = red Three phase, Line 1 L1 = red Three phase, Line 2 L2 = yellow Three phase, Line 3 L3 = blue Neutral N = black Protective earth PE = green-yellow stripedFrom the list above we can conclude that For single phase system we will findPositive = redNegative = black For three phase system we will findPositive = red, yellow, blueNeutral = blackIndonesia Wire Color CodesIndonesia uses the wiring color codes standard from PUIL 2011 Persyaratan Umum Instalasi Listrik adapted from IEC 60446 as followsSingle phase, Line L = brown, greyThree phase, Line 1 L1 = brownThree phase, Line 2 L2 = blackThree phase, Line 2 L3 = greyNeutral N = blueProtective earth PE = green-yellowFrom the list above we can conclude thatFor single phase system we will findPositive = brown, greyNegative = blueFor three phase system we will findPositive = brown, black, greyNeutral = blueDC Wire Color CodesThere are also wiring color codes for DC power but we will only cover the NEC and IEC standards since they are more commonly used. These Include 5V, 12V, 24V wire color code, or even – DC wire color codes Two Wire UngroundedPositive L+ = redNegative L- = blackProtective earth PE = bare copper, green, green-yellow Two Wire GroundedPositive L+ = redNeutral N = whiteNegative L- = blackProtective earth PE = bare copper, green, green-yellow Three Wire GroundedPositive L+ = redNeutral N center-tapped = whiteNegative L- = blackProtective earth PE = bare copper, green, green-yellow IEC – DC wire color codes Two Wire UngroundedPositive L+ = brownNegative L- = greyProtective earth PE = green, yellow Two Wire GroundedPositive L+ = brownNeutral N = blueNegative L- = greyProtective earth PE = green, yellow Three Wire GroundedPositive L+ = brownNeutral N center-tapped = blueNegative L- = greyProtective earth PE = green, yellow ConclusionFrom the data above we can conclude thatThe wiring color codes for each region are unique from one to another, except for US and color above is the newest wiring color code used in every may want to make the record for previous versions of wiring color codes standard for better Asked Questions1. Is a black wire negative or positive?In Europe, UK, US, Canada, South Africa, and Brazil it is used for 3-phase positive lines. In Australia, New Zealand, India, and China it is used for neutral cable or What are the blue and brown wires?Blue is used for neutral wire in the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, China, Brazil, and South Africa. It is used for positive wire in the US 120, 208, 240V, Canada unisolated system, and is used for positive wire in the UK, Europe, US 277, 480V, Canada isolated system, Australia, New Zealand, and South Is the red wire positiveRed is used for positive wire in the US 120, 208, 240V, and DC voltage, Canada 240V and unisolated system, Australia and New Zealand, China, Brazil, South Africa, and What is the orange electrical wire for?Orange is used for positive wire for the US 277 and 480V and Canada isolated system.5. Is a black and red wire positive or negative?For the DC circuit, red is used for positive wire + and black is used for negative wire -.6. Is the striped wire hot or neutral?For many countries, the striped wire is used for neutral or protective Which is the positive wire black or white?When there are only black or white wires then black wire is hot or positive and white is the neutral.