Electrical wiring colour codes for Buildings

     Electrical wire colours do matter when performing electrical works or any wiring installations in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. As electricity plays a vital role in our daily lives so, everyone should have minimum knowledge about wire colours and wire installations.

The electrical wiring colour codes have created to ensure safety and convenience. The colours allow electricians or electrical workers to identify and work with wires without any danger. While dealing with electrical wires, one should follow some safety measures and the colour codes of wires will help in installing correctly. Depending on regional rules, some colour codes for electrical wiring are mandatory and some are optional.

     In India, electrical wires follow the standard colour coding (RGB mode i.e.., Red, Green and Black) which helps to classify each wire function in the circuit.

This article provides you with the electrical wiring colour code conventions for wiring in buildings.

Red Wires

     Red wires are live wires used in switch legs that turn the load on and off. Red wires become hot when turned on and come off from the bottom of the switches terminal. These wires cannot be combined with other red wires or black wires.

Red wires

Green Wires

     Green electrical wires are used for grounding. They provide a safe pathway for current to travel to the ground in case of any fault occurrence. Green wires are not intended to use for lights and fans. They are attached to appliances like AC, TV, microwaves and geysers to provide earthing in an electrical circuit.

Green wires for Grounding

Green wires should only connect to green wires, not any other wires. They should be handled with caution as they are live in case of fault conditions. Faults occur when some live wire goes conductive and green wires act as a safeguard and prevent us from electrocution.

Black Wires

     Black wires are neutral wires in the electric circuit that carries the unbalanced load or unused current back to the electric panel. Black wires are not meant to be connected with other wires except black wires.

Blue and Yellow wires

Blue and Yellow Wires

     Blue and Yellow colour wires are also used in connecting live wires. These wires are used in hot wiring and three-phase connections. Yellow wires are used in switch wiring and connected to fans, tube lights, and other electrical appliances.

Blue and Yellow wires

Multi-colour Wires

     Sometimes, white and grey colour wires are used as neutral wires. They are connected directly to the bus bars in the electric panel and can be connected with the same colour wires. Green wires stripped with yellow are used for grounding purposes.

     Nowadays, electricians have started using a new coding method, BBG or brown, blue and green. Brown wire refers to live wire, blue for neutral and green for earthing or grounding. 

 

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