Color Code

Status
Not open for further replies.

billy hammers

New member
I always thought I knew about color coding in the NEC; however, I found out I don't know as much as I thought.

Where does it say in the NEC or any other publication about color codes, i.e., black/white, black/red/blue, brown/orange/yellow?

Maybe it isn't in the book but can some one tell me where it is located if it is located anywhere with regards to a publication of authority?

Thanks
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
The NEC does not specify color codes except:

green or bare for ground
white or gray for grounded conductor

I think it also says you can use orange to indicate the high leg of a mid-point grounded delta system, but other marking schemes are allowed.
 

allenwayne

Senior Member
color coding is in my opinion used for circuit # identification there are many ways of figuring what number is what color.I have seen charts used rulers too.white/gray,green /bare CU,black ,blue ,red etc.orange is a high leg other than that the NEC says nothing.
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
Billy
It was a requirement up until the mid-seventies. The intent of the CMP is for you to test and verify the voltage and not assume any voltage due to the color.
It may be required to be red but what if it was installed yellow?
However there is a requirement to identify each system by phase on each panel, it can be red-purple-orange, but has to be identified as what color is what function. This requirement can be found in 210.5 in the 2005 NEC
 

marinesgt0411

Senior Member
I thought only the grounded conductor had to be identified by system

lets run the whole building in black,white,grey,and green and make it real easy to trace out a circuit.

oh and make sure that your helper knows to splice all wires of the same color together
 

RUWired

Senior Member
Location
Pa.
Whats up with this article;My 2005 book says each branch circuit has to be identified by system.But my nec on CD says each feeder shall be identified by system.This of course is where there is more than 1 nominal voltage.
Rick
 

RUWired

Senior Member
Location
Pa.
And that would be 210.5(C) i was referring to :arrow:

(C) Ungrounded Conductors Where the premises wiring system has feeders supplied from more than one nominal voltage system, each ungrounded conductor of a feeder, where accessible, shall be identified by system. The means of identification shall be permitted to be by separate color coding, marking tape, tagging, or other approved means and shall be permanently posted at each feeder panelboard or similar feeder distribution equipment.
 

Minuteman

Senior Member
Regardless of code or not. There is nothing as pretty as having the black red blue in a 120/208 panel, and the brown orange yellow in a 277/480 panel all lined up. Most of us accept it as a trade standard. :mrgreen:
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
Minuteman said:
Regardless of code or not. There is nothing as pretty as having the black red blue in a 120/208 panel, and the brown orange yellow in a 277/480 panel all lined up. Most of us accept it as a trade standard. :mrgreen:

Amazing that 99.99% of us manage to use it and without nec saying SHALL
 
B

bthielen

Guest
The problem with color codes is that they haven't been applied since day 1. So even if a code was enacted today, it would in reality be useless for many decades until all of the old non-coded wire has been replaced. There are some color codes with regard to industrial machinery found in NFPA79 but these do not apply for multi-conductor cable.

In either case, it is always best to assume no code and verify voltages with your meter.

Bob
 

tshea

Senior Member
Location
Wisconsin
How about the green wire for furnaces in old residential...

We replace it so the next guy (DIYer) doesn't think it's an equipment ground wire.
 

DGrant041

Senior Member
Location
Peoria, Illinois
Sorry guys. Caterpillar gensets came with a Black, Red, Blue color code on their dual voltage generators. Our company followed suit early on (well before my time). Since then I've seen several installations at other companies where the 480V systems were labeled with Black, Red, Blue - 1,2,3.

In maintenance, it was our job to know the system we were working on whether that meant look at the designation on the MCC or chase down the conduit.

Could be worse though: US Navy was Black, White, Red -- talk about having to re-learn! :shock:

-Dale
 

RUWired

Senior Member
Location
Pa.
One important factor is;
If the wiring method is a cable,the conductors within these cables will have to be identified as to the voltage.
Pulling single conductors in conduit matched to phasing has always been easy.Matching multi conductor cables to phasing will take a little more finesse.
I know i don't want to go around and mark all the wires with phasing tape if the AHJ wants to enforce this article.
Rick
 

marinesgt0411

Senior Member
I have got MC 12-2 12-3 and 12-4 in all the so-called high voltage colors brown, orange, yellow, purple in any combination with a grey neutral and green ground

have also obtained MC without a neutral.

though I have never seen orange and purple in the same cable.

some specs say you cannot use orange wire for ANYTHING except high leg which is in the code someplace so purple is used in its place for B phase

Do not ask me where I DO NOT KNOW it shows up on the job or at the office and I install it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top