220V-240V EUROPEAN

Status
Not open for further replies.

Besoeker

Senior Member
Location
UK
Wasn't the neutral always black and the phase always red, yellow or blue, but now its blue for the neutral and brown for the phase? :huh:
Yes, for single phase it was red and black. But, for single phase domestic , that was superseded quite a long time ago. I don't remember when exactly but some decades.

Yes, three phase was red, yellow, blue, black.

Harmonisation gave us this:



Yet another fine mess the EU got us into.
 

AdrianWint

Senior Member
Location
Midlands, UK
Besoeker,

Another Brit here ...... the UK 3 phase distribution system has never had fused neutrals (because of the non-symmetrical voltages that would develop if you loose the neutral on 3 phase circuit) but fused neutrals on single phase final circuits where very common up until about the mid 1960s - obviously many of these still remain in old installations. Also many of the old metal single phase service heads had a fused neutral. A lot of these were a throwback to the old days of DC distribution, especially in London.

My employer makes educational equipment. In order to make it as universal as possible we tend to design it using double pole CB's so that it can be used either line/neutral in the UK/Europe or be wired line/line in other countries such as the US (most of the products are not frequency sensitive).

Adrian

PS. I to hate these new fangled colours for the phases. Which plonker decided it would be a good idea to transpose the colours of a phase & neutral!!! Have they ever tried to differential between brown/black/grey in poor light? I know of at least one death & many thousands of pounds worth of damage caused by this.
 
Last edited:

Besoeker

Senior Member
Location
UK
Besoeker,

Another Brit here ...... the UK 3 phase distribution system has never had fused neutrals (because of the non-symmetrical voltages that would develop if you loose the neutral on 3 phase circuit) but fused neutrals on single phase final circuits where very common up until about the mid 1960s - obviously many of these still remain in old installations. Also many of the old metal single phase service heads had a fused neutral. A lot of these were a throwback to the old days of DC distribution, especially in London.
I just haven't come across any. Possibly because pretty much all I have dealt with is three-phase industrial equipment.


PS. I to hate these new fangled colours for the phases. Which plonker decided it would be a good idea to transpose the colours of a phase & neutral!!! Have they ever tried to differential between brown/black/grey in poor light? I know of at least one death & many thousands of pounds worth of damage caused by this.

Dangerous insanity.

P.S.
Welcome, another British person!
Where from? I live in Bedfordshire and work in the Warford area.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top