Brown neutral

[wireday]

In machine wiring Is brown ok for a neutral? We build manufacturing machines that make our product, looking at a print today it calls for a brown neutral,

 

[tom baker]

Brown is an IEC standard. Are your machines used in the US? If so I would suggest using UL508A or NFPA 79.

 

[wireday]

Yes US,

 

[Archer]

I believe the IEC standard calls for NEUTRAL to be BLUE and the HOT conductor to be BROWN (although I have been known to be wrong, before).

 

[tom baker]

And exactly why you would use US standards,

 

[Hv&Lv]

I believe the IEC standard calls for NEUTRAL to be BLUE and the HOT conductor to be BROWN (although I have been known to be wrong, before).

You are correct. Many devices we purchase here have blue/brown conductors in the cords.
check continuity on one…

 

[tom baker]

For male plugs and receptacles, it was easy to remember, “white is wide”.

 

[Hv&Lv]

For male plugs and receptacles, it was easy to remember, “white is wide”.

I have to do something like that for brown/blue.
Blue is a cool color, brown is the color of crap.
Touch brown it will shock the crap out of you.
Touch blue it’s cool.

 

[James L]

I have to do something like that for brown/blue.
Blue is a cool color, brown is the color of crap.
Touch brown it will shock the crap out of you.
Touch blue it’s cool.

I learned by just remembering that it's opposite of what my first impression was.

Every time it looked like blue should be hot.
But nope, it's backward from that ✌✌

 

[Fred B]

I have to do something like that for brown/blue.
Blue is a cool color, brown is the color of crap.
Touch brown it will shock the crap out of you.
Touch blue it’s cool.

Is IEC requirements for color code different than NEC? 200.6 and 200.7 both indicate the grounded conductor (neutral) shall be white, grey, or white or grey striped. No mention of blue.
Under NEC it seems the blue is common for a phase conductor on a 208Y but not a neutral.

 

[SceneryDriver]

I have to do something like that for brown/blue.
Blue is a cool color, brown is the color of crap.
Touch brown it will shock the crap out of you.
Touch blue it’s cool.

An Aussie electrician once told me they're taught "Down on Brown, Back on Blue." As in, power comes down to the load on brown, and goes back to the neutral on blue.

Also works for powering industrial prox sensors as well (usually). Black (and sometimes white if used) are the sensor outputs.


SceneryDriver

 

[Hv&Lv]

Is IEC requirements for color code different than NEC? 200.6 and 200.7 both indicate the grounded conductor (neutral) shall be white, grey, or white or grey striped. No mention of blue.
Under NEC it seems the blue is common for a phase conductor on a 208Y but not a neutral.

Yes. Very different
IEC 60445

 

[tom baker]

Down on brown, back on blue,
Works for me

 

[LarryFine]

For male plugs and receptacles, it was easy to remember, “white is wide”.

And the ribbed conductor on lamp cord.

I remember the neutral being called "the identified conductor."

 

[LarryFine]

I learned by just remembering that it's opposite of what my first impression was.

Every time it looked like blue should be hot.
But nope, it's backward from that ✌✌

Same here. The earth is brown, the sky is blue.