Insulation color code requirements

[mgookin]

I searched the forums and Google and came up blank. To that end...

We all know we use red for control wiring. But where does that come from?

Is it an NEC article or is there some other standard which prescribes this?

Thanks.

 

[qcroanoke]

I searched the forums and Google and came up blank. To that end...

We all know we use red for control wiring. But where does that come from?

Is it an NEC article or is there some other standard which prescribes this?

Thanks.

NFPA 79 has a color code for controls.
But to my knowledge there is nothing in the NEC that gives direction on color codes for control wiring.

 

[mgookin]

NFPA 79 has a color code for controls.
But to my knowledge there is nothing in the NEC that gives direction on color codes for control wiring.

Thanks for the answer; I asked my question wrong.

What says we shall use black for hot and identify neutral with white in building wiring? Does the NEC prescribe this?

When I said control, I meant a wire like you'd having interconnecting smokes.

 

[Ponchik]

Thanks for the answer; I asked my question wrong.

What says we shall use black for hot and identify neutral with white in building wiring? Does the NEC prescribe this?

When I said control, I meant a wire like you'd having interconnecting smokes.

The only requirement is from 200.6 that basically neutral has to be identified white or gray ........

Nothing in the code about the ungrounded conductors.

There may be specific instances that a control wire has to be certain color.

 

[big john]

...Nothing in the code about the ungrounded conductors.

There may be specific instances that a control wire has to be certain color...

Only ones I know of for sure are orange for some high-leg conductors and light-blue for intrinsically safe.

 

[qcroanoke]

The only requirement is from 200.6 that basically neutral has to be identified white or gray ........

Nothing in the code about the ungrounded conductors.

the High leg (stinger) has to be identified as orange. 230.56 service conductor with higher voltage to ground.
Equipment grounds must be Green, Green with a yellow stripe or bare.250.119

 

[tom baker]

IS wiring is to be light blue
Hospitals in operating rooms use orange and yellow for isolated power in flammable areas.
2014 code adds red and black for DC systems
NFPA 79 and UL 508
Red control voltage
Black power
Blue 24 VDC
White with blue stripe, 24 VDC common

I use striped red/yel and blu/yel for control circuits outside of the control cabinet.

 

[mgookin]

Thanks everyone.

 

[fmtjfw]

200.7 relaxes the white and gray color rules for voltages below 50. It also allows alternative methods of identification.
250.119 relaxes the green[/yellow] rules for voltages below 50. It allow green to be a hot conductor in traffic light systems.
400.22 allows light blue as the grounded conductor in cords (harmonizes with European standard, and found in millions of Cords with IEC connectors (e.g.: connectors use for computer/medical/sound/test equipment meant for more than 1 country markets)).

IEC cords are typically green with yellow -- earth/grounding; light blue -- neutral/grounded; brown -- hot.

Green and Gray were historically used for hot conductors in days of yore. Be careful in old installations.

TELCOs often use(d) gray for grounding wire.

 

[Ponchik]

Thanks for the answer; I asked my question wrong.

What says we shall use black for hot and identify neutral with white in building wiring? Does the NEC prescribe this?

When I said control, I meant a wire like you'd having interconnecting smokes.

I often wonder if it would be a code violation to use the EGC of a 14-2 to interconnect the smoke detectors.

 

[qcroanoke]

I often wonder if it would be a code violation to use the EGC of a 14-2 to interconnect the smoke detectors.

From what I've read there is voltage on it when in alarm so I would say it's a violation.

 

[kenman215]

From what I've read there is voltage on it when in alarm so I would say it's a violation.

There is voltage on it but not a lot. Somewhere between 10-20 I think. Found this out because we had done an apartment building that had some bad 12/3 Romex. The 120V hot was bleeding some voltage to the red interconnect wire. Lowest reading I got that would cause false alarms was 10V on that line. Had to old work jumpers between 35 detectors in 15 different units...

 

[fmtjfw]

I often wonder if it would be a code violation to use the EGC of a 14-2 to interconnect the smoke detectors.

I would say yes. When you say 14-2 EGC I presume you are talking about NM or MC or AC with an uninsulated grounding conductor. Uninsulated conductors (ignoring those mounted on insulators) can be used only for grounding conductors.