Wire Color Coding

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
There is no mandated NEC color code with the exception of white, green and orange.
The Code does address identification where there is more than one voltage system in the premises in 210.5 but color code is only one option.
 

qcroanoke

Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
Location
Roanoke, VA.
Occupation
Sorta retired........
What is the correct wire color coding in the US for a 240/480 Volt, Split Phase, 1 Phase, 3 Wire System according to the NEC Code.
White or gray is neutral. Green or green w/ yellow stripe is ground orange is high leg.
No other colors are mandated by code that I know of.....
 

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
The Street Colors per phase(s) are Black, Red, Blue 240/120V, Brown, Orange, Yellow 480/277V.
Black, Orange, Blue on a Wild leg service 208/120V. ( i believe this is correct )
All subject to regional favors...

The PoCo have their own colors. They don't usually apply color till they transform...
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
Light blue for IS (art 504)
someone can help me with this, orange and yellow for operating room isolated ground systems?
Orange with identifying stripe, brown with identifyimng stripe, & on 3 phase, yellow with stripe.
 

jim dungar

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Wisconsin
Occupation
PE (Retired) - Power Systems
Light blue for IS (art 504)
Most of these site specific NEC requirements do not prevent the color from being used in other locations, unlike grounding and grounded colors are.
This is why orange means high/wild leg only if a high leg system exists.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Most of these site specific NEC requirements do not prevent the color from being used in other locations, unlike grounding and grounded colors are.
This is why orange means high/wild leg only if a high leg system exists.
And green only became a restricted use color in the 2005 code. Prior to that you were permitted to use green as an ungrounded conductor. It was not commonly used as such, but I have seen it a number of times over the years. No matter what the color may be, you should always use some other method to verify the function of the conductor.
 

tortuga

Code Historian
Location
Oregon
Occupation
Electrical Design
What is the correct wire color coding in the US for a 240/480 Volt, Split Phase, 1 Phase, 3 Wire System according to the NEC Code.
I would use Brown and Orange for phases and Gray for the neutral, like if I am pulling a 1 phase circuit off a 480 system.
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
And green only became a restricted use color in the 2005 code. Prior to that you were permitted to use green as an ungrounded conductor. It was not commonly used as such, but I have seen it a number of times over the years. No matter what the color may be, you should always use some other method to verify the function of the conductor.
Which is why the NEC did away with color requirements in the mid 70s
Regardless of color requirements, often what gets installed is what is on the truck
 

tortuga

Code Historian
Location
Oregon
Occupation
Electrical Design
Light blue for IS (art 504)
Some flexible cords can use light blue as a neutral 400.22 I think.
Interesting thing is some manufacturers may have discontinued 'light' shades of THHN. I remember you could get light blue and light gray at least.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
What is the correct wire color coding in the US for a 240/480 Volt, Split Phase, 1 Phase, 3 Wire System according to the NEC Code.
If that is the only voltage system on the premises the only thing that requires any specific identification is the grounded (neutral) conductor and of course equipment grounding conductor.
 

mayutt

Member
Location
WV
Occupation
Journeyman
Newbie question here...I had plenty of left over 12-3 MC with a bare aluminum ground from another job, so I used the red wire for the ground on a couple circuits in my own garage...is that against the NEC? There's no inspector here in rural WV so that's not an issue and I'm sure it's safe because the bare aluminum is grounded to the metal sheath...but I've searched on the code and I'm having trouble finding a clear answer.
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
mayutt, please update your profile to include at minimum the state your are in.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Newbie question here...I had plenty of left over 12-3 MC with a bare aluminum ground from another job, so I used the red wire for the ground on a couple circuits in my own garage...is that against the NEC? There's no inspector here in rural WV so that's not an issue and I'm sure it's safe because the bare aluminum is grounded to the metal sheath...but I've searched on the code and I'm having trouble finding a clear answer.
What do you mean by bare aluminum ground? Is this MC-ap cable? This should apply.

250.119(B) Multiconductor Cable.
One or more insulated conductors in a multiconductor cable, at the time of installation, shall be permitted to be permanently identified as equipment grounding conductors at each end and at every point where the conductors are accessible by one of the following means:
(1) Stripping the insulation from the entire exposed length.
(2) Coloring the exposed insulation green.
(3) Marking the exposed insulation with green tape or green adhesive labels. Identification shall encircle the conductor.
 

mayutt

Member
Location
WV
Occupation
Journeyman
Thanks for the answers, gents! I'll mark the red wire as ground for these circuits.

Here's the specific wire:


And I'm trying to update my location in my profile, but I can't figure that out...feeling not smart. Where do I do that?
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Thanks for the answers, gents! I'll mark the red wire as ground for these circuits.

Here's the specific wire:


And I'm trying to update my location in my profile, but I can't figure that out...feeling not smart. Where do I do that?
You don't need to mark the red wire, in your case the aluminum is shunting the coils of the MC making the sheath the EGC. See 250.118

I'll fix your location.

Welcome to the forums.
 
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