Harmonisation and Standards!

[mitsibushiman]

This is something iv got a wee bee in my bonnet about, im based in the UK and the electrical wiring standards here are known as the "16th edition Requirements for electrical installation" recently there has been a change to the requirements and it has made me curious as to what standards are used elsewhere in the world!. Previously in the UK conductor colour codes where L1 - RED, L2 - YELLOW, L3 - BLUE and N - BLACK and EARTH - GREEN/YELLOW (For use in 415VAC Circuits) However due to "harmonisation" of standards accross the EU it has been decided the new colour codes are L1 - BROWN, L2 - GREY, L3 BLACK, N - BLUE, and EARTH - GREEN/YELLOW I personally feel that changing the colours codes is a bad idea!, especially with blue now becoming a neutral conductor whereas it was previously used a phase conductor, and believe this will lead to one or two BANGS eventually, was just wonderinf if any other UK sparks/techs/engineers had any feelings on this???? (i also know the regs state all conductors in mixed systems should be clearly marked but i know what some of the installations i have seen in the past where like!!!) So to cut a long story short what other conductor colour codes are used eg US and Asia????

[Crossbow]

Most of the time I see 3 phase electric (230/460) using brown, orange, and yellow. Black is typically used for the positive side of 120VAC. White is the common neutral color. 24VDC is run as blue, sometimes both positive and negative are blue. Some customers want white with a blue stripe for negative 24VDC. Red is used for 120 after a control transformer.

[Chris Elston]

We follow about the same. Actually we follow mostly what the NFPA 79 says. High voltage (greater than 150 volts) power and motor conductors BLACK Hot 115 VAC power, motor, control circuit, and programmable controller I/O conductors. RED Neutral 115 VAC power, motor, control circuit, and programmable controller I/O conductors. WHITE DC motor conductors. BROWN 24 VDC power, control circuit, and programmable controller I/O conductors (positive). BLUE 24 VDC power, control circuit, and programmable controller I/O conductors (common). BLUE/white stripe All control circuits or wiring that may remain energized when the main disconnecting means is in the off position. YELLOW Equipment grounding conductors (noncurrent-carrying) where insulated or covered. GREEN

[Andy_P]

I'm with you on this one Mitsibushiman. Changing the colours from red, yellow, blue, black to the others you mentioned is a bad idea, in my opinion. This is what I have always used/come across when wiring/inspecting distribution boards and the supply to a machine. Definitely think the EU should 'harmonize' everybody to the UK standards. The wiring for control cabinets, on the other side of the isolator, I am broadly in agreement with chakorules. High voltage power : Black High voltage control : Red Low voltage control : Blue Control not disconnected by isolator : Yellow or Orange Neutral : Light Blue. Andy.

[mitsibushiman]

Thanks for the replies! I just find it interesting to see the wide variation of different colours throughout varying regions!, I could be wrong but its also been suggested to me that the "harmonisation" with EU/UK wiring codes is to do with colour blindness!, , but i find that hard to believe! RED YELLOW BLUE FOREVER!!!! Also just for information this is the colours iv generally used in the past 240 VAC Phase - Red, Neutral - Black, Earth - Green Yellow 110VAC Phase - Yellow, Neutral - Black, Earth - Green Yellow 24VDC Positive - Light Blue, Common - White, Earth Green Yellow or Purple Others Orange - Low Voltage >50VDC,VAC, Conductors not switched from panel isolator Grey - Voltage >260VAC, Conductors not switched from panel isolator Edited November 2, 2004 by mitsibushiman

[Krismatic]

It is quite frightening when you think of the old wiring in most of our buildings and factories and what is the new standards. Have you looked under the bonnet of your car?........to find the 'earth'...grounded to chassis wire is brown???????

[Guest ExCorusChris]

Well whether we like it or not come March (April 2006?) we're all going to be using them - or at least we should be. I'm currently designing a large crane control system and have just sent our customer my take on the new colours- will be interesting to see what they make of it. None of my customers (mostly Metalmaking in the UK - I'll let you work that one out) have given me any guidance on this to date. 3 phase power BLACK, BROWN, GREY 1 phase power BROWN (only coz domestic is 240v brown & blue) Neutral BLUE Anything above 10mm2 is black cable with the correct colour heat shrink. (the is a sentence in the new regs which suggest that as long as they are marked with an alphanumeric it dosnt matter what colour they are............... have a look). 1 phase ctrl - RED Neutral BLUE <50VDC WHITE >50VDC VOILET Live before Isolator - ORANGE. Wouldn't it be nice if we all just did the same thing................