- quick identification of wire purpose (phase, neutral or ground)
- reducing the number of erroneous connections during the installation process
- no need to test the wire for phasing
Manufacturers choose conductor colors not according to their own wishes, but according to the rules. Moreover, not only a color, but also a numerical and alphabetic designation can be applied to the conductor.
The color is applied along the entire length of the core insulation. But in some areas you can also use multi-colored cambrics for heat shrink. They are mainly widely used in cable terminations.
How are wires painted on electrical wiring?
According to European and our standards, manufacturers paint wires in different colors and individually mark them. The insulating material is painted.
Color marking is carried out along the entire length. This approach determines the purpose of each element, which facilitates switching. Be sure to combine colors correctly to prevent dangerous moments. Electrical wires are divided into three types:
- phase;
- zero;
- grounding
Each of them has a different color so that the master can quickly determine their purpose.
What happens if you confuse zero with ground?
If the grounding is working properly and is carried out in accordance with all requirements, the error may not be suspected for many years. I have come across incorrectly connected electric stoves many times since Soviet times. However, you should not turn a blind eye to these mistakes:
1. Electricity metering devices will not work correctly, because of this you can get a hefty fine from the power industry when everything becomes clear.
2. When installing differential switches (RCDs) or differential circuit breakers, their correct operation is impossible. These devices will be turned off all the time.
3. Grounding will cease to fulfill its main function - to protect a person from electric shock. In addition, this can become the very cause of lesions.
4. If the grounding in a private house is “weak,” it will quickly fail and, in any case, repairs will have to be made.
Source: yserogo.ru
What colors are in electrical wiring?
According to the rules of electrical installations (PUE), electrical wiring is covered with insulating material of different colors.
This makes the elements easier to recognize by the master. The work uses a three-core cable, where there is a phase, zero, ground, which are colored differently. Previously, there was only black and white execution, but with the introduction of new rules, it has become safer and easier. There are options:
- white;
- black;
- red;
- cyan (blue);
- yellow-green;
- brown.
Ground wire color
Yellow-green – “grounding” elements. Sometimes the owner of the device comes across simply yellow or green, with two letters - “RE”, which are responsible for marking “ground”. If the grounding element is together with the neutral element, it is designated “PEN” and often has a green-yellow tint.
What is the phase designated by?
Contact with the phase is the most dangerous.
You should be careful when carrying out work. Since some cases can even be fatal, manufacturers mark it with a bright color to avoid confusion with other variants. Red and black are the colors of the phase. There are also others:
- brown;
- lilac;
- orange;
- pink;
- violet;
- white;
- grey.
It will be easier to deal with a bunch of batteries when zero and ground are eliminated. The phase in the diagram is marked with the letter L. If there are several phases in the network, which is often the case at 380 V, such wires are designated L1, L2, L3. In other cases, they may be designated: the first phase is A, the second is B, etc.
Neutral wire in a single-phase network
Presented in blue or cyan shades. In electrical engineering there is no other designation for this color. It doesn’t matter which cable is used in the work - three-core, five-core, the color is the same.
The grounding and neutral conductors may differ in cable thickness. In diagrams, “zero” is signed with the letter N. Such a cable is classified as a working element, because, unlike grounding, it takes part in creating the power supply circuit. In some circuits it is read as “minus”, then the phase acts as a “plus”.
Additional information about finding the ground, phase, neutral wire
We remind you that we considered cases when there is no indicator screwdriver at hand, but there are current clamps and a multimeter. Then, before entering the apartment, they detect the ground, phase, neutral wire, and the home network is dialed. There are three cores, the technique is on the surface: between the phase and the other wire, the potential difference will be 230 volts. Please note that the technique is not suitable in other cases. For example, the voltage difference between two identical phase conductors is zero. It is difficult to measure and determine with a tester.
Let's add another method - it is prohibited by industry. A light bulb in a socket with two exposed wires. Using the tool, they find the phase; it is possible to short the core to ground. You cannot use water, gas, sewer pipes or other engineering structures. According to the rules, the cable antenna braid is equipped with grounding (grounding). In relation to it, it is permissible to use a tester (a light bulb in a socket prohibited by standards) to find the phase.
For determined people, we recommend fire escapes and steel tires for lightning rods. You need to clean the metal until it shines, call the phase phase. Please note that not all fire escapes are grounded (although they must be), lightning rod buses are 100%. If you discover such blatant arbitrariness, contact the management organizations; if there is no response, inform the government authorities. Indicate a violation of the rules for protective grounding of buildings.
How to check the correctness of the markings in the apartment?
Relying on color alone is not recommended.
Before starting work, it is recommended to check their belongings. A special screwdriver is used for this. The LED on it lights up when you touch the phase. There will be no problems with a two-core cable, because the second one will be zero. For three-wire, use another tool - a multimeter or tester.
The switch is set on a scale greater than 220V. This indicator or even less should be displayed on the screen, because these are our realities.
To use a multimeter, it is worth considering that when ringing a phase-ground pair, the readings are lower than when ringing a phase-zero pair.
When connecting wires, try to use wires of the same color. Try not to confuse them so as not to face disastrous consequences - injuries or fires.
Algorithm for working with me
1. After a telephone conversation with me or placing an order online, I will come to the site to take the necessary measurements and clarify the task. At the meeting, you will receive detailed advice on all electrical-related issues that interest you. If you do not have a ready-made solution for electrical installation of the room, then I am ready to discuss with you on the spot: convenient places for installing electrical installation products, calculate the required number of lines and methods of laying cables, and agree on the electrical panel diagram.
Designation of colors on electrical diagrams
The number of colors used in the work depends directly on the specific scheme. If the work is carried out according to generally accepted standards, then an experienced electrician will easily understand your network in the future. You don’t have to use additional devices to determine the phase; knowledge of color designation is enough. The standard palette is:
- zero – blue;
- earth – yellow;
- phase – red.
In a single-phase network, one color is used, but if more massive networks are used, the phase can be marked in black and green.
When branching a single-phase network from a three-phase network, the same colors are used.
Before you begin any electrical wiring work, it is important to know the color codes for each wire. Firstly, for the sake of your own safety, and secondly, this approach will provide maximum comfort. Such knowledge simplifies the installation process and future network maintenance. You don't have to use a special screwdriver every time to determine the phase. Experienced electricians will be able to “speak” the same language using color-letter marking standards.
Three-wire DC system
In DC systems, a three-wire system is also used, but the purpose of the wires is different. The division is made into positive, negative and protective. According to GOST, the following color markings are used in such networks:
- Plus - brown;
- Minus - gray;
- Zero - blue.
Since it is irrational to produce separate wires for DC systems, the specified color gradation is used mainly for painting conductive busbars.
Why is color insulation important?
The differentiation of functional wires by insulation color is required not only to reduce installation time and simplify the entire process as a whole. In fact, this is the best way to protect yourself from incorrect installation of components throughout the cable system. After all, if you don’t know what colors they are endowed with and what colors for the “phase”, “zero” or “ground” wire are determined by the PUE (Electrical Equipment Rules), then you can mistakenly connect the contacts together incorrectly. And this, in turn, is fraught with such adverse consequences as a short circuit and electric shock to the installer.
That is why for a person who is going to install all or part of the electrical network in an apartment, it is vitally important to have an understanding of what tone the insulation of each specific wire should be painted and due to what color “phase”, “zero” and “grounding” are quite easy can be distinguished from each other.
Fundamental meaning and marking of phase conductors
The working “phase” passes electricity through itself. In the working documentation of electrical equipment, the phase channel is designated by capital or lowercase Latin L, as mentioned earlier. Translated from English, this abbreviation means “line”, “lead wire”. If the wiring involves the use of several phase cables, the phase number is added to the letter on the wire. European standards require a fixed color designation for phase cables in a stranded wire:
- “phase” L1 is dressed in brown insulation;
- L2 – black;
- L3 – gray.
These are the marking designations in a three-phase network. A single-phase network assumes the presence of one phase wire - according to the brown standard. But Chinese products have their own standards, which is why the color of the phase can often differ from European requirements.
4th way to determine grounding and grounding
- ⚡ turn off all devices in the apartment, not only with the switch, but also from the sockets
- ⚡turn off the input two-pole circuit breaker
- ⚡at the output from the machine between the neutral and phase wires, place a jumper - a shunt
- ⚡Using a tester in diode testing mode, take measurements on the conductors in the socket box
- ⚡phase and zero cores must give a complete zero between themselves. The tester will beep.
- ⚡the remaining core is the grounding one
This method is the least preferable and carries great risks for an inexperienced user of electricity. Therefore, use it last if you have the necessary skills and knowledge.
Source: domikelectrica.ru
Features of core colors
To avoid errors, the PUE requirements describe the colors of all main electrical wires. If the commissioning work was carried out by an experienced electrician who follows the rules of the Electrical Installation Code and the relevant GOSTs, during independent repairs you will not need either an indicator screwdriver or other devices that determine the purpose of a particular core.
Color marking in electrical equipment according to GOST
