Electrical Wiring Colour Code Uk

Iec wiring color codes for ac uk eu other countries.

Electrical wiring colour code uk. Wiring is subject to safety standards for design and installation. 6 wiring color codes in europe iec for dc supply. This was the neutral wire. Allowable wire and cable types and sizes are specified according to the circuit operating voltage and electric current capability with further restrictions on the.

Electrical wiring is an electrical installation of cabling and associated devices such as switches distribution boards sockets and light fittings in a structure. The canadian electrical code cec regulates electrical wiring color coding in canada. The black electrical wire used to be the colour for the neutral wire. The guide below is for uk british electrical wiring if you live in another country the colours may be different.

Green yellow earth sometimes bare wire without a sleeve. Prior to 2006 different colours of cables were used in uk domestic electrical wiring and appliances for the neutral and live wires. New wiring colours since 2006. The uk fixed wiring colour standards are now universal in europe like socapex wiring circuits similarly this will be reflected on power connectors that are colour coded.

In 2006 the old electrical wiring colours were finally. This colour scheme had already been introduced for appliance flexes in the uk in the early 1970s however the original red black colour scheme recommended by the iee for fixed wiring was retained until 2006 albeit with change to a green yellow striped earth in 1976. Iec color code for most of the european union including uk from 2004 most of the european countries follow the international electro technical commission s electrical wiring color code. What were the old uk electrical wiring colours.

This was the live wire. The united kingdom now follows the bs 7671 iec ac plug cable colour codes. The ac power cable color code is nearly similar to the code used in the usa except exclusion of bare copper from ground wire. But from march 2004 the uk started following the iec color code.

United kingdom had its own color code until 2004. The earth wire colour used to be pure green before 1977 then changed to green and yellow and has been the same ever since. As mentioned above most of the europe union countries and uk china russia hong kong singapore ukraine belarus kazakhstan israel turkey argentina south africa ksa saudi arabia uae united arab emirate and malaysia are following the iec international electrotechnical commission wiring codes. Prior to harmonisation with other european countries the united kingdom s electrical wiring system used.

New vs old wiring colours. It s important that properties get their wiring checked to see if the wiring colours are out of date have deteriorated over time and to check if they comply with bs 7671 wiring. In 2006 amendment 2 of 17 th edition bs7671 wiring regulations saw a change to harmonise the uk colours with the european cable colours for consistency and to avoid confusion. The old colours were.