Electrical Wire Color Code Chart – IEC | NEC | CEC

November 16, 2021November 15, 2022 Sikandar Haidar 1 Comment

Electrical Wire Color Code Chart

Today I am writing about the electrical wire color code, As you know that in electrical wiring we used different types of colors which help the electrician to do his connection easily. There are different wire identification standards and some of them rely on color codes. Not all the electrical wiring wires’ colour codes are the same and it depends on your location, voltage, installation type and also some other factors. Many electricians did not follow the color code but if we follow the color code, it makes work easy and further maintenance will be easier.

As I have already written that there are different standards and colour codes according to your location, the wire colour code can be different according to your location. However, I will share some electrical wire colours codes here.

U.S Electrical Wiring Color Codes

In the United States, the following colour codes are typically used for electrical wires, in which mostly black, red, blue are used phase1,2,3, white for neutral and Green, Green with yellow stripe, or bare wire for Ground or earthing wire.

120/240 volt AC Wire Colors Code

These colours are common in-home or for office use.

Ground – Green, Green with Yellow Stripe, or Bare Wire
Neutral- White
Phase 1 – Black
Phase 2 – Red
Phase 3 – Blue

Complete US National Electrical wire color code (NEC) with Common and Alternative Color

Function	Label	Common Color	Alternative color
Line Single Phase	L	black or red
Neutral	N	white	grey
Ground – Earthing	G	bare, green, or green-yellow	green
Line 3 phase	L1	black	brown
Line, 3 phase	L2	red	orange
Line, 3 phase	L3	blue	yellow

Canadian Electric Code (CEC)

Canda AC electrical wire colour codes are given below

Function	Label	Wire color
Line Single Phase	L	black or red
Neutral	N	white
Ground – Earthing	G	green or green-yellow
Line 3 phase	L1	red
Line, 3 phase	L2	black
Line, 3 phase	L3	blue

International Electrical Wiring Wires colour codes

The electrical color code is used according to location, in some areas, an electrical wire color code is specified by law. Different electrical wires color codes are popular in other area locations.

European (IEC) Internation electrotechnical commission wire color codes

International Electrical Wiring Wires color codes

Function	Label	New IEC Color	Old IEC Color
Line, 3-phase	L1	brown	brown or black
Line, 3-phase	L2	brown	brown or black
Line, 3-phase	L3	brown	brown or black
Earth	G	green-yellow	green-yellow
green-yellow	L	brown	brown or black
Neutral	N	blue	blue

IEC DC electric wire color code

	Function	Label	Color
	Ground – Earth	G or E	green-yellow
2-Wire Unearthed DC Power System	Negative	L-	grey
	Positive	L+	brown
2-Wire Earthed DC Power System	Negative (of a positive earthed) circuit	L-	grey
	Positive (of a positive earthed) circuit	M	blue
	Negative (of a negative earthed) circuit	M	blue
	Positive (of a negative earthed) circuit	L+	brown
3-Wire Earthed DC Power System	Positive	L+	brown
	Negative	L-	blue
	Mid-wire	M	grey

Pakistan And India Electrical wire color codes

Pakistan/India mostly used the below electrical color codes, but note that the below color codes are not according to any law.

Function	Lable	Color
Line single-phase	L	Red or orange
Neutral	N	Black
Ground – Earth	G or E	Green or green-yellow
3 phase	L1	Red
	L2	Yellow
	L3	Blue
DC Positive	DC +	Red
DC Negative	DC –	Black or Blue

Some time electrical did not use the wire color codes and it uses different colour wires so before work some maintenance in the electrical wiring installation. make sure to test before all-electric wires using a multimeter or other testing devices.

Note that the date in electrical machines, and the colour of wires can be different, so before work, first read the company-provided data sheet and diagram.

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