When were electrical wiring colours changed in the uk. The color of the sheathing indicates recommended usages.
It is not always necessary to.
Electric cable colours. The following requirements on wire color codes apply in canada. In that case local custom dictates the. It does not normally cover the transmission of electrical power to them.
New wiring and cable colours new electrical wire colours and uk wire colours. The old electrical colours were phased out in 2006 but as you can imagine old wiring still exists in many houses and appliances. Non metallic or nm 120 volt and 240 volt electrical cable come in two main parts.
Electrical wiring in the united kingdom is commonly understood to be an electrical installation for operation by end users within domestic commercial industrial and other buildings and also in special installations and locations such as marinas or caravan parks. Electrical cable colours are distinguished with either a dyed lead insulation sheath electrical tape or an identifiable plug insulator. If your home has old wiring it is worth getting it checked by a qualified electrician to make sure it is in safe working order.
Allowable wire and cable types and sizes are specified according to the circuit operating voltage and electric current capability with further restrictions on the. New electrical cable colours were introduced in the uk in march 2006 when the united kingdoms government made an amendment to british standard bs 7671 requirements for electrical. Brown orange and yellow are used for 480 vac.
Wiring for ac and dc power distribution branch circuits are color coded for identification of individual wires. Wiring color codes in canada. The usa have their own wiring colours for electrical circuits black red and blue are used for 208 vac three phase.
The uks new cable colours for plugs are now harmonise with europes power cable colours for ac dc. In this diy guide learn about the new standard wiring colours for electrical wiring and house wiring. The canadian electrical code cec regulates electrical wiring color coding in canada.
We show you how the new wiring colours translate to the old electric wire colours and how you can ensure that the right wires are connected in any instance. The ac power cable color code is nearly similar to the code used in the usa except exclusion of bare copper from ground wire. In some jurisdictions all wire colors are specified in legal documents.
The outer plastic sheathing or jacket and the inner color coded wiresthe sheathing binds the inner wires together and its outer markings indicate the number of wires and size of wire gauge within the sheathing. Single phase line hot black or red. In other jurisdictions only a few conductor colors are so codified.
New vs old wiring colours 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. Wiring is subject to safety standards for design and installation. Electrical wiring colours were changed in 2006 and its important to know what to look for.
Australia also have a different wiring colour standard. New uk wiring colours. Electrical wiring is an electrical installation of cabling and associated devices such as switches distribution boards sockets and light fittings in a structure.