Mains Wiring Colour Code

[coates]

Hello,

Is it OK to use colours other than white/black for live/neutral mains wires in 110V equipment?

I was looking at a teardown of an ATX power supply and one of the photos showed that the live/neutral were brown/blue, even though the input could be 110V. How is this legal to sell in the USA?

Similarly, could 110V equipment made with white/black wiring be legally sold in Europe where it's normal to have brown/blue wiring?

Thank you

 

[barry]

I think the color convention only applies to building wiring, not equipment. Further, I think the only requirement (in the US) is that return is white and safety ground is green, Hot can be any color you want.

 

[cyberrat]

What Barry says is correct, the colour codes do not apply within equipment and the manufacturer is AFAIK free to choose their own colours.
Green,Yellow is generally always chosen for Earth/bonding wires though.

UK installation wiring is Brown for live & Blue for Neutral.
Yes you can sell equipment in Europe that has black/white (well - I have bought lamps that do) but I would expect some connection instructions.

 

[coates]

Thank you for the replies guys. I want to mark this thread as solved but is there any proof of these answers? I suppose it's hard to prove a lack of standards!

 

[barry]

Thank you for the replies guys. I want to mark this thread as solved but is there any proof of these answers? I suppose it's hard to prove a lack of standards!

You'll just have to take our word for it...

But if you're really a glutton for punishment you could spend the rest of your life reading requirements: National Electric Code; UL/CSA/CE/IEC...

 

[coates]

But if you're really a glutton for punishment you could spend the rest of your life reading requirements: National Electric Code; UL/CSA/CE/IEC...

Don't you mean the rest of my life paying to read the requirements? :laugh:

 

[cyberrat]

What proof do you want?

Proof of the UK wiring colour scheme can be found within BS7671 but that can only be obtained by paying for it or getting a dodgy copy.

You can have a look at the wiki if you wat, but as that can be modified by anyone would that actually be proof for you?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_wiring_in_the_United_Kingdom#Wiring_colours

How to prove that there is no wiring colour standard for within equipment would be nigh on impossible due to the lack of a standard on it.
Although BSEN60335 may be a place to look, yet I have not seen anything mentioned on the subject in it.

 

[coates]

What proof do you want?

Proof of the UK wiring colour scheme can be found within BS7671 but that can only be obtained by paying for it or getting a dodgy copy.

You can have a look at the wiki if you wat, but as that can be modified by anyone would that actually be proof for you?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_wiring_in_the_United_Kingdom#Wiring_colours

How to prove that there is no wiring colour standard for within equipment would be nigh on impossible due to the lack of a standard on it.
Although BSEN60335 may be a place to look, yet I have not seen anything mentioned on the subject in it.

BS7671 is for fixed installations, not equipment.

Is BS EN 60335 a legal requirement or is it a standard as in it's a good idea to follow them to meet requirements but technically you don't need to?

 

[cyberrat]

Yes Coates, that's what I keep telling electricians, 7671 does not apply to equipment.
Neither standard are legal requirements - they are just ways of complying with the law.
ISTR 60355 is also a requirement if you use the CE mark.