The color codes of electrical wires have been developed to help people differentiate the different types of cables. A person in charge of wiring installations and repairs needs to know these colors as it will allow them to identify the right wires required for any given situation easily.
The following are some of the common colors of electrical wire:
Blue and Yellow Wires Are Used As Hot Wires
The blue and yellow wires are electrical wires used to carry power. They are used the same way as red wires but in different ways. For instance, blue wires are used in plug-in electrical devices, while yellow wires are used as switch legs on switches and for lights and fans. A white wire, known as the neutral wire, is used as a return path for the hot wires, which are grounded in the electrical panel. Blue and yellow wires are sometimes used as “traveler” wires in electrical switches, allowing multiple operations. These wires are used in four-way switches, where three or four switches control the same light.
Green Wires Provide A Way for Electricity to Escape into the Ground
Green wires are a way to ground an electrical circuit. They connect the grounding terminal to an outlet box with a ground bus bar inside the electrical panel. The green wire is a failsafe for electricity, as it provides a way for electricity to escape into the ground in the event of a circuit fault. This wire is used exclusively for grounding purposes and should never be connected to a live wire.
White or gray wires are neutral, while the green wire is a grounding wire. These wires are insulated and wrapped with black tape to make them as heat-resistant as possible. For a 240-volt circuit, you will need an additional hot wire. Lastly, you’ll need to know what your green wire is used for. It’s a grounding wire that carries electricity back to the breaker box.
Red Wires Are Used To Connect Hardwired Smoke Detectors to the Home’s Power System
Hardwired smoke detectors are electrical devices that are hardwired to the home’s power system. The wires that connect hardwired smoke detectors to the power system are red, yellow, and black. The first two wires supply the unit with 120-volt AC power, and the third wire connects the device to the home’s electrical system.
A hardwired smoke detector has three wires: a black wire that accepts 120-volt AC, a white wire for the neutral, and a red wire for intercommunication. Since the same circuit powers all smoke detectors from the fuse box, it is usually best to run a red wire from one alarm to another. You can also use a wire stripper to remove insulation without damaging the wire.
Final Words
There are many more colors of electrical wires besides those mentioned here, but these are some of the most common ones. If you are unsure about the code for any particular type of wire, consult commercial electrical contractors who will be able to tell you precisely what the color of the wire is.