Electrical Wire Colors - Atlanta Electrician - Thrasher Electrical, LLC
Any time you need a reliable Atlanta electrician, please call Thrasher Electrical, LLC at 770-217-7527. Our licensed and insured electricians will rewire your home or install a ceiling fan. If your wiring is causing you problems like sparling, blowing curcuit breakers, blowing fuses, etc., you may want to know what all the colors of wiring means.
NM and NM-B type electrical cables are marked with numbers indicating the gauge of wire contained within the cable. 14-2 denotes two 14 gauge conducting wires are contained within the cable sheathing. All 14-2 cables come with two 14 gauge conducting wires. 12-3G cables have three 12 gauge conducting wires and one ground wire. Some 14-2 cables contain ground wires and some do not.
Bare, Green and White Wires
Bare or green wires denote ground wires and for safety are utilized in junction box, appliance and general electrical system grounding. This wire should never be “hot.” White or grey wires are neutral wires. These wires should also never be “hot” but exceptions exist for this color. All other colors should be considered hot.
Color Code Exceptions: “White Hot”
“White Hot” wires are an exception to the rule. 220-volt outlet and appliance connections are often serviced by 2 conductor (and one ground wire) electrical cables. In those cases the white wire is the only conductor available to complete the circuit. Three-way switches and switch legs in lighting applications are other examples of “white hot” wiring. The white wire should be marked with a wrap of red or black electrical tape to indicate to others that the wire is hot.
Black Wires
Black wires should always be considered hot and should never be utilized for ground or neutral connections. Black wires are used for general electrical wiring including switches, switch legs and outlets.
Red Wires
Red wires should always be considered hot and are often utilized in 220-volt applications as the second live wire, ceiling fan switch legs, and the interconnection of hardwired detection systems including smoke detectors.
Yellow and Blue Wires
Yellow and blue wires are usually conduit pulled and should always be considered hot. Yellow wires and blue wires are often utilized for switch legs in lighting systems including outlets, switches and fans. Blue wires are also utilized for travelers in four and three-way switch systems.
Color Code Exceptions: “Suspected Hot”
All wires should be treated as hot. White wires not clearly marked must be treated as hot until known otherwise. Other exceptions exist so all wires, including ground wires, are “suspected hot” until verified.
