A simple standard electrical circuit has a black or red hot wire that carries power from the power source to the device eg switch fixture outlet appliance a white neutral wire that carries the power back to the power source and a green or bare copper ground wire that connects the device to the homes grounding system. Take off the cover and note the color of the wire insulation for the wires that connect to each side of the switch.
What Do Electrical Wire Color Codes Mean Angie S List
Wire colors for light switch. That means it connects to an electrical panels neutral bus bar. The 2011 national electrical code required a neutral in. Aside from using it for neutral connections red wires can be used in three way switch configurations. Yellow and blue wires. They are used as hot wires and control electrical items like lights switched outlets and fans. What the individual electrical wire colors indicate green green with a yellow stripe and bare copper wires can only be used for grounding purposes.
Youll see white wires at one side of the switch and black wires attached at. A ground wire can. White and gray wires are normally used as neutral conductors. In 220 volt circuits red wires are the secondary live wires. What the color of an electrical wire means black electrical wires. White and gray electrical wires the colors white and gray indicate a neutral wire.
On the other hand yellow wires are used as switch legs. Like black wires they can also be. Blue wires are generally used in a three way and four way switch applications by travelers. Copper and green wires. Blue and yellow. Yellow wires are used as switch legs to ceiling fans structural lights and outlets paired with light switches while blue wires are usually used as travelers for three or four way switches.
These wires usually come in pairs and pulled in conduits. This color of wire is used to transfer power to switches and outlets in all types of circuits.