The document provides guidance on harmonizing cable core colors and conductor identification markings according to British and European standards. Key points include:
- Cable core colors and alphanumeric conductor markings have been standardized across British and European standards.
- For additions or alterations to existing single-phase installations, no marking is needed if the old cables use red/black and new cables use brown/blue.
- For two- or three-phase installations, conductors must be marked at the interface (e.g. L1, L2, L3) to unambiguously identify old and new conductors.
- Tables provide examples of conductor markings for different cable types and installations, both AC and DC, to harmon
The document provides guidance on harmonizing cable core colors and conductor identification markings according to British and European standards. Key points include:
- Cable core colors and alphanumeric conductor markings have been standardized across British and European standards.
- For additions or alterations to existing single-phase installations, no marking is needed if the old cables use red/black and new cables use brown/blue.
- For two- or three-phase installations, conductors must be marked at the interface (e.g. L1, L2, L3) to unambiguously identify old and new conductors.
- Tables provide examples of conductor markings for different cable types and installations, both AC and DC, to harmon
The document provides guidance on harmonizing cable core colors and conductor identification markings according to British and European standards. Key points include:
- Cable core colors and alphanumeric conductor markings have been standardized across British and European standards.
- For additions or alterations to existing single-phase installations, no marking is needed if the old cables use red/black and new cables use brown/blue.
- For two- or three-phase installations, conductors must be marked at the interface (e.g. L1, L2, L3) to unambiguously identify old and new conductors.
- Tables provide examples of conductor markings for different cable types and installations, both AC and DC, to harmon
The document provides guidance on harmonizing cable core colors and conductor identification markings according to British and European standards. Key points include:
- Cable core colors and alphanumeric conductor markings have been standardized across British and European standards.
- For additions or alterations to existing single-phase installations, no marking is needed if the old cables use red/black and new cables use brown/blue.
- For two- or three-phase installations, conductors must be marked at the interface (e.g. L1, L2, L3) to unambiguously identify old and new conductors.
- Tables provide examples of conductor markings for different cable types and installations, both AC and DC, to harmon
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Harmonised Cable Core Colours
1 Introduction The requirements of BS 7671 were harmonized with the technical intent of CENELEC Standard HD 384.5.514: Identification, including 514.3: Identification of conductors, now withdrawn. Amendment No 2: 2004 (AMD 14905) to BS 7671:2001 implemented the following: The harmonized cable core colours and the alphanumeric marking of the following standards: HD 308 S2:2001 Identification of cores in cables and flexible cords BS EN 60445:2000 Basic and safety principles for man-machine interface, marking and identification of equipment terminals and of terminations BS EN 60446:2000 Basic and safety principles for man-machine interface, marking and identification. Identification of conductors by colours or numerals. This appendix provides guidance on marking at the interface between old and harmonized colours and marking general guidance on the colours to be used for conductors. In the British Standards for fixed and flexible cables the colours have been harmonized. BS 7671 has been modified to align with these cables, but also allows other suitable methods of marking connections by colour (tapes, sleeves or discs), or by alphanumeric (letters and/or numbers). Methods may be mixed within an installation.
2 Addition or alteration to an existing installation
2.1 Single-phase installation
An addition or an alteration made to a single-phase installation need not be marked at the interface provided that: i) the old cables are correctly identified by the colour red for line and black for neutral, and ii) the new cables are correctly identified by the colour brown for line and blue for neutral.
2.2 Two- or three-phase installation
Where an addition or alteration is made to a two- or three-phase installation wired in the old core colours with cable to the new core colours, unambiguous identification is required at the interface. Cores should be marked as follows: Neutral conductors Old and new conductors: N Line conductors Old and new conductors: L1, L2, L3.
Table 7A – Example of conductor marking at the interface for additions and
alterations to an a.c. installation identified with the old cable colours Function Old conductor New conductor Colour Marking Marking Colour Line 1 of a.c. Â Red L1 L1 Brown(1) Line 2 of a.c. Yellow L2 L2 Black(1) Line 3 of a.c. Blue L3 L3 Grey(1) Neutral of a.c. Black N N Blue Protective Green-and- Green-and- conductor yellow yellow
3 Switch wires in a new installation or an addition or alteration to an existing installation
Where a two-core cable with cores coloured brown and blue is used as switch wires, both conductors being line conductors, the blue conductor should be marked brown or L at its terminations.
4 Intermediate and two-way switch wires in a new installation or an addition or alteration to an existing installation
Where a three-core cable with cores coloured brown, black and grey is used as switch wires, all three conductors being line conductors, the black and grey conductors should be marked brown or L at their terminations.
5 Line conductors in a new installation or an addition or alteration to an existing installation
Power circuit line conductors should be coloured as in Table 51. Other line conductors may be brown, black , red, orange, yellow, violet, grey, white, pink or turquoise. In a two- or three-phase power circuit the line conductors may all be of one of the permitted colours, either identified L1, L2, L3 or marked brown, black, grey at their terminations to show the phases.
6 Changes to cable core colour identification
Table 7B – Cable to BS 6004 (flat cable with bare cpc)
Cable type Old core colours New core colours Single-core + bare cpc Red or black Brown or blue Two-core + bare cpc Red, black Brown, blue Alt. Two-core + bare cpc Red, red Brown, brown Three-core + bare cpc Red, yellow, blue Brown, black, grey Table 7C – Standard 600/1000V armoured cable BS 6346, BS 5467 or BS 6724
Cable Old core colours New core colours type Single- Red or black Brown or blue core Two-core Red, black Brown, blue Three- Red, yellow, blue Brown, black, grey core Four-core Red, yellow, blue, black Brown, black, grey, blue Red, yellow, blue, black, green- Brown, black, grey, blue, green- Five-core and-yellow and-yellow
Table 7D – Flexible cable to BS 6500
Cable Old core colours New core colours
type Two-core Brown, blue No change Three- Brown, blue, green-and-yellow No change core Four-core Black, blue, brown, green-and- Brown, black, grey, green-and- yellow yellow Five-core Black,blue, brown, black, green- Brown, black, grey, blue, and-yellow green-and-yellow
7 Addition or alteration to a d.c. installation
Where an addition or alteration is made to a d.c. installation wired in the old core colours with cable to the new core colours, unambiguous identification is required at the interface. Cores should be marked as follows:
Neutral and midpoint conductors
Old and new conductors: M
Line conductors Old and new conductors: Brown or grey, or Old and new conductors: L, L+ or L-
Table 7E – Example of conductor marking at the interface for additions and alterations to a d.c. installation identified with the old cable colours
Old conductor New conductor
Function Colour Marking Marking Colour Two-wire unearthed d.c. power circuit Positive of two-wire circuit Red L+ L+ Brown Negative of two-wire circuit Black L- L- Grey Two-wire earthed d.c. power circuit Positive (of negative earthed) circuit Red L+ L+ Brown Negative (of negative earthed) circuit Black M M Blue Positive (of positive earthed) circuit Black M M Blue Negative (of positive earthed) circuit Blue L- L- Grey Three-wired d.c. power circuit Outer positive of two-wire circuit derived from three-wire system Red L+ L+ Brown Outer negative of two-wire circuit derived from three-wire system Red L- L- Grey Positive of three-wire circuit Red L+ L+ Brown Mid-wire of three-wire circuit Black M M Blue Negative of three-wire circuit Blue L- L- Grey
To use a multimeter to (a) identify base of a multimeter (b) distinguish between non and pop type transistors (c) see the unidirectional flow of current in case of a diode and an LED (d) check whether a given electronic component (ex- diode, transistor, or IC) is in working order
