Welcome to Bucaro TecHelp!

Bucaro TecHelp
HTTPS Encryption not required because no account numbers or
personal information is ever requested or accepted by this site


Electrical Wire and Cable Color Identification

Electrical wire comes in different gauges in order to carry different amounts of current. Current is measured in units called amperes. The larger the number the smaller the wire. Most home circuits, those used for lighting and small kitchen appliances, use 14 gauge wire. Large appliances such as stoves, water heaters, cloths dryers, and central air conditioners use 10 - 6 gauge.

In addition to the color of the insulation, an electrical cable can be identified by two numbers separated by a hyphen (e.g. 14-2), printed on the insulation. The first number is the wire gauge. The second number is the number of wires inside the cable. For example a cable labeled 14-2 contains two 14 gauge wires (hot and neutral). This cable also contains a bare copper wire used as ground.

Most electrical cable today has plastic sheathing. This type of cable is sometimes referred to by the name Romex (which is actually a brand name). Depending upon the local code, electrical cable may be required to be covered in a metal sheath, sometimes referred to as BX. An even stricter electrical code may require the wires to be contained within metal tubing called conduit. If an electrical cable is expected to experience frequent flexing, stranded wire may be used, however, because of its flexibility, stranded wire is difficult to feed through spaces or through conduit.

Standard Outer Sheathing Color Code

Outer Sheathing Color Code

White: 14 gauge wire - 15 amp maximum current

Yellow: 12 gauge wire - 20 amp maximum current

Orange:10 gauge wire - 30 amp maximum current

Black: 6 or 8 gauge wire - 45 or 60 amp maximum current (check sheath label code)

Gray: UF, underground cable (check sheath label for gauge and number of conductors)

Wire Insulation Color Code

Wire Insulation Color Code

Black: Hot wire. Connected (usually through a multiple) to the electrical panel.

White: Neutral wire. Connected (usually through a multiple) to a common bus in the electrical panel to complete the circuit.

Red: Switched wire. Connected to a switch or other control device. May be hot depending on the switch setting.

Bare: Ground wire. Connected (usually through a multiple) to a ground bar in the electrical panel. The electrical panel ground bar is connected to a ground rod buried in the earth.

Green: Ground wire, same as bare.

RSS Feed RSS Feed

Follow Stephen Bucaro Follow @Stephen Bucaro

Fire HD