What Do The Electrical Wire Colours Mean?
If your property requires electrical work, it is always best to seek out a professional to undertake the tasks involved.
Not only will this ensure your safety and reduce the likelihood of mistakes or damage to your system, but a fully accredited and qualified electrician will be able to “sign off” the completed works, allowing you to retain property records that confirm everything has been done in line with building regulations.
However, some basic knowledge of domestic electrical systems can come in handy for any homeowner.
It can prove extremely useful when undertaking basic tasks such as successfully rewiring a plug – plus, using the correct terminology or understanding the function of certain parts of a system may help when reporting a problem to an electrician.
If you’re looking for guidance on your home electricals, Michael White Electrical Services can help. We’re leading electricians from Hove, with over 20 years’ worth of experience to call upon.
In this article, we’ll share some basic electrical knowledge with you – namely, the meaning of each colour of electrical wire.
New and Old Systems
It is worth noting that the colour systems used in electrical wiring have changed over the years, with the new system being mandatory for any systems installed after 2006.
If you have a property that was last wired before that time, you may find that your electrical systems still bear the old wire colours.
Red Wire (Brown in Old Systems)
The red wire – which was brown in old systems – is the “live” wire. This is the wire that delivers power directly to a fitting or outlet.
Blue Wire (Black in Old Systems)
The blue wire – which was black in the old colour system – is the “neutral” wire. This wire transports the electrical current back to its source, helping electricity to flow throughout the whole system and making it easier to regulate the voltage that goes to any outlet or fitting.
Green and Yellow Wire
A two-toned green and yellow wire is your earth wire. This is the case for both the old and new colour systems.
In simple terms, the earth wire serves as a safety mechanism. It provides the electrical current with a path of least resistance which sends it into the ground (or earth), preventing anyone working on the system from suffering an electrical shock if a problem occurs.
So, whether the wires in your property are red, blue and green/yellow or brown, black and green/yellow, you should now be able to understand what each of these colours mean.
If you need any assistance – whether with the application of new lighting fixtures, the rewiring of all of part of your property’s electrical systems or the installation of smoke detectors or underfloor heating – Michael White Electricals electricians in Shoreham can help you.
We’re also always on hand if you need an emergency electrician in Brighton or anywhere nearby.
For further information or to request our expert services, please contact us today.
