3 core twin and earth cable what colour should you use as the neutral

[Deleted member 9648]

If they really did have their way we would be using black as line on 230. We chose the standard we have now to stop the eurocrats choosing. If you don't like or can't cope with the new colours try buying the old ones. Maybe some people are just too adverse to change.

I've been in the industry 30 yrs and am not averse to change....However this country has a long and distinguished tradition of implementing daft ideas....and harmonising cable colours has to be up there with the daftest.
Thanks to this piece of genius thinking we now have a situation where blacks and blues could be either phase or neutral...and drab dingy phase colours which are hard to tell apart in low light..and just to let everyone know how silly wev'e been we have to stick silly stickers over every DB pointing out our sillyness.
The UK is an island...there is no overlapping of wiring systems with our european masters...we didnt need to change.

 

[andyb]

I've been in the industry 30 yrs and am not averse to change....However this country has a long and distinguished tradition of implementing daft ideas....and harmonising cable colours has to be up there with the daftest.

What was daft was the fact that you could buy 100m t&e, and 100m 3 core flex for the same job & they would have different colour conductors. Red & black in one, brown & blue in the other. Two different colours in the same accessory such as a spur or ceiling rose.

 

[keefy]

Yes we are an island but we do work with European electricians. I have worked on a few jobs where they are working on our systems. Yes I understand your point the colours are hard to see and silly stickers sticking over a silly situation, BUT it has changed, like it or not it will stay. We have been changing our colours in various different ways for years since the first regs

 

[thekingiam]

looking at this post i thought immediately yeah its obvious grey is neutral, but as i began to think i have doubts on my own wirring i have done in my house, will need to look at it later!

 

[Apollo]

If they really did have their way we would be using black as line on 230. We chose the standard we have now to stop the eurocrats choosing. If you don't like or can't cope with the new colours try buying the old ones. Maybe some people are just too adverse to change.

Totally wrong, we changed our colours to harmonise with the EU. Can remember going to Germany and working on an installation therearound 1990. Opened up a socket and saw brown and blue and though what the hell are these Germans on. took a local to tell me they use these colour and so would we in future.... So no we didn't choose the standard we fell in line with Europe.....

 

[nick611]

A standard is just that, something drawn out that people stick to. If you don't agree with grey as neutral; tough. It was decided a long time ago that was the case and it has to stick. If you continue to be a rebel and create your own system you are creating problems for everyone who works on your installations after you. Just because you have 3 colours in the neutral bar (colour coded with sleeving of course so not to cause confusion) does not make it difficult, it just makes you dim if you don't understand it.

keefy. where are you taking this standard from? the only thing i can see is that the blue of a three core is now grey, thats true but nowhere does it say that we must use it as the neutral. it is just because we used to use the blue that you think we must now use the grey. if so that is you own decision and not an official standard. as you say i am probally being dim and would be gratefull if you could give me the publication and page no of this standard

 

[Steve1412]

Haven't read all the posts in this thread but have caught the jist of it. Doesnt table 51 state AC power single or three phase circuit neutral colour BLUE?????

 

[nick611]

Haven't read all the posts in this thread but have caught the jist of it. Doesnt table 51 state AC power single or three phase circuit neutral colour BLUE?????

yes steve correct, but we are talking 3c + cpc dommestic cable [no blue] keefy is adament the standard is to use grey but i can find no such official standard,merely that whatever you use is sleeved blue

 

[Deleted member 26818]

As this is about 3core T&E, I'm assuming that there is actually going to be 4 conductors. Brown, Black, Grey and a bare earth.
When I use 3core and earth, It is usually for extractor fans or EM lighting, where a permanent and switched live is required.
In those circumstances, I would use the the Brown as permanent, and Black as a switched live.
This appears to me to be logical, as the fittings usually have terminals marked as L1 and L2. Brown in L1 and Black in L2.
Obviously the grey would in such circumstances, be used for neutral.

 

[RogertheBodger]

I've been in the industry 30 yrs and am not averse to change....However this country has a long and distinguished tradition of implementing daft ideas....and harmonising cable colours has to be up there with the daftest.
Thanks to this piece of genius thinking we now have a situation where blacks and blues could be either phase or neutral...and drab dingy phase colours which are hard to tell apart in low light..and just to let everyone know how silly wev'e been we have to stick silly stickers over every DB pointing out our sillyness.
The UK is an island...there is no overlapping of wiring systems with our european masters...we didnt need to change.

Look what Harmonisation has done for Spain ..............