3 core - what colour do you use as a switch wire?

[smity]

I personally use the black as I see brown as a permanent live. What do you use and why?

 

[Tuttle]

Black as well, because it's in the middle, so you can easily cut the strappers on either side and leave the black unbroken if you want to, for an intermediate switch

 

[SJD]

Grey - because I equate black with neutral in the old colours (and still prefer to use it as such if a neutral is required), and I equate brown with permanent live.

 

[Guitarist]

Recommendations are to use grey as sleeved neutral now (how I do it), in order to get us away from thinking of black that way. Not critical though, just as long as they are sleeved at both ends.

 

[mougsy]

it makes sence for all, to use Brown as Perm, Black for Neutral and grey for switching

 

[Outspoken]

BROWN = Permanent Live

BLACK = Switched Live where Required or Strapper 1 on two way circuits (Sleeved with a section of Brown over-sleeve)

GREY = Neutral where required or Strapper 2 on two way circuits. (Sleeved with a section of Black/Brown over-sleeve as appropriate)

Where a 3 core is used on a single phase circuit (not necessarily lighting)

BROWN = LIVE

GREY = NEUTRAL

BLACK = CPC (Sleeved Green/Yellow)

 

[telectrix]

as above. use grey as N is standard practice to disassociate the black from neutral, thanks to the meddling of johnny foreigner. as for 2 way switching, back in the days of sensible cable colours, most of us used the yellow for common and R/B for strappers so that in the switch with the switch wire from the light, you has red with red and blue with black. this equates to black for yellow, brown for red and grey for black

 

[James Anderson]

I use the black for switching. Don't know why just habit I suppose.

 

[KoFi]

I totally agree with tREV

THINK THERE WAS guidance literature prior to harmonisation of colours in cable !

 

[stuartcourt]

as above. use grey as N is standard practice to disassociate the black from neutral, thanks to the meddling of johnny foreigner. as for 2 way switching, back in the days of sensible cable colours, most of us used the yellow for common and R/B for strappers so that in the switch with the switch wire from the light, you has red with red and blue with black. this equates to black for yellow, brown for red and grey for black

down here we used the red as common, sometimes come across the yellow used as it but not much

 

[Octopus]

Black sleeved with brown!

 

[stuartcourt]

your all wrong if you look closely you will find a shiney core they forgot to sleeve, bit of brown or tape or whatever and hey presto a switch wire

 

[KoFi]

red yellow ? red was ALWAYS common in the good old days!

 

[telectrix]

not where i've been. generally yellow for common.

 

[telectrix]

not where i've been. generally yellow for common. but then most of us knew that the blue wasn't neutral in 2 way switching. not like some of these young sprogs today.

 

[KoFi]

not where i've been. generally yellow for common.

North / South/west of Warrington divide thing must be m8

 

[telectrix]

something to do with the water in yorkshire. we only allow what we don't want to blow over the ridge.

 

[Sharpend]

I had heard that the reason for harmonisation was to get
away from red being used as it is classed as a 'Dangerous' colour, it clearly worked as now every Tom, Dick and Harry thinks they can do electrics.
Still black as switch, grey as neutral.

 

[itdontgo]

What did you do with the old non harmonised colour scheme? Before my time

 

[specs]

Brown = perm live, Black= sw/live Grey=neutral,

 

[Edd]

as msg 6. any other way is a deviation. grey is the old black. im sure its wrighten somwhere.. but im on the beer again, and the chance of finding the page is as good as zero

 

[Adam W]

Ah, this old chestnut.

Black (sleeved brown) as permanent live, because that's how flex 7, rock etc flexes come pre-wired, and because you use brown as switched live everywhere else where you haven't got a permanent live so it keeps it consistent.
Brown as switched live as you usually would if there weren't a permanent live.
Grey (sleeved blue) as neutral.

Also because 4 core flex comes with brown, black, blue, and green & yellow.
Black as Auxiliary live.

Brown as L1 with the feed (also brown) so browns go together.
Grey as L2 (sleeved brown) with the switched live (blue, sleeved brown)
Black (sleeved brown) because it's the other one.

 

[Johnmoh]

Was told at time of harmonisation to get away from using black as neutral we had to "deneutralise the black" if that's even a word!!

 

[telectrix]

when doing em and normal lighting mixed, it's usually black (sleeved) for perm., brown for switched.

 

[Redvanman]

Brown permanent live.
black switch line.
grey switch linear neutral.
harmonisation did state not to use back as neutral any more so that it did not get confused with old black neutrals therefore you had in old 3 phase boards black and greys as neutrals. That wouldn't confuse any body would it.
also I was taught on a 2way switch if you follow the circuit through the switch in the off position then the grey would actually be a neutral.
check it out it s true via the lamp

 

[44ALLAN]

"harmonisation" did state not to use back as neutral any more !!!

Did he..............where?
Is this harmony guy still on the tools...........so to speak?

And I take it you meant black not back

 

[telectrix]

Brown permanent live.
black switch line.
grey switch linear neutral.
harmonisation did state not to use back as neutral any more so that it did not get confused with old black neutrals therefore you had in old 3 phase boards black and greys as neutrals. That wouldn't confuse any body would it.
also I was taught on a 2way switch if you follow the circuit through the switch in the off position then the grey would actually be a neutral.
check it out it s true via the lamp

how can grey be a neutral in 2 way switching when they're all live or switched live?

 

[telectrix]

Ah, this old chestnut.

Black (sleeved brown) as permanent live, because that's how flex 7, rock etc flexes come pre-wired, and because you use brown as switched live everywhere else where you haven't got a permanent live so it keeps it consistent.
Brown as switched live as you usually would if there weren't a permanent live.
Grey (sleeved blue) as neutral.

Also because 4 core flex comes with brown, black, blue, and green & yellow.
Black as Auxiliary live.

Brown as L1 with the feed (also brown) so browns go together.
Grey as L2 (sleeved brown) with the switched live (blue, sleeved brown)
Black (sleeved brown) because it's the other one.

exactly. greg flexes come pre-wired in that exact way. so black as perm L.

 

[Redvanman]

how can grey be a neutral in 2 way switching when they're all live or switched live?

Draw out the circuit including the lamp. Back trace the neutral through the lamp to the switch and when the switch is off the grey is connected to neutral. Image the lamp s a link not a load.
i know it's barmey but in some weird way it makes sense lol

 

[7029 dave]

im a red man sorry old colours ha ha wat does it matter common and strappers should be sleeved anyway