Cable Colour Codes for different Voltages in panels...is there a EU standard??

[Martie_uk]

Hi Folks! Firstly Happy New Year! Secondly I apologise if I have posted this in the wrong forum as I am relatively new to posting on here. Anyway, my question is.....

Are there British or European standards or a best practice guide to the different wiring colours for various AC and DC circuits? For example what colours are SUPPOSED to be used for 24VAC, 48VAC an so on?

I have done a bit of research on the internet with not much luck and have been told by colleagues that different companies use different colours, which I find strange?

On a separate note I want to do a bit of self learning into control panel design and construction to further my electrical knowledge, can anyone advise me of any books available? I am a time served electrician but have not come across much panel work.


Thanks in advance.
Martyn

 

[johnboy6083]

your colleagues are right. some panels dont have a colour scheme, ive used yank panels that usonly blck cable, with everything numbered. makes it a pain to trace cabling.

 

[Paul.M]

I don't know about panels but cable colours are in the brb table 51 page 92 if that helps.

 

[telectrix]

with panel wiring, it's usually whatever comes to mind in the design stage. the designer will call down to the works stores and say to the storeman" what colour cable do we have today, Joe?" Joe will say " brown, red and green, Bill" . so Bill then designs his £30,000 panel in those coloured cables. Bill left panel design in 2005 and his new job was to use up all the old stock of useless colours. hence the birth of harmonised EU cable colours.

 

[Martie_uk]

Thanks for the replies guys...looks like I'm going to have check our store before deciding on a colour scheme then...I do like violet!

Any thoughts on books?

 

[Marvo]

Any thoughts on books?

I just finished freedom Daniel Suarez, its very good I recommended for techno-thrillers/cyberpunk fans.

 

[Canoeboy]

If you mean electrical control panels then yes there is a standard and it does specifically list preferred colours

BS EN 60204-1:2006

Generally (from memory)

BS EN 60204-1:2006 paragraph 13.2.4.
Red = ac control circuits at any voltage.
Black = ac & dc POWER circuits at any voltage.
Blue = dc control circuits at any voltage.
Orange = excepted circuits according to para 5.3.5. (ie sources fed from elsewhere - interlocks)
White tends to be functional earths, taken from BS7671.
Green Yellow - Earth
You can't use, yellow, green or green/yellow anywhere else if it may be confused

 

[Martie_uk]

Thanks alot canoeboy! I'll take a look into that BS.