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TonyS
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European Unified Cable Colours

01/29/2011 6:24 AM

European unified cable colours

Just out of curiosity, have there been any reported fatalities due to the new unified colours.
The company I used to work for was French owned and most new equipment was designed in France and so all panels were wired to the then French code. This was before the unified colours came in and it caused chaos! I recall being asked by an electrician why the neutral went through the isolator and blue phase was linked around the side. He wasn't happy when he had to remake the 185mm supply cable!
I'm glad I've now got out of engineering

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Anonymous Poster
#1

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/29/2011 8:08 AM

Colour code has been changed as per BS7671-2008(IEE -17th Edition). Most of the countries didnt start yet to implement it.
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PWSlack
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#2

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/29/2011 12:44 PM

.........and the problem with new regulations is that they aren't retospective. So there's two versions of BS7671 wiring at the bothy here, and no-one has been killed yet. Perhaps it's because there's a BS7671 warning label on the distribution box cover?

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TonyS
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#3
In reply to #2

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/29/2011 4:38 PM

As if a label will save anyone. Mind you one got me in to trouble with our French designers. I stuck it to the front of the afore mentioned panel. This was way before the 17th edition.

WARNING!
This panel is wired to
idiotic froggy colours
BLACK BITES!

I wasn't the most popular person in the world with the French commissioning team.

So a new sign was added to the engineering workshop door. French Resistance HQ

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Andy Germany
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#6
In reply to #3

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/30/2011 10:27 AM

The old German standard, if I remember correctly had 2 blacks and a brown for the 3 phases, I have forgotten what the colours for neutral and earth were as its a long time ago.....

Maybe it was the same as France?

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Snel
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#8
In reply to #6

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/31/2011 5:47 AM

remember when earth was (of all thinkable colors!) r e d ?

mfG

Snel
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Anonymous Poster
#4

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/30/2011 4:09 AM

All entries an exite from systems in our département must be tagged..so even in places where all 3 former systems are found..if you check entrée et sortie you should not make errors. All electricians who are agrée had a minimum 4 days concentrated training BEFORE the introduction of the new coulouring.

Hope this helps your query

Arthur [Meunier]

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Haajee
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#5

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/30/2011 9:50 AM

IEC (most of Europe) AC power circuit wiring color codes.

FunctionlabelColor, IECColor, old IEC
Protective earthPEgreen-yellowgreen-yellow
NeutralNblueblue
Line, single phaseLbrownbrown or black
Line, 3-phaseL1brownbrown or black
Line, 3-phaseL2blackbrown or black
Line, 3-phaseL3greybrown or black
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Anonymous Poster
#7
In reply to #5

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/30/2011 10:28 PM

Hajee,

The chart you given is for single phase using any of the phase. As per old system,L1=Red,L2=Yellow,L3= Blue,Neutral=Black.

However i do not question, what do you use in your place.
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Haajee
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#12
In reply to #7

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/31/2011 1:04 PM

In Pakistan we use according to the system's imported requirements; but motsly German [DIN] is in practice.

Yellow/Green for Ground,

The Power Generating Agency uses RST notation for phases, and RBY [Red, Blue & Yellow] power cables colours.
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Andy Germany
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#9

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/31/2011 7:02 AM

My son-in-Law failed his Masters exam for Master Electrician twice here in Germany. A long time afterwards he found out he is Red/Green colour blind. Not uncommon.

If you know you are colour blind, you can keep a colour filter card in your wallet to help with correct colour identification I am told....

Do the new Euro colours take this problem (nearly 10% of all males) into account?

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rhkramer
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#10
In reply to #9

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/31/2011 8:42 AM

<dumb comment deleted by me--ok, I was thinking that the neutral color had been changed from green to blue--in the US where the safety ground is normally green, changing it to blue could make sense for the red/green color blind reason> ;-)
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Andy Germany
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#11
In reply to #10

Re: European Unified Cable Colours

01/31/2011 10:41 AM

Yup!!

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Users who posted comments:

Andy Germany (3); Anonymous Poster (3); Haajee (2); PWSlack (1); rhkramer (1); Snel (1); TonyS (1)

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