If you're doing some electrical work, make sure you use this as your guide to cable core colours

The IEE published Amendments No2. to BS 7671:2001 (the IEE Wiring Regulations) on the 31st March 2004 specifying new cable core colours for all new fixed wiring in electrical installations in the UK. These colours are referred to as 'harmonised' colours as they are closely related to the electrical practices performed in mainland Europe.

Below are the cable core colours:

Two - core - and - earth cable:

Old cable core colours
Live cable core = Red
Neutral cable core = Black

New 'harmonised' cable core colours
Live cable core = Brown
Neutral cable core = Blue

Three - core - and - earth cable:

Old cable core colours
Live cable core = Red Neutral cable core = Blue Earth cable core = Green & Yellow

New 'harmonised' cable core colours
Live cable core = Brown Neutral cable core = Black Earth cable core = Grey

N.B:

• If the wiring in your property is older than the 31st March 2004 and hasn't been worked on since it will have the old cable core colours
• If the wiring in your property is older than the 31st March 2004 and has been worked on since you may have a combination of the old cable core colours and the new 'harmonised' colours
• If the wiring in your property is newer than the 31st March 2004 it will have the new 'harmonised' cable core colours.

For more information on the cable core colours, see IEE Wiring Regulations/cable colour changes

For more information on the wiring, see IEE Wiring Regulations

Reproduced with permission from www.ProblemSolved.co.uk. The website contains 70,000 reliable and recommended tradespeople from plumbers to interior designers and everything in between!

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