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Electrical Tape Colors and Color Coding

Electrical Tape Color Coding, made easy

Conductors of a three-phase system are usually identified by a color code, to allow for balanced loading and to assure the correct phase rotation for induction motors. Colors used may adhere to International Standard IEC 60446, older standards, or to no standard at all, and may vary even within a single installation. For example, in the U.S. and Canada, different color codes are used for grounded (earthed) and ungrounded systems. Please check with your local code enforcement authority. 

(Here is where we drop our shameless plug: Merco M809 Colored Electrical Tape comes in 9 colors to meet most all coding requirements.)

Country

L1

L2

L3

Neutral

Ground

US - common

Black

Red

Blue

White

Green

or Gray

US - alternate

Brown

Orange

Yellow

White

Green

or Violet

or Gray

Canada - mandatory

Red

Black

Blue

White

Green

Canada - isolated 3 phase installations

Orange

Brown

Yellow

White

Green

The EU and all countries who use European CENELEC standards April 2004 (IEC 60446), Hong Kong from July 2007

Brown

Black

Grey

Blue

Green

Older European - varies by country

Black

Black

Black

Blue

Green

or Brown

or Brown

or Brown

UK until April 2006, Hong Kong until April 2009, South Africa, Malaysia

Red

Yellow

Blue

Black

Green

India, Pakistan

Red

Yellow

Blue

Black

Green

Australia and New Zealand (per AS/NZS 3000:2007 this link is a pdf download)

Red

White (prev. Yellow)

Dark Blue

Black

Green

People's Republic of China and the Former USSR (Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan) (per GB 50303-2002 Section 15.2.2)

Yellow

Green

Red

Blue

Green

Malaysia

Red

Yellow

Blue

Black

Green