Most understand the danger involved in electricity. Poor electrical wiring increases the risk of electrocution and even electrical fires. However, not knowing your way around electrical systems can be a recipe for disaster during a DIY project, no matter if it is a failure to properly ground a circuit or just a faulty or mistakenly attached wire. In fact, electrocution is the fifth-leading cause of occupational deaths according to studies by the Center for Injury Sciences. If you insist on doing your own electrical work, before starting on an electrical project, be more knowledgeable about the task at hand. Also, for more than one third of electrical fires, bad wiring is the culprit. Burley Electrical Services is an advocate for electrical safety and always encourage those unfamiliar with electricity to seek a professional. However, those adamant on doing their own work need the basics, and today, we at Burley Electrical Services would like to discuss deciphering wiring colors with this quick guide which can make the difference between a professional job and a total mess and be a lot safer.
Pink, Red, Black, Blue & Other Electrical Wire Colors
Black Electrical Wire: Must always assume they are live. The black wires are used to transfer power to switches and outlets.
Red Electrical Wire: Be sure to always presume these are live wires. They can be connected to black wires and are secondary to the black wires. They are usually present in 220-volt circuits and often used for smoke detectors.
Yellow Electrical Wire: Presume these wires are also live if the room has power. Typically, these wires are usually used in ceiling fans and lights and the live wires are pulled through a conduit.
Blue Electrical Wire: If the room has power, assume these wires are live. The blue wires are commonly used in 3-way and 4-way switches. The live wires are pulled through a conduit.
Green Electrical Wire: Green wires need to always be treated with caution. If there is a fault in the circuit these grounding wires can be live but are not normally.
White & Gray Wires: Potentially live but are likely live is the load is unbalanced. White and gray are neutral wires that are never attached to live wires.
Bare Copper Wire
Copper wires that are bare are ground wires, and they are the most common type of wire used for grounding. All electrical devices must be grounded. The grounding provides a safe pathway for electricity to travel in the event of a fault. The current passes back to the ground or earth. Outlets, switches, and fixtures, as well as metal appliance frames or housings since the bare copper wires connect to electrical devices. Because they are made of a conductive material, metal electrical boxes also need ground connection. Plastic boxes do not need to be grounded since they are nonconductive.
Electrical Wiring Work & More in Imperial Point, Pompano Beach, Plantation, Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, Davie, Lighthouse Point, Parkland, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Where this guide can help, if you do not have any background in electricity, it is always better to contact a professional for long-term efficiency and most importantly, safety. Call Burley Electrical Services today for your electrical services.
