color coding wires question

[toddt429]

Edit: A poster made me re-think and I am going with the proper color for each wire. Thank you all.

Hello everyone, I’m looking for some opinions.

I’m running a fair amount of electrical for an addition inside my steel shop building. The building is agricultural, with no living or habitable space, so it isn’t subject to inspections or electrical code enforcement.

I know that, per code, using the same color wire for everything and identifying conductors only by taping the ends is not compliant. Since code technically doesn’t apply in this case, I’m wondering what others would do in practice.

Would you still run properly color-coded wire for hots, neutrals, and grounds, or would you use one large roll of wire and carefully tape/mark the ends to indicate conductor function?

I’m interested in real-world opinions, not just code references. Thanks.

 

[mm08822]

I would keep white/Grey and green for their intended purposes. Any other color is open.

More practical is, pulling conductors into conduit is much easier from multiple coils/rolls at the same time. Otherwise you have to measure, pull off and manage single strands before pulling.

BTW, #4 and larger is ok to re-identify colors.

 

[larry_g]

My opinion, do your best to keep things to code. However if you have 10,000 feet of the proper wire in one color then tape it.

 

[toddt429]

I would keep white/Grey and green for their intended purposes. Any other color is open.

More practical is, pulling conductors into conduit is much easier from multiple coils/rolls at the same time. Otherwise you have to measure, pull off and manage single strands before pulling.

BTW, #4 and larger is ok to re-identify colors.

Oh man. Thank you. I didn't even think of that. And I also forgot, since im pulling multiple circuits through the conduit, that would be an issue too. Thank you!

 

[toddt429]

My opinion, do your best to keep things to code. However if you have 10,000 feet of the proper wire in one color then tape it.

Thank you, much.

 

[geneg]

Hello everyone, I’m looking for some opinions.

I’m running a fair amount of electrical for an addition inside my steel shop building. The building is agricultural, with no living or habitable space, so it isn’t subject to inspections or electrical code enforcement.

I know that, per code, using the same color wire for everything and identifying conductors only by taping the ends is not compliant. Since code technically doesn’t apply in this case, I’m wondering what others would do in practice.

Would you still run properly color-coded wire for hots, neutrals, and grounds, or would you use one large roll of wire and carefully tape/mark the ends to indicate conductor function?

I’m interested in real-world opinions, not just code references. Thanks.

Personally, I'd get rolls of red/black, white, & green just to have some consistant logic. Tape or shrink wrap white switch legs if you must. You may not always be the person working there & unconventional wiring practices will take time to sort out. If you do decide to use all one color- type up a description of what you did, laminate it & attach it to the inside of the panel. Tape may come off or someone changing a device may restrip the wire removing your tape or markings. At least- your written description will serve as a little bit of a warning. You won't save alot of money by using just one color.

 

[dave*99]

Personally, I'd get rolls of red/black, white, & green just to have some consistant logic. Tape or shrink wrap white switch legs if you must.

Rolls of red/black, white and green implies conduit. If he is using conduit, why use white for a switch leg?

 

[mike93lx]

Good call on doing it right. Even if you did it all with a single color, the cost savings would be immaterial and the added effort would be significant

Wireandcableyourway.com has great pricing. FYI

 

[fitter30]

They make all different types of labels. In ditterent colors, printable either by hand or a label maker. Also I've seen engraved plastic tags put on the covers show panel # and breaker#. Just Google wire labels.

 

[toddt429]

Good call on doing it right. Even if you did it all with a single color, the cost savings would be immaterial and the added effort would be significant

Wireandcableyourway.com has great pricing. FYI

thank you for that resource. I will check it out!

 

[sparky 1971]

I take advantage of all the colors. I will use black, red, and blue with white neutrals and brown, orange, yellow with grey neutrals. When there are several circuits going in one conduit I'll put a mist of spray paint over the neutral that matches the color of the hot conductor so I know what is what when it comes out the other end. The brown, orange, yellow goes away for 120/208/240 if the building has 277/480 but I don't get into that very often. If I have it on hand, I will try to use purple or pink for travelers and switch legs but I'm not going to buy the spools if I'm only going to use a little of it because I'm too cheap. If using EMT, I won't pull a ground wire. And I do my best to keep from having duplicate hot colors for 120 in one conduit; that doesn't always work out based on what I have , but I still try.

To buy all of the available colors for one building that in the grand scheme of things not very big would be cost prohibitive. Get wire based on what is going in the busiest conduit and take advantage of using gray for a neutral, it helps cut down on the confusion of which neutral goes with what hot conductor. For instance, you could use black/white, red/white with a mist of red paint on it, and blue/gray for three circuits in a pipe.

Even if it was ok to do so, trying to use one spool of wire by string it out on the floor and marking it would make a mess so big that you would want to burn the building down. A couple of weeks ago I came up about 6' short of red #10 for a 240 volt water heater about 50' from the panel. I had a fairly new roll of black #10 (the other conductor) so I pulled enough off the spool to reach and put two blacks in. The wire on the floor got caught on everything it went past, not to mention the loops that self formed in it while it was getting closer to the panel.

 

[Bert_]

For what size wire? Sometimes I'll put white or green tape on a #6 or #8 wire. Not on anything smaller though. It's not a big deal to have the right to color in #12.

 

[75gmck25]

From a US NEC code standpoint, the requirement when using conduit is white or grey for neutral, and green or bare wire for the ground. The hot wires can be any other color (black, red, blue, yellow, etc.). In later code versions (2023?) you also need a neutral at each switch location (many smart devices need the neutral), so switch loops are no longer common for lights.

Also remember there is nothing in the code that prohibits running NM-B inside conduit for physical protection. Sometimes you find a long role of NM-B at a good price and just can't pass it up.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Edit: A poster made me re-think and I am going with the proper color for each wire. Thank you all.

Hello everyone, I’m looking for some opinions.

I’m running a fair amount of electrical for an addition inside my steel shop building. The building is agricultural, with no living or habitable space, so it isn’t subject to inspections or electrical code enforcement.

I know that, per code, using the same color wire for everything and identifying conductors only by taping the ends is not compliant. Since code technically doesn’t apply in this case, I’m wondering what others would do in practice.

Would you still run properly color-coded wire for hots, neutrals, and grounds, or would you use one large roll of wire and carefully tape/mark the ends to indicate conductor function?

I’m interested in real-world opinions, not just code references. Thanks.

code does apply, it just may not be enforced.

as far as color goes, hell yeah i would run color coded wire for all the conductors for the sole fact that i may have to troubleshoot an issue down the road and all the same color would be a nightmare. using tape to identify the conductors just adds unnecessary labor. easier to use color coded conductors from the get-go.