2006-07-20 02:44:38 · 20 answers · asked by andy jackson 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Strictly speaking red is the live wire. Please be aware however that where you are working on lighting circuits in houses there is a distinct possibility that one of the black wires may be live aswell. This is because it loops from the wall switch, if you take the switch off the wall you will see a black and a red wire (1 gang switches) it is often difficult to tell which is feeding the light so always make sure you test with an electrical screwdriver or even better a multimeter.
Please remember that any wire can be live, even those which are coloured as earth (green/yellow) if they are connected to a live source so it is not worth putting to much trust in the colour coding particularly with the british lust for DIY!!
On a practical point if you are this unsure of what goes where, maybe it would be worth getting an electrician?
2006-07-20 09:51:53 · answer #1 · answered by ligiersaredevilspawn 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Red is the POSITIVE or live wire on older electrical installations in England. Some transceivers also use RED/BLACK colour coding for 12 volt supply., BUT the new colour coding for electrical supply gives now the live wire as BROWN and neutral as BLUE, EARTH as GREEN/YELLOW.
2006-07-20 03:01:53 · answer #2 · answered by NICK. 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Live Wire Colour
2016-09-30 07:05:40 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Black is usually the earth cable, red is the live.
That said, it is always best to check with a meter, I've blown up a stereo before when I assumed the black was earth and the red was live, it turned out it was the other way around... I expect it was a faulty wiring or a colourblind electrician!
2006-07-20 02:49:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Brown is the live wire, Blue is neutral, Green/Yellow is earth.
Red is positive Black is negative.
2006-07-20 02:48:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
DC: Red - positive
Black - negative
AC: Brown - live
Blue - neutral
Green/yellow stripes - earth
2006-07-20 02:49:18 · answer #6 · answered by Tiger 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Red is the live wire..
2006-07-20 02:48:01 · answer #7 · answered by Bob The Builder 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Red for danger usually.
Haven't seen a red wire in a plug for years......
They're blue, brown and yellow/green stripes.....
2006-07-20 02:49:46 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
These days Red is live and Black is neutral
Previously Brown was live and Black was neutral
2006-07-20 02:50:21 · answer #9 · answered by Northstar 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
THE OLD SAYING red to red , green to green , and blue to fcuk
U will get a shock off any wire unless you check ,
2006-07-20 11:46:17 · answer #10 · answered by bitsinbobs 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋