Colour coding SWA question

[ebee]

yep, in my formative days ?(pre 70s) it was R Y B, before that R W B for lines an black for N. E was Green and later it became G/Y. All of these i am prepared to regard as "proper colours" but not the colours we have today. with R Y B we have 3 of the 6 common primary colours for line and black is N, easy peasy.

In my experience that is the view of both colour blind and non colourblind folks too. I don't think anyone likes our present colours.

I have never met anyone who told me they have monochromic vision

 

[JohnW2]

In my experience that is the view of both colour blind and non colourblind folks too. I don't think anyone likes our present colours.

Indeed,not the least because (in addition to the points you make) brown cries out to my intuition (and probably that of others) as 'earth'!

I have never met anyone who told me they have monochromic vision

They exist, although pretty rare. Identification by colour alone would obviously never be of any help to them, regardless of what colours were chosen.

Kind Regards, John

 

[briwire]

I too have never seen modern SWA 3 core in single phase colours. Anyway to answer your initial question, much of industry uses 3 phase, imagine it as 3 lives. If someone was to use brown/blue/green.yellow for 3 phase, the green yellow core would be 230v wrt earth, very dangerpous. So far better to use brown/black/grey and sleeve accordingly when using it on single phase.

 

[Risteard]

I too have never seen modern SWA 3 core in single phase colours. Anyway to answer your initial question, much of industry uses 3 phase, imagine it as 3 lives. If someone was to use brown/blue/green.yellow for 3 phase, the green yellow core would be 230v wrt earth, very dangerpous. So far better to use brown/black/grey and sleeve accordingly when using it on single phase.

It's quite readily available.

 

[JohnW2]

I too have never seen modern SWA 3 core in single phase colours. ...

To cite just one of many examples ("Mr Google is your friend" ) ..

Kind Regards, John

 

[ebee]

yes you could always buy Red/Black 2 core SWA as well as R Y Bl 3 core no problem

 

[JohnW2]

yes you could always buy Red/Black 2 core SWA as well as R Y Bl 3 core no problem

Sure, but for 2-core SWA that made total sense. The question is whether Red / Black / G/Y (or, originally, green) 3-core SWA was available, - and I'm sure it was. I may even have some bits lying around!

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

Sure, but for 2-core SWA that made total sense. The question is whether Red / Black / G/Y (or, originally, green) 3-core SWA was available, - and I'm sure it was. I may even have some bits lying around!

Kind Regards, John

I'm not aware that green or yellow/green was ever available, only based on not recalling seeing it but there were multiple combinations of other colours available; such as red / black / yellow.

 

[JohnW2]

I'm not aware that green or yellow/green was ever available, only based on not recalling seeing it but there were multiple combinations of other colours available; such as red / black / yellow.

As I said, I'm pretty sure that I've seen (and maybe still have some bits of) red/ black / G/Y 3-core SWA, obviously designed for single-phase use. The other 'multiple colour combinations' to which you refer were presumably intended primarily for 3-phase use.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ebee]

TBH I dont remember seeing G or G/Y conductors in SWA but that doesn`t mean it did not exist, plus I suppose a manufacturer would make you some if you paid for it

 

[securespark]

To cite just one of many examples ("Mr Google is your friend" ) ..
View attachment 305724

Kind Regards, John

I don't think he was denying its existence, just that he hadn't come across it.

 

[JohnW2]

I don't think he was denying its existence, just that he hadn't come across it.

I'm sure you're right but, as I said, I was making the point that Mr Google found countless examples (one of which I illustrated), suggesting that it's pretty widely available, even if he had never seen it.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

TBH I dont remember seeing G or G/Y conductors in SWA but that doesn`t mean it did not exist, plus I suppose a manufacturer would make you some if you paid for it

I may be wrong, but I seem to recall that some of the 'sheds' (like Homebase) sold it - which makes some sense, since very few DIYers would be using 3-core SWA for 3-phase.

Having said that, the current situation appears to be that Homebase only offer brown/black/grey.

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

TBH I dont remember seeing G or G/Y conductors in SWA but that doesn`t mean it did not exist, plus I suppose a manufacturer would make you some if you paid for it

I agree about G or G/Y in SWA.

Mid 90's I worked for a company installing nightclub sound systems, we used 2.5/4/6mm² T&E or TRS for loudspeakers. Speaking to one of our suppliers about the bulk of both styles of cable he suggested making us some some 2.5mm² stranded twin using T&E style sheath which finished at 1.5mm² size overall. The cost of ordering 10Km was well worth the investment especially as we accepted any colour code and they were able to use up reel ends on us. the one common colour right through the first order was purple.

 

[SUNRAY]

As I said, I'm pretty sure that I've seen (and maybe still have some bits of) red/ black / G/Y 3-core SWA, obviously designed for single-phase use. The other 'multiple colour combinations' to which you refer were presumably intended primarily for 3-phase use.

Kind Regards, John

I'd suggest this popular combination is more likely single ph L & SL or split phase but of course it's down to the most suitable cable for the particular application :

Also in 3C&E