110VAC flex colour

[MadAlicesDad]

This is work related not DIY but hopefully someone can help.

The background is that we are installing equipment designed to run off 110VAC or 230VAC supply. For this job it was originally intended to run off 230VAC and we have specified and installed blue arctic cable. Our customer is responsible for providing mains power to the sites and has now asked if the equipment can run off 110VAC (it can) because this is easier for them to provide.

This is permanently installed equipment, not accessible to anyone other than a trained installer. The supply will be clearly marked at the DP isolator to show it is 110VAC and all installations will be appropriately checked by competent and qualified people before connection.

We need to change protective devices to DP MCBs to accommodate a supply from a centre tapped transformer, but do we need to replace all the blue flex with yellow? Is use of yellow flex for 110V a regulation (i.e. mandatory) or a convention (i.e. optional)?

Any help gratefully received.

TIA Mike

 

[Jackrae]

For the same reasons that some plugs are yellow and some are blue !

 

[winston1]

I don't think it is mandatory, just a convention. If it was mandatory the wire colours would not be blue, brown, green/yellow as there is no neutral with a centre tapped supply.

 

[ericmark]

Caravan sites normally have loads of caravan with orange cable not blue, can't really see a problem as long as any plug is yellow, and even that is not law.

 

[MadAlicesDad]

That's what I was thinking and the point about the internal wire colours is a good one. The way I see it is the outer sheath colour is an indicator and provides a measure of safety on a work site due to visibility, but ultimately it is the connector design that matters.
In our case it is permanently connected equipment using Elkay Aqua-safe connectors not intended for regular connection / disconnection by a user, and we control the installation and maintenance.

Thanks for the info.

 

[mattylad]

Apparently 110V AC will only work when being transferred through Yellow cable for some reason, can't see why myself.

If you use the correct colour plugs & sockets and then stick some 110V stickers all over the place then the installers would have to be pretty stupid to try and stick 240vAC equipment into them.

Yellow paint works for me

 

[JohnW2]

Apparently 110V AC will only work when being transferred through Yellow cable for some reason, can't see why myself.

Maybe the 110V electrons would really have preferred yellow with green stripes, but had to compromise when they found that that colour scheme was already spoken for ?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Robin0577]

No, it doesn't matter. I use black H07RN-F for my 110v extensions.

I'm not aware of any rules that actually have legal status that require the use of yellow, BUT sometimes site owners/managers or their insurers, H&S consultants, etc. insist on it, and when that happens it's a case of their site, their rules.

 

[mikeyd]

That's what I was thinking and the point about the internal wire colours is a good one. The way I see it is the outer sheath colour is an indicator and provides a measure of safety on a work site due to visibility, but ultimately it is the connector design that matters.
In our case it is permanently connected equipment using Elkay Aqua-safe connectors not intended for regular connection / disconnection by a user, and we control the installation and maintenance.

Thanks for the info.

You are good to go then. The outer sheath colour of any cable is, as far as I'm concerned just what was in stock. If you had said you were putting plugs on the end then as per IEC 60309, a yellow plug would be 100-130V, Blue plug for 200-250V etc. but you haven't so carry on. Yellow artic seems to be favoured by those using 120V tools so obviously convention dictates I would never use yellow for 240v. Blue for 120? yeah no problem.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yellow artic

 

[SimonH2]

Maybe the 110V electrons would really have preferred yellow with green stripes, ...

Some years ago we has a problem with a new client we provided internet access to. I'd put in a long Ethernet cable from where the socket was to where they needed the service - 20m threaded under the floor tiles - and tested the service at the end of it. For some reason, their IT gut chopped the plug off and redone it as a crossover cable. When it didn't work, we ended up on a 4 way call with me, the guys that managed our network on site, the client, and their IT support people.
Their IT support asked the client if he could find a crossover cable and coupler - which he did. When he said something like "It's yellow, is that OK?" To which his support guy responded "I don't care what ****ing colour it is" ! Speaking later, it was clear that bith myself and our network guy had wanted to say the same thing

 

[SUNRAY]

I would never use yellow for 240v.

Why not?

 

[SUNRAY]

Maybe the 110V electrons would really have preferred yellow with green stripes, but had to compromise when they found that that colour scheme was already spoken for ?

Kind Regards, John

Should've gone for Yellow with red stripes.