3 Core flex, Blue Black Brown!

[eveares]

Many years ago, I cut of the controller end of my smoke machines control cable so I could wire it to a female IEC connector to connect to my DMX lighting controller. (with built in smoke controller input).

However I have just remembered the long flex of the cable that used to have the stock controller wired to it and came with the smoke machine is using the rather odd following colours; Blue for Line/Live, Black for Earth/CPC, and Brown for Neutral.

Is this the standard wiring colours for China or something? Also the cables markings are: VDE A05VV-F 3X1MM² YIN YU.

In essence photo show's how I wired the connector. And yep, I know I am using the CPC core for a live conductor when used with the smoke machine - Shh!

Untitled

• eveares
• 5 Apr 2015
• 1

The standard colored flex goes to a female IEC connector, the odd coloured flex goes to a male IEC connector.

Anyone else come across any odd combinations of wiring colours?

 

[eveares]

Is it not odd to have 3 core flex in the colours of Blue, Black and Brown?

 

[EFLImpudence]

It is.

N & L are the wrong way round on one.

 

[eveares]

I have not seen a single cable with Brown, Blue and Black cores without a Grey core before. Some sort of 2 phase cable lacking the 3rd Grey core and CPC?

I also find it odd that the male end of the IEC cable is using Blue as line, Brown as neutral and Black as Earth. One may think I have wired the connector wrong when they see the blue and brown wires crossed over, but is just the way the the molded stock male IEC connector is incorrectly wired.

There seems to be a thing with Chinese products/components using Blue for Line and Brown for Neutral, as some cheap LED par cans I once had were wired like it to!

 

[RF Lighting]

The suppliers cable is right, yours is wrong.

Smoke machine remotes need a live, neutral and switched live. No earth. So the cable they have used is correct for this.

The black wire is NOT an earth.

 

[eveares]

I know the black wire is not earth and that the smoke machine remote needs line, switched line and neutral; but when the IEC cable is used as a normal extension lead and NOT with the smoke machine, the black wire becomes earth and brown/blue get reversed.

Yes you are right in the sense that the cables has the right colours for what the remote needs, but it also can be used as a general IEC extension cable, baring maximum current of course.

Also your nerver going to be able to have a single IEC cable what has the appropriate wire colours for both general use and use with the smoke machine.

My point was you can not easily buy 3 core cable with the core colours of brown, blue and black.

IMO, the IEC connector is not ideal as you could connect the smoke machine to the controler (male IEC socket) with a normal IEC extension cable and have the wrong wire colours.

In essence at the time, I just used a old IEC power lead rather than buying some appropriate cable/sleeving and wiring it on to a female IEC. Don't ask why, just what I did 6 or so odd years ago.

Elliott.

 

[JohnW2]

Smoke machine remotes need a live, neutral and switched live. No earth. So the cable they have used is correct for this.

If what eveares said is right, and that they are using the brown as neutral and blue as one of the lives (permanent or switched) that is surely not 'correct', in terms of UK/European practices, is it?

Kind Regards, John

 

[eveares]

I have just traced out the female IEC connextor on the back of my smoke machine. With the middle pin at the top with the female IEC connector on the smoke machine facing you; the right pin is line, the middle neutral, and the left pin switched line.

I have also just checked and traced out the stock end of the male IEC connector that goes to the connector show in the photo; blue is definitely line, black neutral, and brown switched line.