Green, brown, black: what do the colors on the power cable mean?

If you want to connect a ceiling light, the different colors of the power cables in the ceiling pose a mystery or two.

That's what the colors mean.

The power cables coming out of the walls and ceiling look pretty.

But these are not for decorative purposes.

They follow valid regulations for electrical systems throughout Europe.

This determines which core of the cable has which color.

Since a power cable contains several wires, special care must be taken here.

Three core types in the voltage network

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When installing electrical appliances, pay attention to the correct color of the cables.

What do the colors mean?

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© Alfred Hofer/CHROMORANGE/Imago

For safe operation, our 230 volt network requires three different sets of wires

• Outer or phase conductor (L): This conductor carries the current to the device and is live.

  Phases L1 to L3 are coated in brown, black and gray.

• Neutral conductor (N): It absorbs the AC voltage of the outer conductor and ensures a closed circuit.

  The wire is coated in blue.

• Grounding (protective conductor, neutral conductor, PE = "protective earth"): the protective conductor ensures that any contact voltage that may occur is directed towards earth.

  The wire is coated green-yellow.

What do the different colors of the power cables mean?

The wire with the green and yellow sheath is called the protective conductor (PE) or grounding.

It protects against electric shocks by discharging any contact voltages or dangerous currents into the ground.

The abbreviation "PE" stands for "protected earth".

The brown or black wire is called the outer conductor or phase conductor or phase (L).

This conductor delivers the electrical energy to the consumer and is therefore live.

The abbreviation "L" comes from the English designation "line conductor".

The color blue or gray represents the neutral conductor (N), which carries the current from the load back to the voltage source.

Sometimes this conductor is also referred to as the neutral conductor.

Hands off without expertise!

Technical laypersons are generally not allowed to carry out any work on electrical systems.

This includes you lights.

This is regulated by regulations such as EN, DIN-VDE, TRBS, DGUV.

It is not only important to know what the colors of power cables mean, but also a basic understanding of electrical engineering and electrical installation.

Dangerous mistakes often occur, especially in the private sector.

In order to avoid such mistakes, it is essential to fully understand the technical meaning of the ladder.

It also requires a technical understanding of how the network is structured and how currents can flow.

Old cable colors: Other colors in old buildings

In older buildings, the colors of the power cables may deviate from current standards.

For example, in the past the protective conductor was often red and the blue neutral conductor used to be gray.

This different color coding can be an additional reason why non-professionals should refrain from electrical work.

Everything about household and garden tips can be found in the living newsletter of our partner Merkur.de.

Power cable colors for four and five-wire cables

Sometimes there are four or five-wire cables in apartments instead of the well-known three.

The versions here do not necessarily have to have a protective conductor.

This also applies to three- and two-wire power cables.

Thus, the coloring can vary here.

If you cannot clearly identify the individual functions, you absolutely have to ask a specialist.

Even with a connection to the power line, such as an electric stove, laypeople have no business.

Only a trained electrician can help here.

List of rubrics: © Alfred Hofer/CHROMORANGE/Imago