Wire colors (not a rehash)

I understand the color scheme but am a wee bit confused.<br /><br />Let me try this on you peoples.<br /><br />I have a battery and I want to do a simple panel and the stern or anchor light for an example.<br /><br />1. red wire from positive through a fuse less than 7 inches away then to the panel. <br /><br />This is red correct?<br /><br />2. Negative from battery to panel.<br /><br />This can be red or yellow correct? <br />I prefer yellow. No blower in my boat.<br /><br />3. From panel, after fuse, which is positive to switch.<br /><br />What is this color?<br /><br />4. From swich to lamp should be dark grey according to this Chart .<br /><br />5. From light to negative on panel.<br /><br />Should return be red, yellow or grey?<br /><br />I know I am asking a lot. I could use black and white for everything as I know how to read and label and can deduce what I put in but I want the next guy or server person no to get confused or hurt.<br /><br />Help me my head is exploding! (Chistmas is coming)<br />The UPS and FEDex guys are going to know me real well soon!<br /><br />Edited black to red in No. 1

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

Red is always positive and black negative. The red is always hot on a negative ground system. Put the fuse in/on red lead. If your boat would be grounded someplace the fuse on the grounded wire would not blow and you could have a fire.

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

you're chart is for residential wiring...AC current.<br />your boat is 12 v DC.....negative ground sys.<br />red is always positive.....fuse if applicable<br />black is always ground...no fuse here...wont work<br />no other colors apply...unless jackleg wired it and then red tape on pos. ends should help alot!

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

and i hope this helps.....put your switch inline on the red wire

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

Bass I thank your correct so far however, I will be installing an auto bildge pump, front nav, rear anchor, instrument lights, and horn to wire in and a radio when I feel I need to scare the fishies!!! <br /><br />Basically a new helm consisting of a new rack and throttle, all new wiring for the accesories and a new tilt switch and a remote switch for the tilt on the motor. Loads of work! I mean FUN FUN FUN!!!<br />Don't worry I will post a step by step as things get warmer the more I can do!<br /><br />Oh and a limited slip rear end for the F-150 Supercrew tow vehicle!<br /><br />So much to do and I took a nap this afternoon!

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

no other colors apply...unless jackleg wired it and then red tape on pos. ends should help alot!

Click to expand...

So thats why when I took off the tape I could not figure out which was + or - in the existing battery wire!

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

I cant remember all the new boat wiring colors for dedicated circuits. I do remember these:<br />Red--12volt+<br />Black--12volt-<br />Yellow --grounds<br />Blue--lights+<br />Orange--accessories+<br />Brown--bildge pumps+<br />These colors and the ones I cant remember are an industry standard for marine applications.<br />I cant remember the others. Maybe someone else can help here. Remember to use the right SIZE wire for its individual job.

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

Guys I think I have a partial answer but i want the rest. From battery and back to battery its- <br />red + Black - <br /><br />Now from fuse panel + to switch What color? <br /><br />Red maybe or grey as it is the light circuit.<br /><br />How about the return from light to -block<br /><br /> black or grey again?<br /><br />Here is the BLOCK I got here on iBoats

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

Opsies got me a double!

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

Realgun,<br />Try this link Wiring color codes <br />Peter

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

All this lost me, but if you want to do it correctly here are the colors.<br /><br />Battery to fuse or breaker = red<br />Fuse or breaker to panel = continued red.<br /><br />Fuse panel to switch = Orange<br /><br />Switch to anchor light = gray<br /><br />All negatives = black<br /><br />That's the way its supposed to be.<br /><br />Thom

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

ThomWV thats what I needed.<br />Although shouldn't the panel to switch be grey so I know that it the anchor light switch otherwise all my panel to switches will be orange.<br /><br />Man and I thought this was going to be easy maybe I am making it all to hard.

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

If you will label your fuse panal as to the circuit, and also label your switch function, "I" as a tech will know that the orange wire is feeding your switch, and from your switch to the lights I should find a gray feed wire to lights and expect to find a black or yellow return to ground. Knowing these standard color codes keep me from having to actually trace wires [except to locate broken or shorted wires]. "PROBLEM" i.e. nav lights dont work, check fuse-its ok, see an orange wire from that circuit and know it goes to a switch: see a gray wire, and wont know if it goes to a switch or to the light: maybe the switch is before the fuse?? Who knows? Now I have to trace the circuit to find out.<br />Hope this helps you.

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

IMHO, there seems to be a lot of confusion here regarding the proper colors for wiring, particularly the orange wire. One of the most common mistakes people make when wiring is to change the wire color in the middle of a circuit. This makes it very difficult and confusing to trace any particular circuit. However, if the color of wire for an individual circuit is kept consistent throughout then it becomes a simple matter to trace its path from beginning to end. The color of wire serves only to provide consistency between manufactures to allow the function of a circuit to be easily identified. So, per the various charts linked to here we have:<br /><br />Red - 12VDC positive power feed to main power distribution panel or fuse block<br /><br />Black - Negative or "Ground" return for all circuits<br /><br />Purple - 12VDC only when ignition switch is on. Powers engine instruments such as fuel, trim, tach and engine water temp gauges. May also be used to provide power to other devices when desired to have them turned on or off by the ignition switch. Note: This wire typcally originates at the accessory terminal of the ignition switch. <br /><br /><br />NOTE: All of the following circuits should originate either at the main power distribution panel or fuse block and commonly have a switch somewhere within each to turn on or off the particular function the circuit serves.<br /><br />Dark Blue - Instruments and auxilarly lighting (ie. Engine gauge lights and cabin or floor lighting)<br /><br />Orange - Powers to add-ons such as horns, radios, fish finders, and GPS plotters<br /><br />Brown - bilge pump<br /><br />Gray - navigation lights<br /><br />Brown w/Yellow Stripe - Engine compartment ventilation blower

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

I can’t even keep up with all the color combinations posted here. There is no way anyone accessing any of the wiring in boat is going to be able to look at a color and figure it out. Only a fool would presume any standard was used. Regardless of any color scheme you adopt, label the wires. The $7 you spend for a book of wire labels is money well worth it.<br /><br />A correct, appropriate, and accepted marine DC wiring scheme has every wire black. Done. Good luck tracing anything without labels on the wires because it is a ball of confusion. Add as many colors as you want and now you have a much prettier ball of confusion…you still need the labels. And if your wiring is labeled, anyone else that works on your electrical system will save time, and thus save you money.<br /><br />For all onboard DC power, red is always used for [+] and yellow is always used for [-], except when it isn’t. What!?!?! Well, red is always DC positive, and the reason yellow is used for DC [-] ground is because onboard AC uses black for ungrounded (hot). That meant there was the potential for a disastrous connection of the DC ground to the AC hot. The ‘exception’ is when there is no AC onboard; black may then be used for DC ground. I don’t bother with it, I use yellow for all DC ground regardless of AC onboard. If the owner wants to add AC in the future, they're good to go.<br /><br />So, red for DC [+] positive, yellow for DC [-] ground, and labels on everything else, regardless of color.<br /><br />Back to the all black wiring scheme… it is sometimes less expensive to buy a quality (spool) of one color, usually black. To establish a coloring scheme place/shrink a 1/2-inch or so of colored shrink tubing on the wire near the terminal/connector. By placing 2 or 3 different colors of shrink tubing next to each other you can create a huge, color-coded wiring scheme. Personally, I would still stick with red [+] and yellow [-] wires and then label all other wires.<br /><br />Btw, use AWG 16 for all onboard wiring, except AWG 18 may be used for interconnects if it is wholly inside a panel.<br /><br /> http://bestboatwire.com <br /><br />At that web site, click on the ‘duplex’ wirings and you will see the appropriate color codes for AC and/or DC power wires.

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

18 rabbit I don't mind the color so much as the darn confusion it causes.<br /><br />I am going to use red 10 guage from battery to fuse 7 inches then panel about 10 feet.<br />Yellow will be the return wire at 10 guage. Why? Cause thats what it calls for when you add up all the stuff that can possibly be on going through that wire.<br />Check out the cool calculator.<br /><br /> Calculator <br />Go to technical info and then wire calculator.<br /><br />Thats is so cool.<br />Now as to my original premise.<br /><br />red to panel fused- panel fused with a 1 amp fuse <br />from panel+ to switch I will use grey as thats what the circuit calls for. Grey from switch to Nav light. Return from nave light will be yellow.<br />Yellow from Panel - bus to battery.<br />That orange wire will just confuse me.<br /><br />End of my discussion I will wire the boat so everyone but me can get fried LOL<br />As much as I like standards can't they be written so I can understand them?

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

Realgun – You’re right about sizing properly for that AWG 10 wire. I erred when I stated to use AWG 16 for “all” wiring. That was incorrect. I should have said AWG 16 is the MINIMUM size for all wiring, except AWG 18 may be used inside a panel for interconnect.

Re: Wire colors (not a rehash)

18 I forgive you cause your give real good information however long winded. Especially to crimp or solder #1 #2 #3. he he ha hoo hoo!!!!!<br /><br />I am going to just crimp as I don't like my fingers getting burned. <br /><br />The rules say that solder is ok but I think thats for the old fuddy duddies. I will however either use a shrink wrap on all wire or a shrink terminal. And yes I bought a good crimper.