response to my wiring color question on another forum...

[tomcat rio]

mech at my marina said that 12vdc ground wires are supposed to be yellow and a.c. ground should be black. anybody here hear that, too?
ed flanagan

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Either/Or. The majority of 12v DC ground wires are black. But yellow is a secondary color.



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ED,
NEVER,SHOULD AC CIRCUITS BE GROUNDED WITH BLACK. BLACK IS A HOT CONDUCTOR. ALWAYS USE GREEN, OR GREEN WITH A YELLOW TRACER FOR GROUND.


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Gary...we were discussing DC. You are correct about AC.




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Discussion was about both AC and DC.



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AC - Hot=Black Neutral=White Ground=Green

DC - Positive(primary supply)=Red Negative=Yellow CASE ground or bonding=Green

DC Negative used to be black until recently and was changed to yellow due to potential BAD consequences of confusing DC negative with AC hot.



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Standard Colors.......

Boating Industry of America Wire Colors



Here are the standard wire colors used in the boating industry since the late 70s. When re-powering a boat with a newer motor this is a handy reference. Most boats use these standards but always double check in case changes have been made!
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BIA Wire Color--------------------Where it is used
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Black---------------------------------All Grounds
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Black with Yellow stripe---------Magneto/short to Kill
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Gray----------------------------------Tachometer signal
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Yellow with Black stripe---------Choke
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Red----------------------------------Unprotected(12V+)from battery
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Red with Purple stripe-----------Protected(+12V)from battery
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Purple-----------------------------(+12V)from ignition switch
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Tan------------------------------Overheat sensor to warning horn
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Pink-------------------------------Sending unit to fuel guage
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Yellow with Red stripe----Ignition switch to starter solenoid
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Yellow-----------------------------charging stator to rectifier
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Lt.Blue with White stripe--------Trim up
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Green with White stripe-----------Trim down


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Some more standard wire colors used on many inboard boats, always double check though, as some vary or may have been changed along the way!
Some standard colors for boats since 1980 are as follows:
· heavy red 10 guage (main battery)
· heavy black (main ground)
· purple (ignition)
· yellow (starter solonoid)
· grey (tachometer)
· brown (temperature)
· blue (oil pressure)
· brown with stripe (alarm)
Accesories
· pink (fuel sending unit)
· yellow (blower)
· brown (bilge pump)
· grey (navigation lights)
· heavy green (bonding wire)
· red (misc electrical add-ons , vhf , depth finder, stereo, radar, power supplies)


And the ABYC wiring code, Section E-9.21 DC GROUNDING AND BONDING Table XI and XII

TABLE XI - WIRING COLOR CODE

Color Use
Green, or green w/yellow stripe(s) DC grounding conductors
Black, or yellow DC negative conductors
Red DC positive conductors


TABLE XII - ENGINE AND ACCESSORY WIRING COLOR CODE

COLOR ITEM USE

Yellow w/red stripe (YR)
Starting circuit
Starting switch to solenoid

Brown/yellow stripe (BY) or
Yellow (Y) - see note
Bilge blowers
Fuse or switch to blowers

Dark gray (Gy)

Navigation lights
Tachometer
Fuse or switch to lights
Tachometer sender to gauge

Brown (Br)
Generator armature
Generator armature to regulator
Alternator charge light

Pumps Generator
Terminal/alternator
Auxiliary terminal to light to regulator
Fuse or switch to pumps

Orange (O)
Accessory feed
Ammeter to alternator or generator output and accessory fuses or switches.
Distribution panel to accessory switch

Purple (Pu)
Ignition
ignition switch to coil and electrical instruments.
Instrument feed Distribution panel to electric instruments

Dark blue
Cabin and instrument lights
Fuse or switch to lights

Light blue (Lt Bl)
Oil pressure
Oil pressure sender to gauge

Tan
Water temperature
Water temperature sender to gauge

Pink (Pk)
Fuel gauge
Fuel gauge sender to gauge

Green/stripe (G/x)
(Except G/Y)
Tilt down and/or trim in
Tilt and/or trim circuits

Blue/stripe (Bl/x)
Tilt up and/or trim out
Tilt and/or trim circuits
NOTE: If yellow is used for DC negative, blower must be brown with yellow stripe.


AC wiring color codes

Conductor US 115/120v
Ground: Green
Neutral: White
Hot: Black
US 230/240v
Second Hot: Red

[tomcat rio]

.. the up/down switch has two(low amp) 12vdc swithcing lines to the contactor solinoid, which switches high current d. c. to the winch motor.
....
should both of the low amp 12 vdc switching lines be the same color red?

[Mariner]

I will be sticking with black as the color for negative DC wiring. I can see where you could have confusion, but I think that having a good understanding of your boat's electrical systems could prevent any mix-ups.