Black, White, Green--AC, DC wire question...

[kayakrguy]

Folks,

A quick question. I know that in AC wiring Black is hot, white is neutral and green is ground. I also know that DC wire color codes are different, at least as used in boat wiring--but I am not concerned about the boat codes.

What I am concerned about is consistency (the bane of small minds, I kinow ) All of my DC load wires back to the converter and the fuse panel are black and white. Is the Negative or the Positive pole considered 'HOT from a DC perspective. Since the flow is from the Negative to the Positive, I am inclined to regard the Negative pole as the HOT one...but I hear people talk about the positive pole as Hot? Can you clarify that for me? I will wire my DC black wire to the 'Hot" DC pole but want to know what the conventional term applies to.

Thank you,

Jim

[Dale M.]

First, electrons do not care what color wire they travel through.

Yes electron flow is from negative ("-") post of battery to positive ("+") post of battery.

There are DC color codes for most industries.

BUT...

Connect any propriety wiring for any charges/inverters/audio-visual units according to instruction. Remembering in automotive world NEGATIVE ("-") battery post is almost always GROUND.

For all other DC wiring (lights, power outlets) select a color code that works for you... Best thing may be to use colors other then your AC wiring this way you dont accidentally confuse low voltage (DC) circuits with high voltage (AC) circuits. Maybe red for the "hot" ("+") and blue for "ground" ("-") .

Traditionally most things use a red wire for positive (12 volt or "+") connection and black for negative (ground or "-") connection. I will probably do something close to this when I wire mine. Red and blue go well together.

Bottom line is that you understand the color code and are consistent in its use.

Edit to add:

Stay with convetional AC wire colors because its a comman standard ( black - hot, white - neutral, and green - safety gropund)..

Dale

[kayakrguy]

Dale,

Thanks for your reply. If black usually goes to ground on the negative terminal, does that mean the positive terminal is conventionally regarded as hot--I would assume that to be the case......???

The consistency thing will absolutely obtain, I just have to decide WHICH way to be consistent <g>

Jim

[Dale M.]

Yes!

Dale

[bdosborn]

I just went to a seminar on solar panel installations and they offered the following rules for conductor colors as spelled out by the NEC .

The ungrounded conductor should be black, which would be the hot wire for the AC side and the positive side of the battery. The grounded conductor should be white, which is the neutral for the AC side and the negative side of the battery. Since the negative battery terminal is required to be grounded to the frame in commercial RVs, its considered the grounded conductor.

Now did I wire my trailer that way? Nope, I've worked on too many cars so it would be confusing to me to use black for hot on DC circuits. So I'm with Dale, pick color codes that make sense to you for the DC side. BUT, I'd use the AC colors (white and black) that everyone typically uses. That way the next lucky guy that gets your trailer doesn't grab a hot AC wire by accident.
Bruce

[Greg M]

I've got to agree with the rest of the guys here. Use the "standard" colors for AC so you don't shock the next guy, and go with different colors for the DC side. I personally use red for positive and brown for negative because everybody uses red and brown is a nice earthy color. I suppose I could use green for negative, but that has the potential for messing up people who think it's a safety ground.
Curse whoever it was that decided to use black in both standards
-Greg

[kayakrguy]

Hi guys,

Bruce, Greg.....what you say re: safety makes sense. I already have all my dc light wiring installed and am not taking the roof off to change colors I will wire the black wires to the positive pole and white to the negative and that way the black wire will be the 'hot' wire for both systems....good for me, good for future owner...off to do some wiring with converter and fuse panels hope no s arise

....thanks for all the help!

Jim

[asianflava]

I will wire the black wires to the positive pole and white to the negative and that way the black wire will be the 'hot' wire for both systems....

Eeek, I probably keep the black on the negative. At least one of the wires will be standard color for DC.

Like what was said earlier, it's up to you sticking to standard colors really just helps the next guy who has to work on it.

[Dale M.]

Think of the color code on the clips of your portable battery charger.....

I extended this logic to my wiring....

Also check battery cables under hood of your tow vechicle....

Dale

[madjack]

I will wire the black wires to the positive pole and white to the negative and that way the black wire will be the 'hot' wire for both systems....

Eeek, I probably keep the black on the negative. At least one of the wires will be standard color for DC.

Like what was said earlier, it's up to you sticking to standard colors really just helps the next guy who has to work on it.

....me too.............................................

[Leon]

In the RV industry, white is the "ground" (negative) wire for 12V wiring. That has been a standard for many years. The easy way to tell the difference between 12V and 120V wiring is the type of wire. The two systems are not wired with the same wire.

[Chuck Craven]

In the radio communication world, Black is (–) negative side of the battery (also known as return) and Red is the (+) positive side of the battery. When it comes to battery power, no standard was ever developed. There was two many egos involved and none of them were going to give in. It still is that way today. Just look at this forum, and subject!

Chuck

[kayakrguy]

Hi guys...

Well, I confess to being ummm

I seem to be getting black is assigned to positive or negative differengtly according to business/application/technology we are talking about.

ORIGINALLY I said I intended to put the black on the negative pole and the white on the positive pole.

So, to simplify this for me, let's ignore colors/industries etc. Two simple questions....or one if you like.....Which pole gets grounded and which pole is ungrounded (REGARDLESS of WIRE COLOR! )?

I realize that consensus unananimity is difficult to come by in electrical stuff....

Thanks,

Jim

Jim

[Dale M.]

In the RV industry, white is the "ground" (negative) wire for 12V wiring. That has been a standard for many years. The easy way to tell the difference between 12V and 120V wiring is the type of wire. The two systems are not wired with the same wire.

The problem here is amaturer electricians doing home wiring on TD may not be informed enough to use or reconize the two different wire types, one for AC and one for DC...

Dale

[Chuck Craven]

Since about the 1930’s it has been the (-) negative battery pole. Before that it was the (+) positive pole. Aren’t I nice, can’t give just one answer!


Chuck