Electrical Colour Code

[ralaco]

I’m wiring the trailer but as I’m using Speaker Wires I have a colour code conflict as the speaker wire is Black & Red and the light wire is Black & White.
The Black & Red will go to the fuse block.

Is it right this way of wiring?






Raul

[toypusher]

Raul,

I would switch the black/white arangement and make the black the ground wire. That way all of the ground wires will be the same and the postive wires will be either red or white. Should be much less confusion that way. Having two black wires and one is + and one is - could cause some problems.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: After rereading your origninal post, I think that I understand the real question. I misread it the first time. Yes, you are correct if the above diagram means that the red/black wire is the overall wire you are using for your 12VDC systems and the black/white wires are the ones that came already attached to your light fixtures. Sorry if I caused you any confusion on this.

[goldcoop]

Raul-

Looks reasonable! As long as YOU the builder knows that's all that really matters!

Heck I used 4 wire trailer chassis wire to wire mine!

Codes! we have no stinkin' codes!

Cheers,

Coop

[madjack]

...as long as you keep it straight in your mind...so what...if I were going to use the r/b wiring for both ac/dc I might be tempted to keep the black for + and the red for - but whatever you do...be consistent
madjack

[Chuck Craven]

Raul. Here in the states the code is for AC power. White is always neutral, green is always ground and black, red, yellow and exc. will be hot. If you are wiring the battery 12v DC side there is no real standard for colour used. Normally black is – side and red is + side but you can use any colour you want to. Look at the car wiring they use every colour possible with multi colour wires. They will use black and green as ground and black as +12 all in the same harness. For wiring the battery the best advice is to be consistent.
Chuck

[brad vk2qq]

With car wiring, they aren't necessarily using the colours to define function, they could be using them to define number codes.

There is a colour code used in electronics where numbers are assigned to each colour.
0 Black
1 Brown
2 Red
3 Orange
4 Yellow
5 Green
6 Blue
7 Violet
8 Grey
9 White.

So a Red wire with a green trace could be Wire 25, rather than a +ve wire. A green wire with a black trace, Wire 50, rather than -ve. In my car, Wire 50 was the panel lighting and it did not like being connected to ground.

[cracker39]

(H) Cigarette Lighter Receptacles. Twelve-volt receptacles that will accept and energize cigarette lighters shall be installed in a noncombustible outlet box, or the assembly shall be identified by the manufacturer of the product as thermally protected.

Speaking of 12V receptacles (i.e. cigarette lighter sockets), how much depth does it take to mount one in a wall, and what type of box is used for mounting one? I haven't gotten to that yet in my wiring scheme.

[cracker39]

Thanks. I thought they were deeper than a standard wall box. I can always mount my galley socket in the front of the cabinet, just below the edge of the counter top, at one side and maybe one on the other side. In the back, I don't know. I'll have to think about that. Maybe just hang the box under the shelf that will run across the back over the foot of the bed. Or, frame in a couple of inches from the wall on one side of the shelf for it. I really haven't thought about a use for 12V sockets yet, except for a 6" fan like is sold at WM.

[toypusher]

Let me make a suggestion here about lighter accessory sockets. If you go to a junkyard or maybe a dealer if you want. You should be able to get the lighter sockets that have the covers over them. My Tacoma has two accessory outlets and they both have snap on covers. The ones that I put in my tear do not have covers and I just don't like the safety issues with that (especially in the cabin)!

[goldcoop]

Wow!

Ok Powder I get it!

But in interest of keeping things simple for a DIY building a Tear what does all that mean in reality?

Obviously good practice as it applies specifically to building Teardrop Trailers (as discussed here in adnauseam) should be of primary concern:

Use stranded wire.

Don't wire nut connections (especially in inaccessable ares) they will vibrate loose.

Calculate loads and use proper gauge wire and fuse (over current)
protection.

Have a master disconnect for both AC/DC.

Etc., Etc., Etc.

I don't think (unless you go into production) that the NEC inspectors are gonna be too concerned about which color wire went where...

Besides Raul is in Mexico!

Cheers,

Coop

[toypusher]

Coop,

I soldered and used heat shrink and all my connections! I like to strip the wire and flatten the stranded end a little and then do the other wire the same. Lay one on top to the other and use a soldering iron to heat them both at the same time, while laying the solder on top until it melts down into the strands of the wire. Maybe give the a loose twist before soldering, but not really necessary.

[goldcoop]

Coop,

I soldered and used heat shrink and all my connections!

Yep me too, what else can we tell Raul that he might not already know?

Cheers,

Coop

[toypusher]

Coop,

The new avatar is a 'striking likeness' of you!

[cracker39]

Both my Wife's Sonata and my Nissan Frontier have both a cigarette lighter socket and an extra outlet that has a cover. Going to a junk yard to try to find some is a good idea. Once I have them, then I'll see what kind of box they will fit into. Some of the home boxes look like they are up to 3" deep. After putting on a blank cover with a hole drilled for the outlet, it should hold the 12V socket.

[goldcoop]

Coop,

The new avatar is a 'striking likeness' of you!

Thats my boy, Simba!

Best behaved dog I ever owned.

I walk him in town off leash.

We go to a retirement home where he makes his rounds...

He takes his security job seriously!

How did he get that way:

We BEAT him alot (right)!

Cheers,

Coop

PS: this has all the markings of a hijacking LOL!