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What 220v wire colors are which?

What do the colors of 220V wires indicate? Specifically, what does the black wire represent? Is it neutral? What about the red wire—does it indicate a positive connection? What is the role of the white wire? And what about the bare wire?

7 Answers

A
Anonymous

Jan 15, 2025

Black is hot

Red is Hot

White in Neutral

Bare is grounding

Why do you need to know this? What are you working on?

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Edited:

Both Red and Black are hot. One leg = 110 volts. two = 220.

You need both hot wires and the white neutral to complete the circuit.

The bare is grounding which is for safety. If there is a short it will ground anything that may carry a charge and trip the breaker.

The screw you use for red or black doesn’t mater. They are the same. The color is just so you can tell them apart. They are both hot legs.

————————————————————————————

Run the black one to the +, run the red to the – (although it shouldn’t matter) Black is the primary color used for hot wires. Put the white wire on the screw that says neutral.

The bare grounding wire should screw in where it says grounding.

A
Anonymous

Dec 25, 2024

What country? The difference is critical. If it is U.K. it is totally different.

There is no positive and no negative in alternating current, ac, wiring as used in a house. No way, no how. Anyone who says otherwise is 100% wrong. There is hot and neutral and ground, nothing more. There may be two hot wires. For 220volt, aka 230 volt, aka 240 volt, there are two hot wires, one neutral and one ground.

Some devices do not use the neutral, but many do in order to get a 110 volt circuit, like for a fan or lights.

In the U.S. red and black are both hot wires. They are both separate circuits, by necessity. White is neutral, green or bare is ground. Actually the ground and neutral go to the same place, electrically.

If you don’t understand what I have said, I highly advise you not to DIY. Electricity is too dangerous to take any chances. The fact that you asked this makes me worried that you can do the job safely.

There is a lot more to it than knowing the color code. Do you know about GFI for example? If not, do not attempt this task.

A
Anonymous

Feb 21, 2025

It depends what country you are in –

in US – there is no neutral in 220v, both – black and red are hot(live -110v each) and green/bare should be ground. White should be neutral but most probably you won’t need to use white.

If you don’t know the colors then you shouldn’t do it by yourself – get the electrician.

I am guessing that you have lights in the spa – that would justify the use of white. So I guess that spa should use both – black and red (220v) for heating and white and black (or red) would make 110v which will be used for lights or other 110v applications in spa.

A
Anonymous

Jan 05, 2025

I totally agree with sister, before you electrocute yourself get a professional in—if you need to ask you’re not qualified, also keep in mind it only takes about 10 milliamps to cause death—-that’s.010

A
Anonymous

Feb 08, 2025

Actually if your in the U.S. the voltages are 120/240 respectively. 110/220 are not in the US.

A
Anonymous

Feb 01, 2025

THE BARE ONE MAY BE THE EARTH.

Red = live.

Is that three phase wiring.

You need to be more specific, in regards to what you are wiring up.

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