NEN-EN-IEC 60445
Wire Colors
Available in: en, nl, pl, ru, ua
Section: NEN 1010 basicsNorm reference: NEN-EN-IEC 60445
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Updated: ≈ 2 min read
Conductor Colors in Electrical Installations
NEN-EN-IEC 60445 specifies the color coding for conductors in low-voltage installations.
Main Categories
| Function | Color | NL | EN | RU | UA | PL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase L1 | Brown | brown | brown | коричневый | коричневий | brązowy |
| Phase L2 | Black | black | black | чёрный | чорний | czarny |
| Phase L3 | Grey | grey | grey | серый | сірий | szary |
| Neutral (N) | Blue | blue | blue | синий | синій | niebieski |
| PE (earth) | Green/yellow | green/yellow | green/yellow | зелёно-жёлтый | зелено-жовтий | żółto-zielony |
Points of Attention
- Green/yellow is exclusively for PE (protective conductor). Never use as a phase or for any other function.
- Blue marks the neutral (N). If a circuit has no neutral, a blue conductor may be used for another function, but never as PE. In very old installations, blue may be used as a phase — replace or clearly mark.
- For multi-core cables (>5 cores): numbered cores (black with numbers) according to the cable standard.
Common mistakes
- Brown used as neutral — risk during later work.
- PE conductor cut through or used as a spare — prohibited.
- In horticulture: color loss due to UV — use UV-resistant cable types and follow the manufacturer's specifications and the installation conditions (external influences, NEN 1010).
Further reading
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