[Boatanchors] 2nd Newbie Q

[Brian Clarke]

Having experience in 16 countries apart from the US, I can confirm Robert's observation that black is used as the Ground or 0-Volt lead in AF and low-power RF applications /  appliances. It is also used as the 'Neutral' in almost every audio application I have seen, with 'Phase' or 'Active' appearing in red or white coloured insulation. 

In AC mains cables in most European and ex-UK colonies (eg, Australia, India, South Africa, New Zealand and most of the Pacific Islands), until about 40 years ago black was used as the 'Neutral' wire. Up till then, red was used for 'Phase' or 'Active' and green for 'Ground'. Red and black can be confused by people with a particular kind of colour blindness; this finding led the European and ex-UK colonies to employ brown for 'Phase', blue for 'Neutral' and striped green / yellow for 'Ground'. With the recent advent of legislated testing of mains cables, I have also found that mains cables coming in from el-cheapo manufacturers in the older Chinese protectorates even mix up these new colours.

Only in the US have I seen black used for 'Phase' or 'Active' in single phase mains wiring. I was told by a well-respected US ham that the usual aide memoir for this is Black = Death. As far as I am aware, the Black Death was a 14th century Chinese and European experience that didn't reach the US. Ah well ...

73 de Brian, VK2GCE.
  On Friday, September 12, 2014 1:34 AM, Robert said:


  A-C Mains (electrical) practice has always (at least since the 30's) been generally opposite to standard electronics practice, except for red, which is hot in both cultures.  Look for example in any Command Set (the generic term, not the AAF's function term) chassis and you will see black (or bare) for virtually all ground leads of any sort and black not usually used for anything else.  Generally the same in most US built sets.  It's just something that "you know" and don't conciously even think about.  So using white for Common would be contrary to common practice.

  In a message dated 09/11/2014 10:00:33 AM Central Daylight Time, k2gkk at hotmail.com writes: 

    I believe that your recommendation (in two-pair cables) of using Black for the Common and White for the "Hot" runs counter to normal AC mains practice for "polarity" and is likely to cause confusion and MAY result in negative safety aspects. Otherwise, I understand your points.