Varieties
A wide variety of electrical tapes is available; some for highly specialized purposes. Electricians generally use only black tape for insulation purposes. The other colours are used to indicate the voltage level and phase of the wire. (In fact, the coloured tape is referred to as "phasing tape".) This is done on large wire which is available only in black insulation. When wires are phased, a ring of tape is placed on each end near the termination so that the purpose of the wire is obvious. The following table describes this usage.
| Tape colour | Usage (US) | Usage (UK) | Usage (International – new) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Insulation Low voltage, phase A |
Insulation Low voltage, neutral |
Low voltage, phase B |
| Red | Low voltage, phase B | Low voltage, phase A | Sheath, 415 V 3 phase |
| Blue | Low voltage, phase C | Low voltage, phase C | Low voltage, neutral Sheath, 230 V |
| Brown | High voltage, phase A | Low voltage, phase A | |
| Orange | High voltage, phase B | Sheath, garden tools | |
| Yellow | High voltage, phase C | Low voltage, phase B | Sheath, 110 V site wiring |
| Green | Earth ground | Earth | |
| Green with yellow stripe | Isolated ground | Earth | |
| Grey | Low voltage, neutral High voltage, neutral |
Low voltage, phase C | |
| White | Low voltage, neutral High voltage, neutral |
Tape that is approved for electrical applications will carry an approval label from an agency such as Underwriters Laboratories.
Read more about this topic: Electrical Tape
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