Understanding Wire Colors in a Mobile, Marine, or Off-Grid Electrical System
30 June 2024 · 6 min · 31K views
What this video covers
Nate explains U.S. wire color conventions for AC and DC circuits in mobile, marine, and off-grid electrical systems, covering the key hazard that black wires can be AC hot, DC positive, or DC negative depending on the system and installer.
In AC circuits, the standard is consistent: black for hot leg one, red for hot leg two, white for neutral, and green or bare copper for ground. DC wiring is less uniform. Most sources — including all EXPLORIST life wiring diagrams and Victron wiring diagrams — use red for positive and black for negative. The American Boat and Yacht Council standard E11, table 12, specifies red for positive and black or yellow for negative on boats and yachts. The RV industry breaks from this, with some manufacturers wiring black as positive and white as negative; some van upfitters use proprietary colors entirely. Nate recommends tracing any unidentified black wire back to its source before assuming its function. A cheat-sheet summary covers all four system types. The next lesson in the playlist addresses wire ampacity.
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