Romex color code?

[# Fred #]

My house has one set of romex with an overall outer cover jacket black and the other white. Is there a standard convention like one color for lighting and the other for power or something else?

[RBM]

There is a fairly new color code Yellow is 20 amp and orange is 30 amp. I don't know of any other colors that have any significance.

[Nate Nagel]

No, although it seems that there is an unofficial color code for romex jackets in use nowadays. 14/2 is generally white and 12/2 is generally yellow. this just makes it less likely for an installer to grab the wrong spool of wire when working fast.

In my house, however, I have at least one run of 14/2 with a blue jacket (which I think is now generally used for 10/2?) and one run of 12/2 with a black jacket. Since there's no OFFICIAL color code the mfgr. can make it any color they want.

nate

[buffalobill]

[Gary]

I was at home depot the other day and noticed rolls of 14/2 that had blue jacketing. i asked the fellow what it was for and he says a code is being proposed that blue wire be used for circuts on arc fault breakers like for bedroom outlets so it is easy to distinguish for the inspector.

[gfretwell]

Had not heard that one. Since the 2008 code will require AFCI on all

15 and 20a circuits I doubt it will really catch on.

The Southwire (newest owners of the "Romex" name) uses the standard White 14ga Yellow 12ga Orange 10ga Black 8ga or larger Grey SE cable

Other manufacturers are somewhat following the lead but it has no force of law.

[Gary]

Why do kitchen outlets not require GFIs or arcfault?

So the new code will be basically that all 120v circuits will need arcfault breakers?

[Doug Miller]

Under the NEC (though maybe not the CEC), GFCIs *are* required in kitchens, for any outlet serving a countertop space.

[Nate Nagel]

That makes sense but I think the blue that I have likely predates either the requirement for AFCIs or these new unofficial conventions... I think it serves the receptacles in the finished portion of the basement.

nate

Gary wrote:

[Nate Nagel]

They do require GFCIs.

That's what I'm hearing but I don't see how that will really catch on. Certainly in many cases it will be impossible to retrofit older buildings to meet code as there won't be enough space in the breaker panel (AFCIs are full height, haven't seen any half height ones.)

nate

[hallerb]

So the new code will be basically that all 120v circuits will need arcfault

you will need to replace your service too

its really a good idea but will take a generation or more to complete.

[Doug Miller]

Code applies only to new work. Retrofit of existing installations that met Code when they were installed is not required, unless they're being modified. Then the modified installation has to meet Code. But if it's left alone, no retrofit is needed.

[Gary]

Yes i read that last night after I posted. I'm in Canada though and it is not code here. I find that strange as where are you going to have more water around an electrical device but the kitchen.

[Gary]

Hmm, I'm wiring my new house right now, I wonder if I should use more arc faults on the receptacle circuits? I understand they are not good to use on circuits serving lighting as per Rex Caldwell's Electrical book. They are much more expensive that a regular breaker.

[gfretwell]

They are also looking at that. CMP2 stopped short of requiring AFCI in any existing building that had a panel changed but they looked at it. There is another way to go if you really want AFCIs, You can put them in a sub panel or you can use a "device type" in a box if the box is connected by a steel wiring method to the panel. (steel AC cable, RMC, IMC EMT). Currently that has to be 6' or less but that is being extended "to the first box".

[gfretwell]

This is a link to the ROC for CMP2

[N8N]

True, but there are some people (like me) who actively try to incorporate some of the better ideas of code into their house even though they don't have to. e.g. since I am adding grounds to receptacles, I might as well try to provide the now-required 20A circuits for the kitchen and bath, and I've already added an AFCI for the upstairs circuit simply because it was relatively easy to do and now it meets code. I may not end up with a 100% code-compliant (for new construction, that is) system, but it will be closer to it than I'm required to make it.

nate

[Doug Miller]

Laundry room, maybe -- but the NEC requires GFCIs there too. Does the CEC?

[maradcliff]

I dont understand why they did not color the 14ga. since in the past ALL romex was white. I must admit, I am glad they colored it. As I age it's getting harder and harder to read the print on the cables. This makes it easy to ID the gauge.

[CJT]

Isn't yellow likely to turn orange with age? It seems to me they should have separated those two by a bigger change in gauge.