Mr. Crabb, I appreciate your spending 2c (or is that 2p!) on this issue. As the 'thread' initiator, I hope I can trouble you with a follow-up.
As you and Mr. John Woodgate (often read in the s.e.e.c newsgroup) suggested, I have attempted to contact the ANSI-listed members of the US TC44 committee regarding this issue. I still am waiting for their replies. Since you are so close to the standards development process..... Regarding 602446, I did get a copy of the recent (third) edition. Its terminology is substantially the same as EN 60204-1 1997. This is the point where I would be very interested in your comments. The standard reads (quoting from EN 60446 ed3 section 3.2.2) "Where a circuit includes a neutral or mid-point conductor identified by colour, the colour used for this purpose shall be blue. In order to avoid confusion with other colours it is recommended to use an unsaturated colour blue, called here 'light blue'....." My thesis (that has been supported by some notified/competent bodies but rejected by many peers in the industry) is that, as the section says, light blue is only required WHERE A CIRCUIT INCLUDES A NEUTRAL IDENTIFIED BY COLOR. If another acceptable means of identification is used, such as marking, then light blue is not required. This language in this section on neutrals is substantially different from other sections, such as the protective conductor (3.3.2) which allows no discretion on identifying the conductor. That is to say "The bi-colour combination green-and-yellow shall be used for identifying the protective conductor....." This is much more exact than what is said for the neutral. Am I missing something here??? Thanks for any comments. PS - the equipment we make is hard wired into the customers facility (rather than plug & cord connected) so it frequently comes under the scrutiny of electrical inspectors. Lauren Crane Eaton Corporation [email protected] > -----Original Message----- > From: Crabb, John [SMTP:[email protected]] > Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 6:28 AM > To: 'discussion group' > Subject: What color is neutral. > > In our detachable cord connected products, we use American power cords > with black, white, green wires on 120V units which are UL Listed, CSA > Certified; and European cords with brown, blue, green/yellow wires on 230V > units. > (As an aside, note how UL and CSA choose to ignore the UL1950 requirement > that earthing conductors be green/yellow in this case - or maybe they > don't > regard the detachable mains cord as part of the UL1950 product !) > > Inside our products, where we use 3 core cable for ac distribution, we use > the > European colors. Where we use individual wires, e.g. around the on/off > switch, > fuse, etc, we usually use black and white hook-up wire. > > There were moves some time ago in the British trade association FEI, to > get requirements for internal ac wiring coloring to be included in IEC > 950, > but it died a death. > > Have just noticed the announcement of the publication of IEC 60446, > Edition 3, February 1999 : Basic and safety principles for man-machine > interface, marking and identification - Identification of conductors by > colours or numerals. I'm afraid I don't have a copy - and won't be buying > one either, but I've made a note to have a look at it in the BSI library > next time I'm at a BSI meeting. The last draft I saw (16/367/CDV) > required the neutral conductor to be light blue. > However, I did make the following comments to BSI 2 years ago > (and they seem to have been ignored !!) : - > > "Note 2 in clause 3.2.2 reads "In the United States of America and > Canada, the colour identification white for the mid-wire or neutral > conductor is used as equivalent to the colour identification light blue." > > This note is informative, and since the USA and Canada are unlikely to > adopt the use of light blue for neutral (other than in power cords), it > would be preferable to change every reference to "light blue" in Clause > 3.2.2 to read "light blue or white", and delete Note 2. > > Clause 3.2.3 reads "The colours light blue, black and brown are > preferred for conductors of AC systems". In view of my comment above, > and since the colour black as used in the USA for line has been included, > this should be changed to read "The colours light blue, white, black and > brown are preferred for conductors of AC systems". Whether the word > "preferred" should be used is open to question !" > > You'll see that I feel bound to put in my 2c worth of comment on any > standard which happens to "float" past my desk. It is the only way > that we can influence what is going on out there - if you you don't > participate, and attempt to influence the content of standards, you > can't complain about the standards you get stuck with. > > To make my point - we only have the dreaded IEC 61000-3-2 > harmonics standard because the majority of countries voted > for it !! > > And now I'll get down from my high horse and creep back to > work......... > John Crabb, Development Excellence (Product Safety) , > NCR Financial Solutions Group Ltd., Kingsway West, Dundee, Scotland. DD2 > 3XX > E-Mail :[email protected] > Tel: +44 (0)1382-592289 (direct ). Fax +44 (0)1382-622243. VoicePlus > 6-341-2289. > > > > --------- > This message is coming from the emc-pstc discussion list. > To cancel your subscription, send mail to [email protected] > with the single line: "unsubscribe emc-pstc" (without the > quotes). For help, send mail to [email protected], > [email protected], [email protected], or > [email protected] (the list administrators). --------- This message is coming from the emc-pstc discussion list. To cancel your subscription, send mail to [email protected] with the single line: "unsubscribe emc-pstc" (without the quotes). For help, send mail to [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected] (the list administrators).
