What is the color of a live wire in electrical wiring?

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In electrical wiring, the color brown is designated as the color for the live wire. The purpose of this color-coding system is to ensure safety and clarity in electrical installations, making it easy to identify the function of each wire.

A live wire is one that carries voltage and can pose a risk of electric shock if touched. By standardizing the color to brown, electricians and individuals working with electrical circuits can quickly recognize which wire is live, helping to prevent accidents during installation, maintenance, or repair.

Other colors referenced, such as green and yellow, are used for earth (ground) wires, while blue generally represents neutral wires. The red color, which may have been used in older wiring systems in some regions for live wires, is no longer a standard practice in contemporary wiring systems, further reinforcing the use of brown as the correct identifier for a live wire in most modern installations.

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