Wiring colours in uk

[Jazz carne]

I am Uk based: I have brown, blue and black wire on the extractor fan. From the power source I have brown, grey and black wires... please how I connect them to the extractor. All help be great.. thank you

 

[Lister1987]

Take some pictures and it'll help get an answer.

 

[telectrix]

first, is it a timer fan? if so, you need to know which conductor does what. you will have a perm. L, (from isolator) switched L (when the light comes on), and neutral.

 

[Jazz carne]

first, is it a timer fan? if so, you need to know which conductor does what. you will have a perm. L, (from isolator) switched L (when the light comes on), and neutral.

It’s linked to the lights....

 

[Mike Johnson]

Where are you looking for the power source, they should be Brown (phase) Blue (neutral) and Green/Yellow (Earth) as you have Brown wire's I assume this is not a very old installation as the phase is in harmonised colours. Any further information needs more information.

 

[snowhead]

Is this replacing a fan that was already connected?

 

[Jazz carne]

Where are you looking for the power source, they should be Brown (phase) Blue (neutral) and Green/Yellow (Earth) as you have Brown wire's I assume this is not a very old installation as the phase is in harmonised colours. Any further information needs more information.

The painter took the fan off and all I want is to connect back up...but I am not sure how the wiring goes.. please advise

Is this replacing a fan that was already connected?

No same fan ... the painter took it off and I do not know the wiring combination
[automerge]1585324143[/automerge]

The painter took the fan off and all I want is to connect back up...but I am not sure how the wiring goes.. please advise

No same fan ... the painter took it off and I do not know the wiring combination

 

[Mike Johnson]

Is there an isolator switch in the room?
How are the lights controlled, wall switch or pull cord?

 

[pc1966]

Sadly there are no set rules for this. Most likely your fan has brown = live, blue = neutral (harmonised = current British colour code) and by elimination black is probably the switched live (i.e. from the light).

At a guess the cable would be brown = live (because that is the harmonised colour for live), black = neutral (because that was the old British colour for neutral) and so probably grey = switched.

But you really need to check carefully as the person who wired it might think differently from me! If in doubt get a sparky in to check, don't try to test a live system yourself.

In case you wonder why the wire has those colours, the colour code for a 3-phase system has:

• Live 1 = brown (old = red)
• Live 2 = black (old = yellow)
• Live 3 = grey (old = blue)
• Neutral = blue (old = black)
• Earth = green/yellow (old = green)

While it is very rare to see 3-phase supplied for a domestic property, it is common to need 3 wires & earth for two-way switches (and for fans like yours) so usually the 3-phase colours end up being (ab)used in that job.

 

[telectrix]

more likely brown L to brown. Black switched L to Black , Grey(should have a blue sleeve) N to Blue. if the brown and black are reversed, the fan won't operate so switch them round. failing which, get a local sparks to ID the cores and reconnect.

 

[pc1966]

Grey(should have a blue sleeve) N to Blue.

If only folk would mark things properly!

 

[Mike Johnson]

If only?

The Switched live should change colour at your lighting switch?

 

[freddo]

You would need to test/visually verify the other end of the cable. As it is still common to see people using a black wire in a harmonised coloured cable as neutral, even though they shouldn't.

 

[pc1966]

As it is still common to see people using a black wire in a harmonised coloured cable as neutral, even though they shouldn't.

The question is, which should they use?

Grey - that is another phase colour!

Now if only there were a standards organisation that could specify this...

 

[Risteard]

The question is, which should they use?

Grey - that is another phase colour!

Now if only there were a standards organisation that could specify this...

Just mark it (e.g. with sleeving) and there's no issue.