Understanding Electrical Wire Colour Code in Singapore

“Having basic electrical knowledge will allow you to perform simple repair like changing the plug of an electrical appliance.”

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Singapore's electrical wire colour codes and their electrical purposes - live wire colour, neutral wire colour and earth wire colour
Current Electrical Wire Colours of Singapore in 2023

Different Colours & Purpose

The 3 types of electrical wires – Brown, Blue and Green with Yellow – serve different purposes.

Live Wire Colour

The Brown wire is the Live wire which carries the electricity from the source to the electrical appliances.

Neutral Wire Colour

The Blue wire is the Neutral wire which carries the electricity back to the source. Mixing up Neutral and Live wire can lead to serious consequences.

Earth Wire Colour

The Green with Yellow wire is the Earth wire and it is a safety feature that provides a path back to the source when there is an electrical fault to prevent the possibility of electrocuting a person.

Previous Electrical Wiring Colour Code

In the past, the Red wire represents the Live wire, the Black wire represents the Neutral wire and the Green with Yellow wire represents the Earth wire. There is still some old electrical wiring running on the old wires or cables. As such, it is important for you to know the colour code just in case you are changing the plug or performing simple electrical tasks which involve the old wires.

Electrical Copper Wire with Different Thickness

Changing the plugs of electrical appliances is quite straightforward. However, when performing other electrical tasks like creating another 3-pin socket or creating switches you have to take extra care. Rightfully you should engage a qualified electrician to perform such electrical tasks because the wire used may be different and additional switches and sockets may affect the overall electrical load.

Different types and sizes of wire are designed for different purposes and knowing the right type of wire to use is important to ensure that the place is safely wired.

Not sure of electrical wiring?

If you are not trained in electrical wiring and are not sure how to perform it safely, we are here to help. Reach out to us and our wiring specialist can provide assistance & services for rewiring and more.