What colors must ground wires always be?

Ground wires are specifically designated for safety purposes in electrical systems. The appropriate color coding for ground wires is critical for maintaining safe installations and ensuring proper identification during maintenance or repair work.

Ground wires must be green, green with a yellow tracer, or bare. The green color clearly indicates that these wires are intended for grounding, which helps differentiate them from wires used for power delivery. Grounding wires form a crucial link between the electrical system and the earth, providing a path for fault current to reduce the risk of electric shock and equipment damage.

Using any other color, such as red, yellow, or blue, which are commonly associated with hot or phase conductors, can lead to dangerous confusion and errors during electrical work. This is especially important for technicians or individuals who are working on electrical systems to have a clear understanding of wire color codes to ensure they handle the correct wires without error. Therefore, ground wires must always conform to the designated colors to uphold safety standards and effective electrical system functionality.