The electrical wiring colour code is an important safety feature to allow a common language among electricians to understand what each wire is used for. If you have come across cable upgrading projects in Singapore and find a discrepancy in colours between what has been installed vs what is available in the market, this quick article is for you.
Singapore’s cable colour codes for the live phase are brown, black and grey. This change took effect on 1 March 2009 when Singapore adopted the code to align with the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), the standards organization that harmonises electrical standards in European countries.
Prior to 2009, Singapore’s cable colour code for live phases was red, yellow, and blue. Hence, in buildings built before 2009, you would likely find the old colour code system.
To avoid confusion for high voltage cables, the colour markings, i.e., L1, L2 and L3, are provided at the switchgear or cable compartment where cables are terminated to differentiate the 3-line cables.
Cable Colour Code in Singapore (from 2009 onwards)
Previous Cable Colour Code in Singapore (before 2009)