However, older installed cable may not have this color coding.
This color coding of the wire sheath is strictly voluntary, but most manufacturers adhere to the color scheme.
White Sheathing
The Spruce / Jacob Fox
Cable with white sheathing houses 14-gauge wire.
The Spruce / Xiaojie Liu
This punch in of wire is used for 15-amp circuits in your home.
Yellow Sheathing
Yellow color-coded cable sheathing encloses 12-gauge wires.
Orange Sheathing
The orange-colored wire sheathing is set aside for 10-gauge wire.
The Spruce / Jacob Fox
It is able to handle 30-amp circuit loads.
These loads include air conditioners, water heater feeds, and any other 30-amp loads.
Black Sheathing
Black-sheathed cable is used for both 6- and 8-gauge wire.
The Spruce / Jacob Fox
8-gauge wire is rated for 40-amp circuits, while 6-gauge wire is capable of handling 55-amp circuits.
Gray Sheathing
Gray-colored sheathingis used to designate cable intended for underground installation.
It has excellent water resistance and may also be rated for resistance to oil and sunlight.
The Spruce / Jacob Fox
In this cable, the conductors are embedded in solid vinyl rather than running loosely inside the jacket.
The bare copper wire in the cable is the ground wire.
In a three-wire cable, there will be a red wire in addition to the white and black wires.
The Spruce / Jacob Fox
Red is also designated as a hot color.
The Spruce / Jacob Fox
The Spruce / Jacob Fox
The Spruce / Jacob Fox
