[RE-wrenches] double insulated wire

[Andrew Truitt]

I have also seen the color convention that Ray enumerated becoming the standard. The one variation (which I like) is to use the following for the positively grounded legs of a bi-polar system:

Black = negative; GREY = positive

This can help prevent confusion between the two different grounded conductors. 


- Andrew



Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 28, 2013, at 12:54 PM, Ray Walters <ray at solarray.com> wrote:

> The convention of red for positive and black for negative is not just automotive.  It is also used by all battery based inverter manus, all battery companies, and all multimeters.
> John Wiles also agrees; 
> red = positive, black = negative  for ungrounded systems
> red = positive, white = negative for negative grounded systems
> white = positive, black = negative for pos grounded systems.
> I take it a step further, and use white label tape with red lettering that says "+ positive ground + ",
> because I've seen so many problems with positive grounded systems, and people not getting polarity correct.
> All of this is NEC compliant, and follows standard conventions.
> Make it easy on yourself and your journeymen on a hot roof, and have your color coding match their multimeter.
> You might save an inverter or even a life.
> R.Ray Walters
> CTO, Solarray, Inc
> Nabcep Certified PV Installer, 
> Licensed Master Electrician
> Solar Design Engineer
> 303 505-8760
> On 6/28/2013 12:09 PM, Allan Sindelar wrote:
>> On 6/28/2013 11:47 AM, aram at aramsolar.com wrote:
>>> And of course Red for positive and black for negative. 
>>> Most building departments have not pick up on this yet.               But they will.  
>>> Aram
>> 
>> Where does "of course Red for positive and black for negative" come from, please? I only know it as an automotive standard that has often caused confusion when used by DIY offgridders in years past, as black thus could represent either positive or negative in a DC conductor pair. 
>> Is there yet a convention for ungrounded arrays? While red and black are technically correct as ungrounded current-carrying conductors, use of this color convention could cause as much confusion as resolve it in the future. How about "black and black" or for that matter "yellow and orange" (if supplied by manufacturers) for ungrounded arrays?
>> Thanks, Allan
>> 
>> Allan Sindelar
>> Allan at positiveenergysolar.com
>> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional 
>> NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
>> New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
>> Founder and Chief Technology Officer
>> Positive Energy, Inc., a Certified B CorporationTM
>> 3209 Richards Lane
>> Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
>> 505 424-1112 office 780-2738 cell
>> www.positiveenergysolar.com
>>  
>> 
>> 
>> 
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