Electrical Standards Singapore

[Rashawn Devegowda]

Appliesto the design, erection and verification of electrical installations other than those specifically excluded under its scope.

Includes requirements for:

(i) circuits supplied at nominal voltages up to and including 1000 V a.c. or 1500 V d.c. For a.c., the preferred frequency which is taken into account in this Code is 50 Hz;

(ii) circuits, other than the internal wiring of equipment, operating at voltages exceeding 1000 V and derived from an installation having a voltage not exceeding 1000 V a.c., e.g. discharge lighting, electrostatic precipitators;

(iii) wiring systems and cables not specifically covered by the standards for appliances;

(iv) all consumer installations external to buildings;

(v) fixed wiring for information and communication technology, signalling, control and the like (excluding internal wiring of equipment);

(vi) additions and alterations to installations and also parts of the existing installation affected by an addition or alteration.

Does not apply to installations such as systems for the distribution of electricity to the public, equipment of motor vehicles, mobile and fixed offshore installations, aircraft or on board ships, radio interference suppression equipment (except so far as it affects safety of the electrical installation), lightning protection systems for buildings.

The Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Regulations (CPSR) requires 33 categories of household electrical, electronic and gas appliances & accessories also known as Controlled Goods, to be tested to specified safety standards and affixed with the SAFETY Mark before they can be sold in Singapore. These include testing for safety measures against fire, electric shock, explosion and other hazards that could result in injury, death or property damage.

What should you do when you detect non-registered Controlled Goods without the SAFETY Mark?

The Consumer Product Safety Office takes a serious view of any non-compliance. If you are aware of anyone who is supplying or selling non-registered Controlled Goods, please provide us with the relevant information (e.g. product type, brand/model, name of company, location, etc.) so that appropriate enforcement action may be taken against the supplier. You can contact us either at consumerpr...@enterprisesg.gov.sg or 6898 1800.

The Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Regulations (CPSR) requires 33 categories of household electrical, electronic and gas appliances & accessories also known as Controlled Goods, to be tested to specified safety standards, registered with the authority, and affixed with the SAFETY Mark before they can be sold in Singapore.

Understanding the electrical wire colour code in Singapore is fundamental for ensuring the safety and efficiency of any electrical installation. This guide breaks down the essential colour codes used for identifying different types of wires, necessary for anyone involved in installing or maintaining electrical wiring. If you are interested in doing house wiring yourself, check out the fatal wiring mistakes everyone should avoid.

The wiring colour codes include the blue wire as the neutral wire colour, the green/ yellow wire as the earth wire colour, and the brown wire signifying the live wire. Additionally, other electrical wiring colours used in different contexts, such as the red wire typically indicating a connection to a circuit breaker or another type of power source.

Adherence to these standard colours not only facilitates the safe installation for electrical appliance but also aids in troubleshooting and repairs such as how to fix light switch button, thus ensuring a safer environment for both professionals and homeowners.

In Singapore, the colour code for old electrical wires is red for the live wire, black or blue for the neutral wire and green/ yellow for the earth wires. For 3 phase cables, the old cable colour code for live wires, namely L1, L2 and L3 follow a colour code of red, yellow, and blue, respectively. The neutral wire color is black or blue. Lastly, the earth wire colour uses stripped green/ yellow.

In Singapore, the colour code for DC cable is brown for the live wire, blue for the neutral wire and green/ yellow for the earth wires. This is referred to the new colour code for single phase cables.

For 3 phase wiring, the colour codes are distinct to ensure proper phase rotation and easy identification during electrical installation or maintenance. The 3 phase wires consists of a L1, L2 and L3 wire. The L1, L2, and L3 live wires follow a colour code of brown, black, and grey, respectively. This color coding is crucial in the electrical industry for the safe installation of circuit breakers, AC power systems, and electrical appliances, ensuring that the earth wire (green or bare wire) is correctly connected to prevent electrical shocks.

The wiring colour codes in Singapore align with international standards to accommodate electrical appliances from different countries, making it easier to identify the live (brown wire for L1, black wire for L2, grey wire for L3), neutral (blue wire), and earth wires (bare or green/yellow wire) during installation or troubleshooting. This standardization aids in avoiding confusion and ensuring the safety of both the electrical workforce and household users, reinforcing the importance of adherence to these colour codes in wiring practices across the electrical industry.

In Singapore, the electrical wiring color code standards are detailed and specific, catering to the safety and clarity of electrical systems. These standards specify the electrical wire colour code for different types of wires, such as the neutral wire, earth wire, and live wire, ensuring that electrical wiring colours are universally understood.

For live wires, the color brown is typically used, while the neutral wire adopts a blue coloring and the earth wire is distinguished by a green-yellow combination. This guide to electrical wire color codes plays a crucial role in preventing accidents and facilitating easy maintenance. Prior to any electrical installations, we highly recommend you to refer to Singapore's new colour code which explains the latest Electrical Wiring Color Code Standards in PDF form.

Comparatively, in the USA, the wire color code also follows a distinct pattern with similar safety objectives in mind. For instance, in American wiring systems, a white or gray wire serves as the neutral wire, while the earth (ground) wire is either bare or green. The live wires may come in various colors including black, red, blue, and sometimes orange or yellow when a yellow stripe is present.

Electrical wiring color codes vary slightly between countries to reflect local practices and safety standards, but the underlying principles of clear colour codes remain consistent. This meticulously followed colour code system simplifies electrical installations and maintenance, ensuring that electrical wires such as live, neutral, and earth are easily identifiable, which in turn enhances safety and efficiency in electrical systems and AC branch circuits.

In Singapore, the colour code for wires is distinctively categorized to ensure safety and compliance for both single phase and three phase power supply systems. For single-phase wiring, the live wire is coded brown, and the neutral wire is coded light blue.

In contrast, for three-phase power supply systems, the wires are color-coded as brown for L1, black for L2, and grey for L3, with the neutral wire continuing to be light blue. These color codes are crucial in identifying the different cables in electrical installations and help in maintaining consistency, reducing the chance of errors in wiring - all integral to the electrical wire colour code standards adopted in the country.

To know if your wire is L or N, you should closely examine the wiring colors used in your infrastructure, as these are critical indicators of the functionality of each wire. Typically, the neutral wire (N) is distinguished by a blue color, while the live wire (L) can be either brown, black, or grey, depending on the specific standards adopted.

This electrical wire colour code scheme helps avoid confusion and ensures safe electrical installations. In Singapore, like in many yellow countries, wiring colors are aligned with those recommended by the International Electrotechnical Commission, ensuring a standardized approach to identifying wire colors.

AC power plugs and sockets connect devices to mains electricity to supply them with electrical power. A plug is the connector attached to an electrically-operated device, often via a cable. A socket (also known as a receptacle or outlet) is fixed in place, often on the internal walls of buildings, and is connected to an AC electrical circuit. Inserting ("plugging in") the plug into the socket allows the device to draw power from this circuit.

Plugs and wall-mounted sockets for portable appliances became available in the 1880s, to replace connections to light sockets. A proliferation of types were subsequently developed for both convenience and protection from electrical injury. Electrical plugs and sockets differ from one another in voltage and current rating, shape, size, and connector type. Different standard systems of plugs and sockets are used around the world, and many obsolete socket types are still found in older buildings.

Coordination of technical standards has allowed some types of plug to be used across large regions to facilitate the production and import of electrical appliances and for the convenience of travellers. Some multi-standard sockets allow use of several types of plug. Incompatible sockets and plugs may be used with the help of adaptors, though these may not always provide full safety and performance.

Single-phase sockets[clarification needed] have two current-carrying connections to the power supply circuit, and may also have a third pin for a safety connection to earth ground. The plug is a male connector, usually with protruding pins that match the openings and female contacts in a socket. Some plugs also have a female contact, used only for the earth ground connection. Typically no energy is supplied to any exposed pins or terminals on the socket. In addition to the recessed contacts of the energised socket, plug and socket systems often have other safety features to reduce the risk of electric shock or damage to equipment.

3a8082e126