Common color conventions for hot, neutral, and ground conductors in a typical North American control circuit?

• A. Blue for hot, white for neutral, and yellow for ground.
• B. Green for hot, white for neutral, and black for ground.
• C. Black or red for hot (line), white for neutral, and green or bare copper for ground.
• D. Red for neutral, black for hot, and green for ground.

Answer: (C)

In North American control circuits, colors are used to identify a conductor’s role so wiring is safe and easy to troubleshoot. Hot conductors are typically black or red, with blue used in some multi-hot or three-phase situations. The neutral conductor is almost always white, serving as the return path for current. The grounding conductor is green or bare copper, providing a safety path for fault current. Therefore, the standard combination—hot being black or red, neutral being white, and ground being green or bare copper—is the best answer. Green for hot would mix up safety-color conventions and can mislead someone during maintenance, which is why that choice isn’t correct.