Brown and Blue Wire Which is Positive? | Let’s Find Out

Between these two wires of interest, the brown wire, or the “hot wire” is the positive wire. It delivers power to the appliance and connects to the building’s black wire. On the contrary, the blue wire is the negative one and it actually takes power away from the appliance.

The brown wire and the blue wire, are both globally common wires and completely opposite in nature. Therefore, diving into the electrical work without basic knowledge of what these wires do can be hazardous.

What are the Differences Between Brown and Blue Wire?

When it comes to wiring, brown, blue, and green wires are common around the world. Whereas, black, white, and green are more common in the USA. The good news is that matching the wires with a fixture with international standards is still pretty easy.

Brown Wire

The Brown wire is called the “hot wire” and it is supposed to be connected to the building’s black wire. It is the active wire that typically has high potential. This wire is also known as the “live wire”, which means it transfers electricity to the appliance. 

In other words, the brown wire is the positive wire. In general, the brown wire goes to the live terminal which is connected to the fuse.

Blue Wire

On the other hand, the blue wire is referred to as the “neutral wire” or “low potential” wire. It is the negative or “return” wire which will connect to the white wire. As for its function, it is to transfer electricity away from the appliance, as opposed to the brown wire. 

The blue wire connects to the neutral terminal which is usually on the left of the plug. The combination of these two wires creates a circuit.

Standard Wire Color Code Table

Here’s a table that shows the standard wire color codes for AC power circuit wiring in the USA, UK, and Canada, including both the common colors and any alternative colors where applicable:

Country	Function	Label	Color (Common)	Color (Alternative)
USA	Protective Ground	PG	Bare, Green, Green-Yellow	Green
USA	Neutral	N	White	Grey
USA	Line, Single Phase	L	Black or Red (2nd Hot)
USA	Line, 3-Phase	L1	Black	Brown
USA	Line, 3-Phase	L2	Red	Orange
USA	Line, 3-Phase	L3	Blue	Yellow
UK	Protective Earth	PG	Green-Yellow	Green-Yellow
UK	Neutral	N	Blue	Black
UK	Line, Single Phase	L	Brown	Red
UK	Line, 3-Phase	L1	Brown	Red
UK	Line, 3-Phase	L2	Black	Yellow
UK	Line, 3-Phase	L3	Grey	Blue
Canada	Protective Ground	PG	Green or Green-Yellow	Green
Canada	Neutral	N	White
Canada	Line, Single Phase	L	Black or Red (2nd Hot)
Canada	Line, 3-Phase	L1	Red
Canada	Line, 3-Phase	L2	Black
Canada	Line, 3-Phase	L3	Blue

Uses of Brown and Blue Wire

The uses of brown and blue wires can vary depending on the electrical code and the specific country or region in which they are used. Below are common uses for brown and blue wires in electrical wiring in different contexts, according to electrician Alexander Ballesteros:

UK Electrical Wiring:

US Electrical Wiring:

Canadian Electrical Wiring:

Queries and Solutions

1. Is brown positive or negative?

The color brown, on its own, does not denote positive or negative in electrical wiring. The function of a wire is determined by its role in the circuit (e.g., live/phase, neutral, ground) and the specific wiring standards of the country or region.

2. Which wire is positive?

The concept of positive and negative wires is more commonly associated with direct current (DC) circuits, such as batteries. In DC circuits, red wires are often used to represent positive, while black or blue wires may represent negative. In alternating current (AC) circuits, the terms “positive” and “negative” are typically not used for power conductors.

3. Is blue or brown active?

The color blue or brown, in electrical wiring, can represent active conductors (live or phase) depending on the wiring standards of the country or region. For example, in the United Kingdom, brown is used for the live/phase conductor, while in the United States and Canada, the color coding is different. However, which one is considered “active” depends on the specific electrical code in use.

Final Thoughts

Regarding electrical works, you would hate to call an electrician every time for simple tasks such as installing a fixture, small issues with the ceiling fans, air conditioner, etc. For this reason, having the basic knowledge of some common color coding of the wires is a necessity. While being self-sufficient is good, you must remember that safety has to be the priority in your activities.