In a 120/240V electrical system, which colors are typically used to denote hot, neutral, and ground conductors?

• A. Hot: Black or red; Neutral: White; Ground: Green or bare.
• B. Hot: Blue; Neutral: White; Ground: Orange.
• C. Hot: White; Neutral: Black; Ground: Brown.
• D. Hot: Purple; Neutral: White; Ground: Copper.

Answer: (A)

In a 120/240V system, colors are used to identify what each conductor does, so you can work safely and meet code requirements. The standard scheme is two hot legs, a neutral, and a ground. The two hot legs are typically black and red, the neutral is white, and the ground is green or bare copper. This setup reflects the split-phase residential service: each hot leg delivers 120V relative to neutral, and the voltage between the two hot legs is 240V. Keeping these colors consistent helps you quickly recognize which conductor carries current, which returns it, and which path is for fault protection. Other color choices shown are not standard for typical 120/240V circuits (for example, blue or orange aren’t the normal hot/ground neutral assignments in standard residential wiring, and white is reserved for neutral unless specifically re-identified for a hot conductor in certain situations).