Standard Boat Wiring Colors

Nick Kroes — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:40:39 +0000

A boat wiring project that uses standard wire colors is not only easier to install, it's way easier to troubleshoot - both during the project and years from now when something goes wrong.

Here are the standard boat wiring colors for marine electrical projects:

Low Voltage Boat Wiring
Primary Color	Secondary Color	Standard Boat Wiring Usage
Black		Low Voltage Return (Ground)
Black	Gray
Black	Light Blue
Black	Light Green
Black	Orange
Black	Pink
Black	Purple
Black	Red	Windlass Down
Black	Tan	Port Tab Down(Razorblade)
Black	White	Generator Shutdown
Black	Yellow	Blower Lt Ground
Blue		Instrument Lights
Blue	Black	Indirect Lights
Blue	Gray	Head Lights
Blue	Green	Overhead Lights #1
Blue	Light Blue	Galley Lights
Blue	Light Green	Reading Lights
Blue	Orange	Fwd Cabin Lights
Blue	Pink	Night Lights In
Blue	Red	Mid Cabin Lights
Blue	Tan	Closet Lights
Blue	White	Step/Night Lights
Blue	Yellow	Overhead Lights #2
Brown		Tank Monitor Power
Brown	Black	Fwd Bilge Pump Manual
Brown	Gray	Fwd Bilge Pump Auto
Brown	Green	Potable Water
Brown	Light Blue	Vac-U-Flush
Brown	Light Green	Vac-U-Flush In
Brown	Orange	Aft Bilge Pump Manual
Brown	Pink	Livewell Pump
Brown	Red	Aft Bilge Pump Auto
Brown	Tan	Overboard Discharge
Brown	White	Hi Level Alarm
Brown	Yellow	Blower Motor
Gray		Single/Stbd Tachometer
Gray	Black	Aft Masthead Navigation Light
Gray	Blue	Stern Navigation Light
Gray	Brown	Cockpit Courtesy Light
Gray	Green	Fwd Navigation Light
Gray	Light Blue	Docking Light
Gray	Light Green	Underwater Light
Gray	Orange	Arch Courtesy Light
Gray	Pink	Transom (Swim) Light
Gray	Red	Port Tachometer
Gray	Tan	Cockpit Courtesy Light (3 Way)
Gray	White	Fwd Masthead Navigation Light
Gray	Yellow	Engine Room Light
Green		Bonding/Static Ground
Light Blue		Single/Stbd Oil Pressure Sender
Light Blue	Red	Port Oil Pressure Sender
Light Blue	Blue	Hatch Up
Light Blue	Green	Hatch Down
Orange		Accessory Protected Power/Heater
Orange	Black	Windlass Protected Power
Orange	Blue	Electronics Protected Power/Gps
Orange	Brown	Pump Protected Power/Razorblades
Orange	Gray	Navigation Light Protected Power
Orange	Green	Radio Equipment Protected Power
Orange	Light Blue	Docking Light Protected Power
Orange	Light Green	Head Light Protected Power
Orange	Purple	Courtesy Light Protected Power
Orange	Red	12Vdc Plug Protected Power/Inflator Deflator
Orange	Tan	Wiper Protected Power
Orange	White	Horn Protected Power
Orange	Yellow	Blower/Fan Protected Power
Pink		Single/Stbd Fuel Sender
Pink	Black	Port Fuel Sender
Pink	Light Blue
Pink	Light Green
Pink	Purple
Pink	Red
Purple		Single/Stbd Ignition Power
Purple	Light Blue	Neutra-Salt Power
Purple	Light Green	Exhaust Power(Thru-Hull)
Purple	Orange	Dioded Ignition Power
Purple	Red	Port Ignition Power
Purple	White	Single/Stbd Trim Sender
Purple	Yellow	Port Trim Sender
Red		Unprotected Power
Red	Black	Windlass Up
Red	Blue	Stbd Wiper Power
Red	Brown	Stereo Switched Power
Red	Gray	Entertainment #2
Red	Green	Refrigeration
Red	Light Blue	Stbd Wiper Park
Red	Light Green	Autopilot Positive
Red	Orange	Port Wiper Power
Red	Pink	Port Wiper Park
Red	Purple	Protected Power
Red	Tan	Cockpit Tv Power
Red	White	Cabin Panel Power
Red	Yellow	Carbon Monoxide Detector
Tan		Single/Stbd Water Temprature Sender
Tan	Black	Port Alarm
Tan	Blue	Single/Stbd Alarm
Tan	Brown	Shower Sump Power
Tan	Gray	Shower Sump Auto
Tan	Green
Tan	Light Blue
Tan	Light Green
Tan	Red	Port Water Temprature Sender
Tan	Yellow
White		Searchlight Signal
White	Black	Stbd Trim Tab Select
White	Blue	Trim/Tilt Up
White	Brown	Trim Tab Down
White	Gray	Rudder Reference Sender
White	Green	Trim/Tilt Down
White	Light Blue
White	Light Green
White	Orange	Horn
White	Pink	Trim Tab Up
White	Purple
White	Red	Trim/Tilt Power
White	Yellow	Port Trim Tab Select
Yellow		Low Voltage Return (Ground)
Yellow	Black	Fire Suppression Out
Yellow	Gray	Head Vent
Yellow	Green
Yellow	Light Blue
Yellow	Light Green
Yellow	Orange	Autopilot Computer Return
Yellow	Purple	Cabin Fan Power
Yellow	Red	Neutral Safety Interlock

High Voltage Boat Wiring
Primary Color	Secondary Color	Boat Wire Standard Usage
Black (OR)		Ungrounded Conductor
Red (OR)		Ungrounded Conductor
Orange (OR)		Ungrounded Conductor
Blue		Ungrounded Conductor
Green		Grounding Conductor - Non-Current Carrying
Green	Yellow	Grounding Conductor, Shore/Earth Connection
White (OR)		Grounded Neutral Conductor
Light Blue		Grounded Neutral Conductor

Boat Wiring - Speakers
Primary Color	Secondary Color	Boat Wire Standard Usage
White		Port Front Positive
White	Black	Port Front Negative
Green		Port Rear Positive
Green	Black	Port Rear Negative
Gray		Stbd Front Positive
Gray	Black	Stbd Front Negative
Purple		Stbd Rear Positive
Purple	Black	Stbd Rear Negative
Red		Stbd Front Cockpit Positive
Red	Black	Stbd Front Cockpit Negative
Blue		Port Front Cockpit Positive
Blue	Black	Port Front Cockpit Negative
Black	White	Arch Port Aft Speaker Positive
Black	Pink	Arch Port Aft Speaker Negative
Black	Gray	Arch Stbd Aft Speaker Positive
Black	Green	Arch Stbd Aft Speaker Negative
Black	Orange	Subwoofer A Positive
Black	Tan	Subwoofer A Negative
Black	Purple	Subwoofer B Positive
Black	Blue	Subwoofer B Negative

Boat Wiring - Easy to Install - EzAcDc Marine Electrical

Standard Boat Wiring Colors