In US electrical installations, what are the typical color codes for neutral and ground?

• A. Neutral = white; ground = green or bare copper.
• B. Neutral = black; ground = red.
• C. Neutral = blue; ground = orange.
• D. Neutral = gray; ground = brown.

Answer: (B)

In US electrical installations, the neutral conductor is normally white (gray is only seen in some older wiring). The grounding conductor is green or bare copper. The neutral serves as the return path for current, and at the main service panel it’s bonded to earth ground. The ground provides a safety path for fault currents to trip protective devices, and it is not meant to carry normal operating current. That’s why the standard pairing is neutral white and ground green or bare. The other color schemes listed use colors (like black, red, blue, orange, gray, brown) that are typically reserved for hot or switched conductors, not for neutral or grounding.