Reg No.:6448812
 
 
Home >> Product >> Telephone Cable >> Ordering Information
   

Colour Codes & Cable Make Up

 
A) Colour Code According to IEC 189-3  
 
Standard Colours Easily Identifiable Combinations Less-easily Identifiable Combinations
BLUE Red Black BROWN Black
ORANGE Red BLUE ORANGE Black
GREEN ORANGE GREEN ORANGE GREY
BROWN ORANGE BLUE GREEN GREY
GREY ORANGE VIOLET GREEN VIOLET
WHITE YELLOW Black VIOLET Black
Red YELLOW Red GREY Black
Black YELLOW GREEN ** GREY VIOLET
YELLOW YELLOW BLUE WHITE BROWN
VIOLET YELLOW VIOLET WHITE ORANGE
PINK GREEN Black WHITE VIOLET
TURQUOISE GREEN Red GREEN BLUE
  BLUE Black BROWN BLUE
  GREY Red GREY BROWN
  GREY BLUE GREEN BROWN
  WHITE Black WHITE GREY
  WHITE Red ORANGE BROWN
  WHITE GREEN ORANGE Red
  WHITE BLUE Red BROWN
      WHITE YELLOW
  **NOTE: The colour YELLOW-Green should be reserved for earth or safety wires
   
B) Colour Code & Cable Make Up According to ICEA S-80-576
 
 
Pair No. a-wire b-wire Pair No. a-wire b-wire
1 WHITE BLUE BLUE White 13 Black GREEN GREEN Black
2 WHITE ORANGE ORANGE White 14 Black BROWN BROWN Black
3 WHITE GREEN GREEN White 15 Black GREY GREY Black
4 WHITE BROWN BROWN White 16 YELLOW BLUE BLUE YELLOW
5 WHITE GREY GREY White 17 YELLOW ORANGE ORANGE YELLOW
6 Red BLUE BLUE Red 18 YELLOW GREEN GREEN YELLOW
7 Red ORANGE ORANGE Red 19 YELLOW BROWN BROWN YELLOW
8 Red GREEN GREEN Red 20 YELLOW GREY GREY YELLOW
9 Red BROWN BROWN Red 21 VIOLET BLUE BLUE VIOLET
10 Red GREY GREY Red 22 VIOLET ORANGE ORANGE VIOLET
11 Black BLUE BLUE Black 23 VIOLET GREEN GREEN VIOLET
12 Black ORANGE ORANGE Black 24 VIOLET BROWN BROWN VIOLET
          25 VIOLET GREY GREY VIOLET
  In accordance with ICEA publication S-80-576-2002, the colour code is composed of ten (10) distinctive colours to identify 25 pairs. Marking of each mate of the
primary conductor in a pair with the colour of that primary conductor is optional.
When cables of larger than 25 pairs are required, the core shall be assembled into 25-pair sub-units, each colour coded in accordance with ICEA publication
S-80-576. Cables with over 600 pairs shall have 25-pair binder groups combined into super units. These super units shall be wrapped with a solid colour
thread that follows the primary colour scheme of white, red, black, yellow and violet. Binder colour code integrity shall be maintained wherever cables are spliced.
     
C) Colour Code According to IEC 60189-2, BT210B  
  Colour Scheme for Pairs & Triples  
 
Cabling
Element
No.
a-wire b-wire Cabling
Element
No.
a-wire b-wire Cabling
Element
No.
a-wire b-wire
1 WHITE BLUE 35 BLUE Black GREY 69 GREEN Red BROWN
2 WHITE ORANGE 36 YELLOW BLUE BLUE 70 GREEN Red GREY
3 WHITE GREEN 37 YELLOW BLUE ORANGE 71 GREEN Black BLUE
4 WHITE BROWN 38 YELLOW BLUE GREEN 72 GREEN Black ORANGE
5 WHITE GREY 39 YELLOW BLUE BROWN 73 GREEN Black GREEN
6 Red BLUE 40 YELLOW BLUE GREY 74 GREEN Black BROWN
7 Red ORANGE 41 WHITE ORANGE BLUE 75 GREEN Black GREY
8 Red GREEN 42 WHITE ORANGE ORANGE 76 YELLOW GREEN BLUE
9 Red BROWN 43 WHITE ORANGE GREEN 77 YELLOW GREEN ORANGE
10 Red GREY 44 WHITE ORANGE BROWN 78 YELLOW GREEN GREEN
11 Black BLUE 45 WHITE ORANGE GREY 79 YELLOW GREEN BROWN
12 Black ORANGE 46 ORANGE Red BLUE 80 YELLOW GREEN GREY
13 Black GREEN 47 ORANGE Red ORANGE 81 WHITE BROWN BLUE
14 Black BROWN 48 ORANGE Red GREEN 82 WHITE BROWN ORANGE
15 Black GREY 49 ORANGE Red BROWN 83 WHITE BROWN GREEN
16 YELLOW BLUE 50 ORANGE Red GREY 84 WHITE BROWN BROWN
17 YELLOW ORANGE 51 ORANGE Black BLUE 85 WHITE BROWN GREY
18 YELLOW GREEN 52 ORANGE Black ORANGE 86 Red BROWN BLUE
19 YELLOW BROWN 53 ORANGE Black GREEN 87 Red BROWN ORANGE
20 YELLOW GREY 54 ORANGE Black BROWN 88 Red BROWN GREEN
21 WHITE BLUE BLUE 55 ORANGE Black GREY 89 Red BROWN BROWN
22 WHITE BLUE ORANGE 56 YELLOW ORANGE BLUE 90 Red BROWN GREY
23 WHITE BLUE GREEN 57 YELLOW ORANGE ORANGE 91 BROWN Black BLUE
24 WHITE BLUE BROWN 58 YELLOW ORANGE GREEN 92 BROWN Black ORANGE
25 WHITE BLUE GREY 59 YELLOW ORANGE BROWN 93 BROWN Black GREEN
26 Red BLUE BLUE 60 YELLOW ORANGE GREY 94 BROWN Black BROWN
27 Red BLUE ORANGE 61 WHITE GREEN BLUE 95 BROWN Black GREY
28 Red BLUE GREEN 62 WHITE GREEN ORANGE 96 YELLOW BROWN BLUE
29 Red BLUE BROWN 63 WHITE GREEN GREEN 97 YELLOW BROWN ORANGE
30 Red BLUE GREY 64 WHITE GREEN BROWN 98 YELLOW BROWN GREEN
31 BLUE Black BLUE 65 WHITE GREEN GREY 99 YELLOW BROWN BROWN
32 BLUE Black ORANGE 66 GREEN Red BLUE 100 YELLOW BROWN GREY
33 BLUE Black GREEN 67 GREEN Red ORANGE 101 WHITE GREY BLUE
34 BLUE Black BROWN 68 GREEN Red GREEN 102 WHITE GREY ORANGE
  Note 1: In each triple there shall be a c-wire, coloured TURQUOISE.
  Note 2: Uppercase letters indicate the base, solid colour of insulation, and the lower case indicates ink bands applied onto the base colour.
 
  Make-up & Unit Identification Colours – 20 Pair Unit  
 
Pair Size Center 1st Layer 2nd Layer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9-15 16
20Pair Number
of Unit
1     ORANGE                  
40Pair 4 x ½     ORANGE GREEN                
80Pair 1 6 x ½   ORANGE ORANGE NATURL GREEN            
160Pair 4 x ½ 6   ORANGE GREEN ORANGE NATURL NATURL NATURL NATURL GREEN    
320Pair 1 5 10 ORANGE ORANGE NATURL NATURL NATURL GREEN ORANGE NATURL NATURL GREEN
  Note 1: ½ refers to sub-units of 10 Pairs.
D) Colour Code & Cable Make Up According to CW 1171, CW 1224, CW 1236
  Colour Scheme for Pairs
 
Pair No. a-wire b-wire Pair No. a-wire b-wire
1 WHITE BLUE 13 Black GREEN
2 WHITE ORANGE 14 Black BROWN
3 WHITE GREEN 15 Black GREY
4 WHITE BROWN 16 YELLOW BLUE
5 WHITE GREY 17 YELLOW ORANGE
6 Red BLUE 18 YELLOW GREEN
7 Red ORANGE 19 YELLOW BROWN
8 Red GREEN 20 YELLOW GREY
9 Red BROWN 21 VIOLET BLUE
10 Red GREY 22 VIOLET ORANGE
11 Black BLUE 23 VIOLET GREEN
12 Black ORANGE 24 VIOLET BROWN
      25 VIOLET GREY
   
  Binder Colour Identification (Double & Quadruple Units)
 
Unit Position of Sub-unit or Unit
First Second Third Fourth
Double BLUE BLUE ORANGE ORANGE
Quadruple BLUE ORANGE GREEN BROWN
   
  Binder Colour Identification (Centre & Layers)
 
Position of Units
First Intemediate Last
Red NATURAL GREEN
   
 
Cable Size Nunber&Pair Sizes of Units in Centre and successive Layers No.of Pair in Spare Pair Unit No.of Unusable
Pairs Allowed
Centre 1st Layer 2nd Layer 3rd Layer
50 1х50       0 1
100 1х25
1х100
3х(12+13)     0 1
200 1х50
4х50
6х25     4 2
300 1х50
1х100
5х50
8х25
    4 3
400 1х100 6х50     4 3
500 3х50
1х100
7х50
8х50
    4 4
600 3х50
1х100
9х50
5х100
    4 4
800 1х50
4х50
5х50
6х100
10х50   4 5
1000 4х50
3х100
8х100
7х100
    4 5
1200 3х100
4х100
9х100
8х100
    4 5
1600 1х100 5х100 10х100   4 6
2000 4х50 6х100 12х100   8 6
2400 3х100 8х100 13х100   8 7
3200 1х100 5х100 10х100 16х100 8 7
4000 3х100 7х100 12х100 18х100 8 8
4800 4х100 9х100 15х100 20х100 8 8
  Note: Alternative make-ups are shown for some sizes and as a further alternative any cable can be made-up using 25 Pair Units throughout.
   

E) Colour Code & Cable Make Up According to DIN VDE 0815 & 0816

  DIN VDE 0815 for Installation Cables
 
  1) VDE 0815 and VDE 0816 Unit Twisted
  Colour Code for the following Installation Cable Types:
  J-YY . . . Bd, J-HH . . . Bd , J-Y(St)Y . . . Bd , J-H(St)H . . . Bd and J-2Y(St)Y . . . Bd
  Star-quad bundles
  The insulating coverings of single cores of a star quad are marked with black rings.
 
  The cores of 5 star quads of a sub unit are counted according to the sequence of basic colours:
 
Quad 1: basic colour of all cores red Quad 2: basic colour of all cores green
Quad 3: basic colour of all cores grey Quad 4: basic colour of all cores yellow
Quad 5: basic colour of all cores white  
  The marker of units are identified with a red helix, the others with white or uncoloured.
  The quads of sub units are counted according to the sequence of basic colours.
  The units are counted continuously through all layers beginning in the inner layer.
   
  2) VDE 0815
  Colour Code for the following Installation Cable Types:
  J-Y(St)Y . . . Lg
  (Pairs in layers)
  2-paired installation cables are stranded to a star quad
 
circuit 1 a-core red b-core black
circuit 2 a-core white b-core yellow
  4- and multi-paired installation cables
  a-core of 1st pair in each layer is red, all other pairs are white.
  b-core blue, yellow, green, brown, black in continual repetition.
  Counting: from outside to inside.
   
  3) VDE 0815
  Colour Code for the following Installation Cable Types:
  JE-Y(St)Y . . . Bd, JE-LiYCY . . . Bd, JE-H(St) . . . and JE-HCH . . . Bd
  (Industrial Electronic Cables)
  Pair-colour-identification
  The insulating cores are identified with different basic colours which are repeated in the same sequence in each unit.
  Basic colours of pairs
 
Pair 1 2 3 4
a-core BLUE GREY GREEN WHITE
b-core Red YELLOW BROWN Black
   
  2-paired cables: the cores are stranded to a star quad:
 
circuit 1: a-core blue b-core red circuit 2: a-core grey b-core yellow
  Each unit is assigned to one group of ring. All cores in each unit are marked with coloured rings and ring-groups.
  Counting direction in all units is from inside to outside.
  Ring-colour and Ring-group
 
  Unit-identification
  Cables with more than 12 units contain coloured plastic helix in addition to ring code.
 
Unit-No Ring-
Colour
Ring-Group Colour identification tape Unit-No Ring-
Colour
Ring-Group Colour identification tape
1 PINK   11 VIOLET  
2 PINK   12 VIOLET IIII  
3 PINK   13 PINK BLUE
4 PINK IIII   14 PINK BLUE
5 ORANGE   15 PINK BLUE
6 ORANGE   16 PINK IIII BLUE
7 ORANGE   17 ORANGE Red
8 ORANGE IIII   18 ORANGE Red
9 VIOLET   19 ORANGE Red
10 VIOLET   20 ORANGE IIII Red
   
  DIN VDE 0816 for Outdoor Telephone Cables
  Colour Code for the following Outdoor Telephone Cable Types:
  A-2Y(L)2Y...Bd and A-2YF(L)2Y...Bd
  A-02Y(L)2Y...Bd, A-02YSF(L)2Y..Bd and A-02YF(L)2Y...Bd
  The insulating coverings of single conductors of a quad are to be marked with black rings:
 
  The insulating cores of five star quads of a sub-unit must have the following colours:
 
Quad No Colour of Conductor
1 2 3 4
1 Red Red Red Red
2 GREEN GREEN GREEN GREEN
3 GREY GREY GREY GREY
4 YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW YELLOW
5 WHITE WHITE WHITE WHITE
   
  The first sub- or main-unit in each layer is to be marked by an open helix of plastic tape of red (marker). All other sub- or main-units must be whipped with an
open helix of white or uncoloured plastic tape.
  The quads of a sub-unit are to be counted according to the sequence of basic colours. In cables with more than 5 star quads, the sub- and main-units must
be counted continuously beginning with maker-unit at inner layer towards outside.
 
Design of a sub-unit:  
Consist of 5 star quads = 10 pairs (DA)(DA = double core or pair)  
 
Design of a main-unit: Design of a main-unit:
Consist of 5 sub-units = 50 pairs (DA) Consist of 10 sub-units = 100 pairs(DA)
Design of a 300-pairs cable: Design of a 1500 pairs cable:
Consist of 6 main-units, each of 50 pairs (DA) Consist of 15 main-units, each of 100 pairs (DA)
F) Colour Code & Cable Make Up According to IEC 60708-1
  Colour Scheme for Pairs
 
Pair No Colour of insulation Pair No Colour of insulation
Cond.A Cond.B Cond.A Cond.B
1 WHITE BLUE 6 Red BLUE
2 WHITE ORANGE 7 Red ORANGE
3 WHITE GREEN 8 Red GREEN
4 WHITE BROWN 9 Red BROWN
5 WHITE GREY 10 Red GREY
Sub-unit of base (10pairs)
   
  Identification of basic sub-units, construction of 50 and 100 pair units, and cable cores of up to 100 pairs
 
20 pairs 30 pairs 50 pairs 70 pairs 100 pairs
  Identification of basic units and cable core constructions for cables of more than 100 pairs - Numbered units
 
150 pairs (3×50p) 200 pairs (4×50p) 300 pairs (6×50p) 400 pairs (8×50p)
500 pairs (5×100p) 600 pairs (6×100p) 800 pairs (8×100p) 900 pairs (9×100p)
1000 pairs (10×100p) 1200 pairs (12×100p) 1500 pairs (15×100p) 1800 pairs (18×100p)
2100 pairs (21×100p) 2400 pairs (24×100p) 2700 pairs (27×100p) 3000 pairs (30×100p)
 
G) Colour Code & Cable Make Up According to GR-421, ICEA S-85-625 & ICEA S-84-608
  Pair Identification Colours
  For pairs numbering 1 through 25, the pair identification colours are outlined below. In cable constructions containing more than 25 pairs, the colours are
repeated as necessary. Colour coded binders are used to identify 25 pair groups of colour coded pairs.
 
Pair Number Tip Colour Ring Colour Pair Number Tip Colour Ring Colour
1 WHITE BLUE 13 Black GREEN
2 WHITE ORANGE 14 Black BROWN
3 WHITE GREEN 15 Black GREY
4 WHITE BROWN 16 YELLOW BLUE
5 WHITE GREY 17 YELLOW ORANGE
6 Red BLUE 18 YELLOW GREEN
7 Red ORANGE 19 YELLOW BROWN
8 Red GREEN 20 YELLOW GREY
9 Red BROWN 21 VIOLET BLUE
10 Red GREY 22 VIOLET ORANGE
11 Black BLUE 23 VIOLET GREEN
12 Black ORANGE 24 VIOLET BROWN
      25 VIOLET GREY
   
  Identification of Groups of Pairs
  For cables through 600 pairs, 25 pair groups are identified by their binder colours in the same sequence as the pair identification is accomplished. Group 1
has White-Blue binders. Group 2 has White-Orange binders, etc. In this manner, each pair is uniquely identified. In cables having 25 pairs or less, binders are
normally not used. However, if specified, the binders will be Group 1, White-Blue. For cables of 100 pairs or less, the use of the White binder is optional.
 
Group
Number
Group Pair
Counts
Colour of Binders Group
Number
Group Pair
Counts
Colour of Binders
1 1-25 WHITE BLUE 13 301-325 Black GREEN
2 26-50 WHITE ORANGE 14 326-350 Black BROWN
3 51-75 WHITE GREEN 15 351-375 Black GREY
4 76-100 WHITE BROWN 16 376-400 YELLOW BLUE
5 101-125 WHITE GREY 17 401-425 YELLOW ORANGE
6 126-150 Red BLUE 18 426-450 YELLOW GREEN
7 151-175 Red ORANGE 19 451-475 YELLOW BROWN
8 176-200 Red GREEN 20 476-500 YELLOW GREY
9 201-225 Red BROWN 21 501-525 VIOLET BLUE
10 226-250 Red GREY 22 526-550 VIOLET ORANGE
11 251-275 Black BLUE 23 551-575 VIOLET GREEN
12 276-300 Black ORANGE 24 576-600 VIOLET BROWN
   
  Super-units Binder Identification Colours
  It is desirable for manufacturing purposes to combine four 25 pair groups into “super units” when cables have 900 pairs or more.
 
Pair Number Group Number Binder Colour
1-600 1-24 WHITE
601-1200 25-48 Red
1201-1800 49-72 Black
1801-2400 73-96 YELLOW
2401-3000 97-120 VIOLET
3001-3600 121-144 BLUE
3601-4200 145-168 ORANGE
   
  Standard Telephone Cable
  Various arrangements of pairs, units, groups, and super units are possible for standard non-screened telephone cables both filled and aircore.
  The following constructions illustrate the lay-ups normally provided. Cables containing 1200 pairs or more are also available with mirror image core
constructions as shown.
 
Unit Assemblies (Units or U)   Group Assemblies (Group or G)
 
12 Pairs Unit U12 13 Pairs Unit U13   25 Pairs Groups G25
  Super Units Assemblies (Super Units or SU)
 
50 Pairs SU50 75 Pairs SU75 100 Pairs SU100 6 Pairs 12 Pairs
18 Pairs 25 Pairs 37 Pairs 50 Pairs 75 Pairs
100 Pairs 150 Pairs 200 Pairs 300 Pairs 300 Pairs
 
400 Pairs 400 Pairs 600 Pairs
600 Pairs 900 Pairs 900 Pairs
1200 Pairs 1500 Pairs 1800 Pairs
2100 Pairs 2400 Pairs 2700 Pairs
3000 Pairs 3300 Pairs 3600 Pairs
  Mirror Image Core Lay-ups
  Mirror image telephone cable core constructions are available in 1200 pair or more cable designs, all of which use 100 pair super units.
 
1200 Pairs 1500 Pairs 1800 Pairs
2100 Pairs 2400 Pairs 2700 Pairs
 
3000 Pairs   3800 Pairs
 
H) Colour Code According to BT CW 110J
 
Pair No. a-wire b-wire Pair No. a-wire b-wire Pair No. a-wire b-wire
1 WHITE BLUE 35 YELLOW WHITE GREEN 69 VIOLET BROWN BLUE
2 WHITE ORANGE 36 YELLOW GREEN BROWN 70 VIOLET GREY BLUE
3 WHITE GREEN 37 YELLOW GREY GREEN 71 VIOLET WHITE ORANGE
4 WHITE BROWN 38 YELLOW WHITE BROWN 72 VIOLET ORANGE GREEN
5 WHITE GREY 39 YELLOW GREY BROWN 73 VIOLET ORANGE BROWN
6 WHITE WHITE BLUE 40 YELLOW WHITE GREY 74 VIOLET GREY ORANGE
7 WHITE ORANGE BLUE 41 Black BLUE 75 VIOLET WHITE GREEN
8 WHITE GREEN BLUE 42 Black ORANGE 76 VIOLET GREEN BROWN
9 WHITE BROWN BLUE 43 Black GREEN 77 VIOLET GREY GREEN
10 WHITE GREY BLUE 44 Black BROWN 78 VIOLET WHITE BROWN
11 WHITE WHITE ORANGE 45 Black GREY 79 VIOLET GREY BROWN
12 WHITE ORANGE GREEN 46 Black WHITE BLUE 80 VIOLET WHITE GREY
13 WHITE ORANGE BROWN 47 Black ORANGE BLUE 81 Red BLUE
14 WHITE GREY ORANGE 48 Black GREEN BLUE 82 Red ORANGE
15 WHITE WHITE GREEN 49 Black BROWN BLUE 83 Red GREEN
16 WHITE GREEN BROWN 50 Black GREY BLUE 84 Red BROWN
17 WHITE GREY GREEN 51 Black WHITE ORANGE 85 Red GREY
18 WHITE WHITE BROWN 52 Black ORANGE GREEN 86 Red WHITE BLUE
19 WHITE GREY BROWN 53 Black ORANGE BROWN 87 Red ORANGE BLUE
20 WHITE WHITE GREY 54 Black GREY ORANGE 88 Red GREEN BLUE
21 YELLOW BLUE 55 Black WHITE GREEN 89 Red BROWN BLUE
22 YELLOW ORANGE 56 Black GREEN BROWN 90 Red GREY BLUE
23 YELLOW GREEN 57 Black GREY GREEN 91 Red WHITE ORANGE
24 YELLOW BROWN 58 Black WHITE BROWN 92 Red ORANGE GREEN
25 YELLOW GREY 59 Black GREY BROWN 93 Red ORANGE BROWN
26 YELLOW WHITE BLUE 60 Black WHITE GREY 94 Red GREY ORANGE
27 YELLOW ORANGE BLUE 61 VIOLET BLUE 95 Red WHITE GREEN
28 YELLOW GREEN BLUE 62 VIOLET ORANGE 96 Red GREEN BROWN
29 YELLOW BROWN BLUE 63 VIOLET GREEN 97 Red GREY GREEN
30 YELLOW GREY BLUE 64 VIOLET BROWN 98 Red WHITE BROWN
31 YELLOW WHITE ORANGE 65 VIOLET GREY 99 Red GREY BROWN
32 YELLOW ORANGE GREEN 66 VIOLET WHITE BLUE 100 Red WHITE GREY
33 YELLOW ORANGE BROWN 67 VIOLET ORANGE BLUE 101 WH Red BLUE
34 YELLOW GREY ORANGE 68 VIOLET GREEN BLUE 102 WH Red ORANGE
 
   
 

Copyright © 1991-2012 Caledonian Cables Limited Corporation. All rights reserved.

Website:www.caledonian-cables.co.uk
E-mail: sales@caledonian-cables.co.uk