British Standard cable colours

British Standard cable colours

Click here for cables sorted by system

Cables sorted by circuit

Circuit Alt Body Trace System Function
1 Brown Power Main battery power
2 Brown Blue Power Control box power to ignition and lighting switches
Compression ignition aid or main battery power to
3 Brown Red Power
double pole ignition switch
4 Brown Purple Power Alternator regulator power
5 Brown Green Power Alternator/dynamo field connection to control box
6 Brown Lt Green spare
7 Brown White Instruments Ammeter to control box/main alternator terminal
8 Brown Yellow Power Alternator to warning light
9 Brown Black Power Alternator battery sensing lead
10 Brown Pink spare
11 Brown Slate Power Starter relay to starter solenoid
12 Brown Orange Fuel Fuel/diesel shutoff
13 Blue Lamps-head Head lamp switch to dip switch
14 Blue Brown Lamps-head Head lamp relay to head lamp fuse
15 Blue Red Lamps-head Dip switch to dipped head lamp fuse
16 Blue Purple spare
17 Blue Green spare
Head lamp wiper motor to head lamp wash pump
18 Blue Lt Green Wipers
motor
19 a Blue White Lamps-head Dip switch to main beam fuse
19 b Blue White Lamps-head Head lamp flasher to main beam fuse
19 c Blue White Warnings Dip switch main beam warning light
19 d Blue White Lamps-driving Long range driving lamp switch to dip switch
20 Blue Yellow Lamps-driving Long range driving lamp switch to lamp
21 Blue Black Lamps-head Fuse to RH main head lamp

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British Standard cable colours

22 Blue Pink Lamps-head Fuse to LH main head lamp

Fuse to LH main beam or inboard head lamps if
23 Blue Slate Lamps-head
independently fused
24 Blue Orange Lamps-head Fuse to RH dip head lamp
25 Red Wipers Power from sidelights switch
26 Red Brown Lamps-fog Switch to rear fog lamps
27 Red Blue Lamps-fog Power to front fog lamp switch
Map, engine bay, glove box or boot lights if
28 Red Purple Accessories
switched by sidelights
29 Red Green Lamps-side Lamp failure unit to RH side and rear lamps
30 Red Lt Green spare
31 a Red White Lamps-side Fuse to RH side and rear lamps
Fuse to instrument light dimmer, or light or map
31 b Red White Instruments
light
31 c Red White Instruments Fuse to instrument light switch
31 d Red White Instruments Fuse to fibre optics lamp
32 Red Yellow Lamps-fog Switch to front fog lamps
Fuse to LH side and rear lamps and number plate
33 Red Black Lamps-side
lamps
34 Red Pink Lamps Fuse to lighting relay
35 Red Slate Lamps-side Lamp failure unit to LH side and rear lamps
36 Red Orange Lamps-fog Fuse to rear fog lamps
Accessories connected to battery, not via ignition
37 Purple Accessories
switch
38 Purple Brown Horn Horn relay
39 Purple Blue Accessories Heated rear light relay or switch and warning light
Map, engine bay, glove box or boot lights if
40 Purple Red Accessories
directly powered
41 Purple Green Lamps-hazard Hazard flasher
42 Purple Lt Green Accessories Demister relay
43 a Purple White Accessories Interior lights
43 b Purple White Lamps-side Door safety lights to switch
44 Purple Yellow Horn Horn to relay

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British Standard cable colours

45 Purple Black Horn Horn relay to switch

46 Purple Pink Accessories Heated rear light to switch or relay
47 Purple Slate Accessories Aerial motor to "up" switch
48 Purple Orange Accessories Aerial motor to "down" switch
49 Green Accessories Accessories connected via ignition switch
50 Green Brown Lamps-reverse Reversing lamp to switch
51 Green Blue Instruments Water temperature sender to gauge
52 Green Red Lamps-direction LH indicators to switch
53 a Green Purple Lamps-stop Stop lamps to switch
53 b Green Purple Warnings Lamp failure unit to switch
54 a Green Lt Green Lamps-hazard Hazard flasher to warning light
54 b Green Lt Green Lamps-stop Stop lamps to lamp failure unit
55 Green White Lamps-direction RH indicators to switch
56 Green Yellow Accessories Switch to heater motor ("slow" on 3-speed)
Fuel gauge or voltage stabiliser to tank units or
57 Green Black Instruments
changeover switch
58 Green Pink Lamps-direction Fuse to flasher unit
59 a Green Slate Accessories Switch to heater motor ("fast" on 3-speed)
59 b Green Slate Warnings Coolant level to warning light
60 Green Orange Warnings Fuel level to warning light
61 Lt Green Instruments Voltage stabiliser to instruments
62 Lt Green Brown Lamps-direction Switch to flasher unit
63 a Lt Green Blue Warnings Flasher unit to LH warning light
63 b Lt Green Blue Instruments Sensor to coolant level control unit
63 c Lt Green Blue Instruments Test switch to coolant level control unit
64 a Lt Green Red Instruments Fuel tank switch to RH tank unit
64 b Lt Green Red Accessories Entry/exit door closed switch to door actuator
65 Lt Green Purple Warnings Flasher unit to warning light
66 a Lt Green Green Accessories Start inhibit relay to change speed switch
66 b Lt Green Green Accessories Switch to heater motor ("medium" on 3-speed)
67 Lt Green White Warnings Sensor to low air pressure buzzer and warning light
68 a Lt Green Yellow Warnings Flasher unit to RH warning light

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British Standard cable colours

68 b Lt Green Yellow Warnings Switch to differential lock warning light

69 Lt Green Black Accessories Switch to screen washer motor - front
70 Lt Green Pink Lamps-hazard Hazard flasher to switch
71 a Lt Green Slate Instruments Fuel tank switch to LH tank unit
71 b Lt Green Slate Accessories Entry/exit door open switch to door actuator
72 a Lt Green Orange Accessories Switch to screen washer motor - rear
72 b Lt Green Orange Accessories Switch to cab lock-down warning light
73 White Ignition Ignition switch or starter solenoid to ballast resistor
74 a White Brown Warnings Oil pressure switch to warning light or gauge
74 b White Brown Engine Oil pressure switch to starter relay
Choke switch to choke solenoid and/or warning
75 a White Blue Warnings
light
75 b White Blue Ignition Electronic distributor to drive resistor
76 a White Red Engine Starter switch to solenoid or inhibitor or relay
76 b White Red Instruments Ignition to lamp failure unit
77 White Purple Fuel RH fuel pump to changeover switch
78 White Green Fuel LH fuel pump to changeover switch
79 a White Lt Green Engine Starter switch to interlock
79 b White Lt Green Engine Oil pressure switch to fuel pump
79 c White Lt Green Engine Inhibitor to starter relay or solenoid
80 White Yellow Ignition Ballast resistor or starter to coil
81 a White Black Ignition Coil to contact breaker
81 b White Black Instruments Coil to voltage impulse tachometer
82 White Pink Accessories Ignition switch to radio
83 White Slate Instruments Coil to current operated tachometer
84 White Orange Warnings Switch to hazard light warning lamp
85 a Yellow Engine Overdrive
85 a Yellow Fuel Fuel injector #1
85 a Yellow Engine Gear selector switch to starter switch
85 b Yellow Accessories Door locks
86 a Yellow Brown Fuel Fuel injector #2
86 b Yellow Brown Accessories Door locks

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British Standard cable colours

87 a Yellow Blue Fuel Fuel injector #3

87 b Yellow Blue Accessories Door locks
87 c Yellow Blue Engine Overdrive
88 a Yellow Red Fuel Fuel injector #4
88 b Yellow Red Accessories Door locks
89 a Yellow Purple Fuel Fuel injector #5
89 b Yellow Purple Accessories Door locks
89 c Yellow Purple Engine Overdrive
90 a Yellow Green Fuel Fuel injector #6
90 b Yellow Green Accessories Door locks
90 c Yellow Green Engine Overdrive
91 a Yellow Lt Green Fuel Fuel injector #7
91 b Yellow Lt Green Accessories Door locks
92 a Yellow White Fuel Fuel injector #8
92 b Yellow White Accessories Door locks
93 Yellow Black Accessories Door locks
94 Yellow Pink Accessories Door locks
95 Yellow Slate Accessories Door locks
96 Yellow Orange Accessories Door locks
97 Black All earth connections
98 Black Brown Instruments Tachometer generator to tachometer
99 Black Blue Instruments Tachometer generator to tachometer
100 Black Red Instruments Electronic speedometer to sensor
101 Black Purple Warnings Temperature switch to warning light
102 Black Green Cooling Radiator fan motor from relay
Brake vacuum or differential switch to warning
103 Black Lt Green Warnings
light
Brake fluid level & hand brake switch to warning
104 Black White Warnings
lamp; or radio to speakers
105 Black Yellow Instruments Electric speedometer
106 Black Pink spare
107 Black Slate spare

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 British Standard cable colours

108 Black Orange Cooling Radiator fan motor to thermal switch

109 Slate Accessories Electric windows power
110 Slate Brown Accessories Electric windows power
111 Slate Blue Accessories Electric windows power
112 Slate Red Accessories Electric windows power
113 Slate Purple Accessories Electric windows power
114 Slate Green Accessories Electric windows power
115 Slate Lt Green Accessories Electric windows power
116 Slate White Accessories Electric windows power
117 Slate Yellow Accessories Electric windows power
118 Slate Black Accessories Electric windows power
119 Slate Pink Accessories Electric windows power
120 Slate Orange Accessories Electric windows power
121 Orange Wipers Wiper circuits from ignition switch
Switch to front motor slow or timer or intermittent
122 Orange Blue Wipers
unit
123 Orange Green Wipers Switch to front motor fast
Switch to front motor parking circuit or timer or
124 Orange Black Wipers
intermittent unit
125 Orange Purple Wipers Intermittent unit to motor parking circuit
126 Orange White Wipers Intermittent unit to motor parking circuit
Switch to head lamp wiper or rear motor, timer or
127 Orange Yellow Wipers
relay
Switch to head lamp wiper or rear motor parking
128 Orange Lt Green Wipers
circuit, timer or relay
129 Orange Pink Wipers Timer or relay to head lamp or rear motor
Timer or relay to head lamp or rear motor parking
130 Orange Slate Wipers
circuit
131 Orange Brown spare
132 Orange Red spare
133 Pink White Ignition Ballast resistor to distributor

Based on BS-AU7a 1983. The "Alt" column disguishes different uses for the same colour code, and the
"System" column is my own addition.

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 British Standard cable colours

This page was created by Paul Gover on Tuesday, October 12, 1999.

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