Standard Boat Wiring Colors
| 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 |
20 Responses to 'Standard Boat Wiring Colors'
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
[...] Marine IndustryStandard Boat Wiring Colors [...]
Boat Wiring Colors at easyacdc.com
16 May 08 at 3:56 pm
[...] Our friends at EasyAcDc.com have done a great job of putting together a comprehensive listing of marine industry boat wiring colors. [...]
Boat wiring color chart published at MarineAcDc.com
16 May 08 at 4:21 pm
[...] a ring connector can I use any free position or does it have to be on a specific stud? Also, what wire color should I use to remain with ABYC recommendations for boat [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
6 Aug 08 at 7:38 am
[...] non-existent for older ones. Your best bet is trace each individual wire. This may be easier with a boat wiring color chart like the one that we have posted on Easy [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
9 Aug 08 at 11:47 am
[...] future reference, standard boat wiring designates black as ground and dark blue as instrument/compass light positive. Some boat wiring [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
14 Aug 08 at 6:48 am
[...] will need to supply 12v power (usually purple) to your fuel gauge. This will connect to the B+ terminal on the gauge. You will also need to [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
19 Aug 08 at 7:34 am
[...] corrosive wire while paying no attention to standard boat wiring practices – like using consistent boat wire colors for specific functions. The good news is that these sort of builders are usually (thankfully) no [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
25 Aug 08 at 6:29 pm
[...] Decrease the resistance in the ground wire from the helm by replacing the old wire with a new, considerably larger wire. One great solution is to add a ground buss bar for future additions at the helm and connect it to the engine ground buss with a 4 awg black cable. [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
23 Sep 08 at 6:53 am
[...] would recommend using our list of standard boat wiring colors. This will make future troubleshooting considerably [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
1 Dec 08 at 1:31 am
[...] the boat was built using standard boat wiring colors, the input to the ignition switch should be a red/purple wire. Trace this wire back to a fuse panel [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
30 Dec 08 at 12:20 pm
[...] would connect a 16awg wire from the output side of your ignition switch to your VSR. This is usually the purple wire. I would confirm this with a meter. Install an in line fuse near the ignition switch. A 2 Amp fuse [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
1 Feb 09 at 12:53 pm
[...] outboard engine manufacturers have standardized their wire colors, so we should be able to work through [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
25 Apr 09 at 1:51 am
[...] am looking for an engine wiring list of colors for an inboard 350 on a 1972 correct [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
10 Jun 09 at 10:58 am
[...] are the standard boat wiring colors for your boat’s ignition [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
8 Aug 09 at 1:48 pm
[...] would be in the main wiring harness. If not, it would a loose wire hanging below the flywheel. The standard boat wiring color is black with a yellow [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
12 Aug 09 at 5:04 am
[...] am looking for a list of boat wiring colors used in the engine harness on the inboard 350 on a 1972 Correct [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
24 Aug 09 at 1:49 am
[...] should be the boat wiring colors that you [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
19 Sep 09 at 2:35 am
[...] wiring the boat with all the same color wire. It will be confusing for future trouble [...]
Easy Ac/Dc - Boat wiring questions, answers, comments and opinions
4 Oct 09 at 7:02 pm
[...] best bet would be to use our Standard Boat Wiring Color Chart and trace down each individual [...]
Godfrey Pontoon Boat Wiring at Easy Ac/Dc, Boat Wiring and Marine Electrical Questions, Answers, and Comments
18 Dec 09 at 3:21 am
[...] are the standard boat wiring colors for your boat’s ignition [...]
Pontoon Boat Wiring » Ignition Switch Wiring
6 May 10 at 4:12 pm