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I am going to wire up a new shop and I got about 2,000 ft of 10awg yellow stranded THHN wire from work. They were throwing it out, I didn't ask.

I know that code says I have to use minimum gauges for each circuit 15amp = 14awg min, 20amp = 12awg min, etc. So I should be able to use this wire for every circuit 30amp and below. The outlets and switches I use can handle 10awg wire.

Here's my main question. Can I use yellow everywhere? This will be in conduit, I know there are some rules. I have looked through code and not found anything specific about color in conduit. I found some places online that said you can't have anything except green, green/yellow or bare for the ground wire, but with EMT conduit, I don't need a ground wire. I could use one anyway if I want to be anal about it.

I know you can mark a white wire with black and use it as a hot, but that is when you are using romex cable, not individual wires in EMT conduit. I wonder if this is something I need to check with the inspector about to find out what he will allow. This is just a unique situation that I can't find any specific information on.

So for the neutral and hot, can I use yellow and mark the ends of the wires with black, red and white electrical tape?

Thanks for any help, just looking to save some money.

Mark Wagner
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  • I included the last duplicate as a reference for pigtailing in outlet boxes. Some devices won't accept #10 wire, and it can be challenging to make loops with stranded wire. You may want to drop down to #12 solid for device connection. – isherwood Dec 15 '23 at 19:16
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    @isherwood OP seems to have single yellow wire, not yellow cable. Quite sure OP cannot use yellow wire as neutral in(or out of) conduit, and must use white. – crip659 Dec 15 '23 at 19:21
  • Mark, let us know if those questions don't have helpful answers for your situation. Please take the [tour]. – isherwood Dec 15 '23 at 19:24
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    There's no need to mark the wire with any color tape unless you're pulling multiple circuits through a conduit and want to keep track of which is which. Simply use your yellow as the hot wire, use the EMT as the ground, then go buy yourself some white #12 (for simplicity and ease) stranded THHN for use as a neutral. You might want to get white & grey for running multiple circuits in a conduit... – FreeMan Dec 15 '23 at 19:25
  • Could he use crimp on "fork" terminations to connect to the devices? Or could he use the stranded wire in the screw tighten flat clamp connections? Or could he tin the ends and put it around the screw or into the flat clamp connections in the devices (switches and receptacles)? – Jim Stewart Dec 15 '23 at 19:31
  • What about this as a simple connection procedure for stranded wire: https://youtu.be/fiz4XGLZQhc?si=TrdrTCithNw0nY7o – Jim Stewart Dec 15 '23 at 19:49
  • @JimStewart, that looks like a clever technique, but #10 wire is so chunky I'd have concerns about it staying put under screws not designed for it. Device specs will say. – isherwood Dec 15 '23 at 20:05
  • OK, so for those mentioning the large size wire for the lower amp outlets. This is the outlet I plan to use. https://www.menards.com/main/electrical/light-switches-dimmers-outlets/electrical-outlets/legrand-reg-pass-seymour-20-amp-tamper-resistant-back-wire-duplex-outlet-10-pack/tr5362lacp6/p-1444451263227-c-9526.htm?exp=false I hate using the wrap around the screw option. I work in the production world and we use terminal blocks in all of our electrical cabinets and this outlet uses that same type of connection, very secure and no bending around a screw. – Mark Wagner Dec 15 '23 at 20:41
  • Now when I look at that outlet description I see in the photos it shows max of 12awg, but in the description it says #10 to #14. I'll have to dig deeper on that. – Mark Wagner Dec 15 '23 at 20:46
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    So, rather than trying to do the job for free with all yellow, do the job for half-off only needing to buy white/gray. Box fill might be an issue using 10AWG everywhere, though. The 240V-only circuits for free, and no need to tape them other than grouping/disambiguation where conduits are shared. Yellow is a valid hot color as is. – Ecnerwal Dec 16 '23 at 17:28

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