Color Codes

[gafftapegreenia]

Is there a standard color code for cable lengths? I've seen several theatre's put colored electrical tape on their cable ends to signify length, and I'd like to do this but don't know if there is a standard system I should follow.

On the same token, is there any color code for Source 4 lens barrels. I've seen a few theatres paint the frame channels to color code by degree. Is there any set color code for lens barrels or do theatres make their own?

[len]

I work for a number of different shops, and none of them have the same labeling standard. IMO, if you work with multiple vendors it's better NOT to have the same labeling. That way, if there's a dispute about a cable, the color and the length are another identifier. So my yellow is going to be 15' and your yellow is going to be 100'. Harder to mix them up.

[Van]

I don't know if USITT < blech> has established a standard for those color codes or not. Most places I've ever been have had their own system.

1' = green
3' = brown
5' = orange
10' = red
25' = yellow
100' = blue

was a standard we used at one rental house.

[Footer]

10' red is pretty standard, after that, its really up to you. There are a few threads on this that a lot of people have posted on

[icewolf08]

As mentioned previously, I think everyone does it their own way. We have our cable labeled as such:

Red = 5'
Yellow = 10'
Blue = 15'
Green = 25'
Orange = 50'
White = 100'

Now if I had the time I would label my data cable too... Summer project...

As for lens tubes for ERS units, we try to have the same standard for different unit types. Since a 26˚ units is the equivalent of a 6x12 we use the same color coding, as follows:

50˚ or 4.5x6 = White
36˚ or 6x9 = Black
26˚ or 6x12 = Red
19˚ or 6x16 = Blue
14˚ or 10x22 (we don't use the 10x units anymore) = Green
10˚ = it looks so different we don't bother
Zooms = Same as 14˚

We just paint the color frame holder of the lens, it is fairly unobtrusive, and a lot easier to spot than the little sticker ETC puts on a lens.

[gafftaper]

I've seen several people who don't use color codes but instead it's the number of strips of tape: one strip for 10', 2 strips for 20', 3 strips for 30'. This is really easy for newbies to memorize but it get's a little convoluted with what you do for short cables and long cables... do you really want 5 strips of tape on there?

[fosstech]

Here's what we have as a universal standard for every type of cable we own, whether it be electrics or sound:

5' = Red
10' = Green
15' = Blue
25' = Purple
50' = Orange
75' = White
100' = Yellow

208V ML cables are identified by purple tape on the plug. The tape color on the cable determines length. Same deal with the electrics XLR cables, the number of pins determines the tape color on the plug.

Some of our S4 tubes have their color frame holders painted. I think only the 50 degree units are painted, as they're a non-standard beam angle in the cage. The 10 degree tubes don't need to be identified for obvious reasons. The 19, 26, and 36 units have their own shelves in the cage. As do the 6x9's, 6x12's, and 6x16's, PAR64's, S4 Pars, 8" Fresnels, and 6" Fresnels. The 6x22's usually stay on FOH8, because they're never used anywhere else. The 6x units don't get color coded because it's easy enough to figure out what they are just by looking at length.

[gogotoovee]

I find it works best with three colors. Expample: red=5', white=10', blue=25'. Then you just add them together to get different lengths.

[tss_rocks]

My work (rental shop) uses the following:

5' Green
10' Red
20' White
25' Yellow
50' Grey
100' Blue

XLR3 Connectors marked with Yellow
XLR4 Connectors marked with Green
XLR5 Connectors marked with White

[Chris15]

We prefer not to use a colour code at work. it is as simple to actually heatshrink a label with the actual number on. That way, there are no problems with different standards etc. 5 pin leads get yellow boots on the Neutrik on the male end. They are also in grey cable. Otherwise, Yellow cable for patching, 25m and 100m. Black for everything else. The handful of headset extensions (4pin) are wired with purple cable.

On the other hand, the place across the street uses resistor colour code for length (in metres). Hence they are the only people in the world with purple electrical tape.