White is most commonly used, but gray wires serve the same function. The purpose of a neutral wire is to connect to the neutral bus bar, a conductive piece of metal within an electrical panel that attracts the electric current for distribution throughout the house. The standard electrical wire color code mandated by the National Electrical Code (NEC) is a critical safety system for licensed electricians. For typical building AC circuits (commonly up to 600 volts nominal), the NEC specifies identification rules for grounded conductors (neutral), requirements. Electrical wire colors are used to signal what job a wire is intended to perform in a circuit. It is important to remember that wire color indicates intent, not a. Industrial electrician in an orange hard hat servicing an electrical control panel with exposed wiring for workplace electrical safety compliance. Getting this language right is the difference between a light that works and a dangerous situation involving short circuits, electrical shocks, or even fires. Organization: A neat space means no guessing at what each wire does.