http://www.iaei.org/web/Online/Regulations/regulations.aspx#Mexico
Mexico
In November 2012, Mexico adopted the NEC 2011. It will be active as of May 30, 2013. The new regulation for electrical regulations is a Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-001-SEDE-2012 Instalaciones Eléctricas, Utilización.
Ministry of the Economy
Av. Tecnológico No. 106 Ex-Hda. Ojo Caliente Col. 4° Centenario
Zip Code 20190
Area Code: (01) (449)
Telephone(s): 9702501, 9702503, 9702504, 9703315 Fax: 9702502
Adopted Code. 2011 National Electrical Code, effective May 30, 2013
https://www.nema.org/news/Pages/Proposed-Mexico-Electrical-Code-Published-in-the-Official-Journal.aspx
Proposed Mexico Electrical Code Published in the Official Journal
NEMA > News
07/27/2012
It’s official! Publication of the draft Mexico Electrical Installation Code NOM-001-SEDE 2012 by the Secretary of Energy on 27 July 2012 in the Official Journal of the Federation (equivalent to the US Federal Register) moves Mexico one huge step closer to adopting a revised electrical code based on the 2011 NEC®. This is a big deal because it officially establishes the base for the new revision and only permits small changes from this point forward. Equally significant is the fact that a formal timeline has now been established. Beginning with the publication there is now a 60 day public comment period, which will be followed by a review of the comments and final publication. NEMA’s Mexico staff, who has been collaborating with numerous organizations in Mexico to get this specific draft version to this point, is on the committee slated to review the public comments.
I found a thread about code in Mexico but it is old and the links do not seem to work to find more info.
http://control.com/thread/945975891
The CFE website where searching can turn up more about codes.
http://www.cfe.gob.mx/paginas/Home.aspx
Here’s another thread that talks about code in Mexico
https://www.nachi.org/forum/f19/electrical-systems-mexico-central-america-5781/
http://www.testandmeasurementtips.com/basics-of-the-national-electrical-code-and-the-locations-it-covers/
Basics of the National Electrical Code
and the Locations it Covers
AUGUST 10, 2015
A revised edition of the NEC is published every three years, with many changes. Outside the U.S., several countries including Mexico and Venezuela have incorporated the NEC into their laws.
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/reference/chpt-2/wiring-color-codes/
The US National Electrical Code only mandates white (or grey) for the neutral power conductor and bare copper, green, or green with yellow stripe for the protective ground. In principle any other colors except these may be used for the power conductors. The colors adopted as local practice are shown in Table below. Black, red, and blue are used for 208 VAC three-phase; brown, orange and yellow are used for 480 VAC. Conductors larger than #6 AWG are only available in black and are color taped at the ends.
Wire color code tables
https://www.labelidsystems.com/blog/2016/06/01/international-wiring-color-codes-for-ac-power-circuits/
![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/4UdbNpF.jpg )
http://www.electronicshub.org/electrical-wiring-color-codes/
![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/rMuR606.jpg )
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_wiring
United States
The United States National Electrical Code requires a green or green/yellow protective conductor (ground), a white or grey neutral, and a black single phase.
![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/aKsfyeo.jpg )
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_(electricity)
Ground (electricity)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_and_neutral
Ground and neutral
As the neutral point of an electrical supply system is often connected to earth ground, ground and neutral are closely related. Under certain conditions, a conductor used to connect to a system neutral is also used for grounding (earthing) of equipment and structures. Current carried on a grounding conductor can result in objectionable or dangerous voltages appearing on equipment enclosures, so the installation of grounding conductors and neutral conductors is carefully defined in electrical regulations. Where a neutral conductor is used also to connect equipment enclosures to earth, care must be taken that the neutral conductor never rises to a high voltage with respect to local ground.
https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/227060/us-wire-color-coding-clarification
In the USA, the National Electrical Code says:
Ground must be green, bare or green/yellow (that last a concession to EU harmonization.)
Gray or white are neutral.
Hot wires can be any other color, including blue.
http://www.briansue2.blogspot.com
2005 Dodge Durango Hemi
2008 Funfinder 230DS
Living and Boondocking Mexico Blog
Just is not inspected. Ever. The only code enforcer of is Petroleos Mexicanos with their 1366 pages of stiffly inspected and regularly reviewed regulations for new construction gasolineras newer than 2002. This is a 100% paint by the numbers qualification - stiffer than any USA building code inspection I have even seen in the USA (excepting hospitals).
80% of the homes down here have twin black, or red and black wires leading from the mufa. White? Sometimes but a bad percentage have L1 and L0 reversed.
CFE makes sure a black and a galvanized wire extends to the mufa. They are strict about mufa to meter wire gauge and color code, but from there anything goes. I just left a house that had 12 gauge TWIN BLACK wires feeding the entire house. And a 30-amp TWIN breaker inside the house. The 12-gauge wires were run in black tubing buried in 2" of dirt and gravel.
Only gringo built homes I mean SUPERVISED BUILT, have any semblance of code. When I designed and built a 40 Kw tres hilo (three phase) system for Duran Trucking in Tecate 17-years ago I had a dragged out fight with Fernando, to code four conductors and green ground all receptacles.
Suggestion: Remove nose from book. Move to reality of what the eyeballs verify.
Mexico is THE LAND of rules and regulations. 99% of which are utilized to find infracciones for multas, fines. But electrical codes are like unicorns, sasquatch and a USA balanced budget. Utter pipe dreams.
Know Before You Go, is useful for RV connections. If a person knows in advance what to expect they can deal with it in a rational planned manner. Bringing a box of specification grade receptacles will minimize plug fires. Getting a Y shaped piece of rebar made-up will support hookup cables.
Wanna blow the mind of an RV park owner? Bring boxes of Ideal wire nuts. Two sizes. Red and Blue. He won't have a clue - show him how they work. Bigger parks can use medium size KEARNEY NUTS - copper clamps for major neutral and line ties.
What's supposed to be, is always trumped by WHAT IS
And Mexico is the land of WHAT IS.
In Mexico if you have electricity, what else do you want?
I have been at some so called RV parks that are nothing more than an empty lot with an enclosed toilet in one corner, a water spigot and a metal conduit with household boxes spaced about 8 feet with regular 2 prong outlets running along the back wall, do you think that they followed the color and wire gage code, NO they did it as cheap as possible, chances are that if you show the guy that did the installation the first schematic on this blog he will not know what it is or understand it.
When travelling to Mexico make sure that you have a good line conditioner for voltage spikes and that your electronics are protected, next time you are here count how many RV parks actually have pedestals as in the states with a meter, on off switches and brakers, all of those fancy schematics and color code wires are useless in Mexico you need to accept the fact that as long as you have current for the light bulb and the TV you are good, chill out and have a cerveza, they are not going to change.
You have to live "la vida loca"
navegator
Quote:
Color code determines gauge?
Color code determines gauge?
No. Color tells you what each wire is supposed to do. In a very general and basic wiring system you would have either black or red as your hot lead – meaning the wire that carries the actual voltage from the source. The white or neutral wire is a return path to create a full circuit for the current to travel. The bare copper or green wire would be the ground which is basically for safety. To be clear – this is the most basic explanation – it gets much more complicated.
Gauge is the size of the wire. The larger the wire the more current it can carry. Current is basically what we mean when we talk about amps. If you plug into a basic 15 amp household outlet it should be serviced by 14 gauge wire. A 20 amp circuit would need 12 gauge wire. A 30 amp circuit would need 10 gauge wire. A 50 amp circuit needs 8 gauge wire. Again – this is the most basic of terms. Whatever the gauge of the wire they should still use the same color coding to show which wire is there for what purpose.
Basic Wire Gauge and Amp Rating
![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/hkv3uNH.jpg )
Comparison of Wire Gauge Size
![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/CI9qpmC.jpg )
As the distance from the source increases there is a loss of power. What this means is as you increase distance you must increase the size of the wire for it to be capable of carrying the necessary current. Again – very basic.
Wire Gauge Size Distance Amps
![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/UrCkyiN.jpg )
So the problems that can be encountered can be many. Using the incorrect color wire could mean what is called reverse polarity – in other words you have the hot wire from the source connected to the neutral leg of the outlet – putting power where there should not be any power. This can result in power being found not only on the neutral wire but on the ground wire (if they bothered to include ground). Using the incorrect gauge can mean the wire is not large enough to carry the required power – the wire not only might heat up to the point of melting – but it will not supply your appliances with enough power for them to operate properly. If you must run long distances with your wire – as we often see in RV parks – the size of the wire must be increased as distance increases or power will be lost.
Most of the wire used today – generally – is copper. Copper is expensive. Wire is expensive. Some people do not know or do not care so they may not use the proper wire for a given situation. Improper wiring can and will cause problems. Some of these problems can result in burning up your valuable equipment – or possibly your RV – and could also result in serious injury or death.
I am trying to provide useful information to those who may actually be interested. I am sorry some people find it necessary to criticize. Perhaps offering more useful information would be have a more positive result. My very first post in this thread indicated there can be problems with electrical circuits no matter where you go. This is about Mexico but not JUST about Mexico.
Quote:
Remove nose from book. Move to reality of what the eyeballs verify.
Remove nose from book. Move to reality of what the eyeballs verify.
One's nose must read the book before one's eyeballs know what to look for. I am a hands on verifier. I use my test equipment to check. Then I can determine whether something is right or wrong. In some cases I can correct the problems. I do realize not everyone can do this. So knowing code and colors etc. probably won't help them. But if they know there can be problems and they have the very simple basic tool they need to check for problems it could save them burning up that microwave control board previously mentioned - or their computer - or their TV - or their entire RV. I am trying to find a way to help people here. How about if some of you other informed people try to provide something useful for a change?
Electrical Wire For Beginners
TFFN / THHN / THWN / THWN-2
THHN Electrical Wire
T - Thermoplastic insulation
F - Flexible
F - Fixture
N - Nylon coating
T - Thermoplastic insulation
H - Heat resistant (up to 75°C)
H - High Heat resistant (up to 90°C)
W - Water, gas and oil resistant
N - Nylon coating
THW-2 Thermoplastic Insulation (usually PVC), Heat Resistant (90°C rating), suitable for Wet locations.
THWN-2 Same as THW except Nylon jacket over reduced insulation thickness. Also rated THHN.
THHN Thermoplastic Insulation (usually PVC), High Heat Resistant (90°C rating), dry locations only, Nylon jacket. Also rated THWN.
TFFN Thermoplastic Insulation (usually PVC), Fixture wire, Nylon jacket. Also rated MTW and AWM.
TFN Thermoplastic Insulation (usually PVC), Fixture wire, Nylon jacket. Also rated AWM.
XHHW-2 Cross-linked Polyethylene Insulation (X) High Heat Resistant (90°C rating) for Wet and dry locations.
RHH Rubber Insulation (we actually use cross-linked polyethylene because it qualifies for rubber), High Heat Resistant (90°C rating) for dry locations only.
RHW-2 Rubber Insulation (again, cross-linked polyethylene is used by most manufacturers), Heat Resistant (90°C), Suitable for Wet locations.
USE-2 Underground Service Entrance. Most utilize cross-linked polyethylene insulation rated for 90°C in direct burial applications. Product is usually triple rated RHH—RHW—2-USE-2.
MTW Machine Tool Wire. Usually thermoplastic insulation (PVC) or thermoplastic insulation with nylon jacket. Most MTW is rated 60°C. Southwire's copper type THHN is also rated MTW.
AWM Appliance Wiring Material. Usually thermoplastic insulation (PVC) or thermoplastic insulation with nylon jacket. Southwire's stranded copper type THHN in AWG sizes 14 through 6 is also rated AWM. As AWM, the product carries a 105°C rating.
NM-B Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable. The "B" denotes that individual conductor insulation is rated 90°C; however, ampacity is limited to that for a 60°C conductor (see NEC Section 336-26, 1999 edition). Thermoplastic (PVC) conductor insulation-nylon jacketed, with overall PVC cable jacket.
UF-B Undergound Feeder. The "B" denotes that individual conductor insulation is rated 90°C; however, ampacity is limited to that for a 60°C conductor (see NEC Section 339-3(a)(4), 1999 edition.) Thermoplastic (PVC) conductor insulation-nylon jacketed, with overall PVC cable jacket.
SEU Service Entrance Cable, Unarmored. Usually type XHHW insulated conductors with overall PVC jacket. As such, the cable is rated for 90°C dry, 75°C wet locations. Another school of thought is the "U" in the designation denotes the shape of the cable (if you look at the end, it resembles a closed "U" shape).
SER Service Entrance Cable, Round. Same construction material-wise as SEU, but round construction affords use of more than 3 conductors to which SEU is limited
Moisheh
And...?
Do you know where I found it...?
Where...?
![[image]](http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/mexican-public-bathroom-picture-id470620940)
The first 35 pages had been ripped out
Double conversion is a great (and inexpensive) way to protect an RV. I used to do it a lot before I had the new hybrid inverter/charger. Now that I do, the inrush current is so high on the Magnum that the reverse polarity fuses fall on their swords.
I have a long run to the shore power today and a weak 15 amp circuit so I'm using a combination of the Sola Basic, and limiting the draw to 11 amps while using load support for the roof air. So far, so good!
moisheh wrote:
John and Angela had the best idea. They had a battery charger and when in doubt would not plug the RV into power. Just the battery charger. Along with their solar power all was good. Older RV's are the answer for Mexico.
Moisheh
John and Angela had the best idea. They had a battery charger and when in doubt would not plug the RV into power. Just the battery charger. Along with their solar power all was good. Older RV's are the answer for Mexico.
Moisheh
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.