Bootlace ferrule colour codes come in three sequences: DIN 46228-4, the French sequence published against NF C 63-023, and a third sequence that UK sellers call “German” colours. The same cross-section can carry a different collar colour in each, and colours repeat inside a sequence, so the nominal mm² decides the ferrule. A black and a red 1.5 mm² ferrule can both be correct.
Reading the bootlace ferrule colour codes table
| Cross-section | DIN 46228-4 | French (NF C 63-023) | Special (“German”) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mm² | White | White | Orange |
| 0.75 mm² | Grey | Blue | White |
| 1 mm² | Red | Red | Yellow |
| 1.5 mm² | Black | Black | Red |
| 2.5 mm² | Blue | Grey | Blue |
| 4 mm² | Grey | Orange | Grey |
| 6 mm² | Yellow | Green | Black |
| 10 mm² | Red | Brown | Ivory |
| 16 mm² | Blue | Ivory or white | Green |
| 25 mm² | Yellow | Black | Brown |
| 35 mm² | Red | Red | Beige |
| 50 mm² | Blue | Blue | Olive |
French values follow the Phoenix Contact, Legrand and Schneider Electric catalogues, which agree at every size except 16 mm²: Phoenix lists ivory, the other two white. Special-sequence values come from the “special color code” column in Phoenix Contact’s ferrule guide. UK retail charts match it up to 25 mm²; the beige and olive at 35 and 50 mm² appear in Phoenix’s table only.
Find the cross-section first, then read across the row. The column you need is the one your drawing, kit or existing panel already uses, and mixing columns inside one cabinet is how wrong sizes creep in.
Colours also repeat inside a single sequence. In DIN 46228-4, grey marks 0.75 and 4 mm², red marks 1, 10 and 35 mm², and blue marks 2.5, 16 and 50 mm². The size gaps between repeats are large enough to see at the bench, which is why the scheme works in practice. A colour on its own still never names one size.
The table stops at 50 mm². DIN 46228-4 assigns no colours above that, and suppliers colour larger ferrules as they choose. For DIN barrel dimensions, use the wire ferrule size chart; for choosing the size itself, see wire ferrule sizes by mm² and AWG.
German colours are not DIN colours
The most common mix-up in bootlace ferrule colour codes is the word “German”. DIN is the German standards institute, so a kit sold in German colours sounds like a DIN kit. It follows a different sequence. Phoenix Contact prints it as a separate column next to DIN 46228-4, and the two agree at only two sizes, 2.5 mm² (blue) and 4 mm² (grey).
| Cross-section | DIN 46228-4 | “German” colours |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mm² | White | Orange |
| 1.5 mm² | Black | Red |
| 6 mm² | Yellow | Black |
The catalogues that list the sequence do not explain the nickname; it is a trade label used by UK sellers. Of all the bootlace ferrule colour codes, this pair is the easiest to confuse, and the fix is simple. A drawing that says DIN 46228-4 expects a black 1.5 mm² ferrule, and a kit labelled German colours supplies a red one. Treat “DIN” and “German” as two different instructions.
Same colour, different size
Twelve colours appear across the three bootlace ferrule colour codes. Beige and olive mark only the two largest special sizes; the other ten change meaning depending on which sequence the box follows. The reverse lookup below lists every size each of them marks between 0.5 and 50 mm².
| Collar colour | DIN 46228-4 (mm²) | French (mm²) | Special “German” (mm²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 0.5 | 0.5; 16 in Legrand and Schneider | 0.75 |
| Grey | 0.75, 4 | 2.5 | 4 |
| Red | 1, 10, 35 | 1, 35 | 1.5 |
| Black | 1.5 | 1.5, 25 | 6 |
| Blue | 2.5, 16, 50 | 0.75, 50 | 2.5 |
| Yellow | 6, 25 | – | 1 |
| Orange | – | 4 | 0.5 |
| Green | – | 6 | 16 |
| Brown | – | 10 | 25 |
| Ivory | – | 16 in Phoenix | 10 |
The pairs that cause real trouble sit on neighbouring sizes. A blue collar is 2.5 mm² under DIN and 0.75 mm² under the French sequence. A red collar is 1 mm² under DIN and French but 1.5 mm² under the special sequence, and a white one moves from 0.5 to 0.75 mm² the same way. Pick the wrong reading and a 2.5 mm² conductor meets a 0.75 mm² barrel it cannot enter; in the other direction, a thin conductor sits loose in a barrel too wide to crimp properly.
Where the French sequence comes from
NF C 63-023{target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”} is the French standard for low-voltage ferrules with an insulating collar. AFNOR lists it as current, in its February 1994 edition with an October 1994 corrigendum, covering dimensions, designation, identification, materials and tests. Phoenix Contact, Legrand and Schneider Electric all publish their French colour sequence against it.
The public summary of the standard does not reproduce the colour table, so describe it on a specification as the sequence manufacturers publish against NF C 63-023. The three catalogues agree at every other size listed here. At 16 mm², confirm whether the supplier calls the French collar ivory or white, and name the colour you need on the order.
French and DIN bootlace ferrule colour codes share five sizes: white at 0.5 mm², red at 1 mm², black at 1.5 mm², red at 35 mm² and blue at 50 mm². Everywhere else they split. The two you will meet most often in control wiring are 0.75 mm² (grey against blue) and 2.5 mm² (blue against grey), where each sequence uses the other’s colour.
Which colour code each market expects
- Germany and most of continental Europe: DIN 46228-4, which is also the usual default in international catalogues.
- France and French-specified projects: the French sequence. It is also sold in Australia.
- United Kingdom: kits in French and “German” colours sell side by side, and DIN-coloured ranges are common in panel work. Follow the drawing or the panel you are extending.
- North America: UL 486F, the ferrule listing standard, sets no colour at all. DIN-coloured ranges are common; order by mm² or AWG and confirm the colour on the quote.
Where none of these settles it, choose one of the bootlace ferrule colour codes and keep it across the whole panel and the spares stock. Termnex insulated bootlace ferrules are catalogued in DIN and French colours from 0.5 to 25 mm², with the common special-sequence colours as well; the colour available for each model is confirmed with the quotation.
How to specify ferrule colour on an order
An order line that names only a colour can be read three ways, because the bootlace ferrule colour codes overlap. Write four things instead:
- Cross-section in mm², or AWG with its mm² equivalent.
- Pin length, which depends on the terminal; see choosing the pin length.
- Colour sequence by name: DIN 46228-4, French (NF C 63-023), or special (“German”).
- Single or twin. For twin wire ferrules, give the size per conductor, such as 2 × 1.5 mm². Twin collars usually take the colour of that single-conductor size in the same sequence.
A complete line reads: Insulated single-wire ferrule, 1.5 mm², 8 mm pin, DIN 46228-4 colour (black), 1,000 pcs.
On delivery, identify stock from the pack label: mm², part number and colour sequence. Most collars carry no printed size, so keep mixed batches in labelled boxes. Loose ferrules that have lost their label are hard to size reliably, because one colour can mean three different sizes.
FAQ
Do bootlace ferrule colour codes affect the electrical connection?
The collar colour is identification only. The barrel’s cross-section and the quality of the crimp decide how the conductor is held. A correctly sized ferrule in an unexpected colour performs the same; it just makes the panel harder to check.
Is there an AWG colour code for wire ferrules?
UL 486F defines no collar colours, so start from the manufacturer’s nominal AWG to mm² pairing and the colour sequence it uses. Catalogues commonly list 14 AWG against 2.5 mm², which is blue in the DIN sequence. The pairing is a catalogue reference: the AWG to mm² converter shows that the calculated area of 14 AWG is about 2.08 mm², so read the colour from the catalogue size.
What colour is a 10 mm² bootlace ferrule?
Red under DIN 46228-4, brown under the French sequence, and ivory under the special or “German” sequence.
What colour is a 1.5 mm bootlace ferrule?
Black under both DIN 46228-4 and the French sequence, and red under the special “German” sequence.
Ordering ferrules in a named colour sequence
Send the cross-sections, pin lengths, colour sequence, single or twin, and quantities. The quotation will list the colour supplied for each size, so you can check it against the bootlace ferrule colour codes on your drawing. For mixed panel work, the DIN-coloured ferrule kits cover the common sizes in one box. If your drawing names French or special colours, say so on the enquiry and contact us with the size list.
