Mains direction

• Mains electricity in the UK

  Alternating current (AC) with a frequency of 50 Hertz and a potential difference of around 230 volts
• Electrical appliances in the UK

  • Connected to the main supply using three core cables
• Live wire

  Brown wire, carries a potential difference of around 230 volts, connected to a fuse in the plug
• Neutral wire

  Blue wire, completes the circuit with the live wire, potential difference around 0 volts compared to live wire
• Earth wire

  Green and yellow striped wire, a safety wire
• Appliance connected to mains electricity

  1. Live wire carries electricity with 230V potential difference

  2. Live wire connected to fuse

  3. Neutral wire completes the circuit
• Live wire touched


  Can be fatal
• Metal case of appliance becomes live

  Earth wire provides a path to the ground, causing a large current to flow and the fuse to melt, preventing electric shock