Anyone remember Green Romex?

[GroundedGuru]

Hey everyone! So, I'm kind of curious… does anyone here remember working with that green Romex? I stumbled upon a mention of it the other day, and it hit me — I've actually never had the chance to use it myself. Does anyone know when it was popular or how widespread it was back in the day? I'd love to hear any stories or details you've got about it!

 

[ShockSurge]

The green Romex you mentioned was a staple in homes from the 1960s to the early 1980s. It's a type of non-metallic (NM) cable that's a bit dated, often featuring a green sheath for grounding purposes. If you come across it, it's smart to get an electrician to check if it's up to current safety standards

 

[PGB1]

In the 1970's and early 1980's available were blue, black, purple, red & green NM cable. Maybe more! Even we had orange available in various AWG sizes and numbers of conductors. The colors had no meaning of AWG or anything important, other than Grey which was UF as far as i can remember.

The colors were a convenience feature. (Convenient for the electrician, not for the inspector as colors are today.)
Now, of course, color means something.

In Case It Is Helpful To Someone-
Unless things have changed recently, currently, the colors for NM B are below. (Note that I don't work with NM cable except side jobs for family, so my information might not be 100% current as of June 2025)
14/2 White
14/3. Blue
12/2 Yellow
12/3 Purple
10/2 Orange
10/3 Pink

 

[CircuitRick]

Hey everyone! So, I'm kind of curious… does anyone here remember working with that green Romex? I stumbled upon a mention of it the other day, and it hit me — I've actually never had the chance to use it myself. Does anyone know when it was popular or how widespread it was back in the day? I'd love to hear any stories or details you've got about it!

I remember seeing the green Romex at my grandparents' house. My grandpa was an electrician and he had run a dedicated circuit with green Romex to his meticulously organized workshop in the basement! He always said it was for his sensitive power tools to keep them running smoothly, free from any electrical interference. I think it was used more in commercial and industrial settings, and was most popular from the late 70s through the 90s. It wasn't nearly as widespread as the standard white or yellow Romex because its use was so specialized. It's pretty rare to see new installations with it now since other grounding methods have become more common, but it definitely served a niche purpose back then.