{"id":14994,"date":"2025-05-16T15:27:04","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T07:27:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/?p=14994"},"modified":"2026-01-14T08:42:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T00:42:03","slug":"tungsten-electrode-color-code-and-chart-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/tungsten-electrode-color-code-and-chart-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Tungsten Electrode Color Code and Chart Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"14994\" class=\"elementor elementor-14994\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-137c1cc e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"137c1cc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;container_type&quot;:&quot;flex&quot;,&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-88d59b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"88d59b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.19.0 - 28-02-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>In TIG welding, the tungsten electrode acts as a non-consumable conductor and energy transfer point. It bridges the power source and the weld pool, delivering heat through a stable arc without melting itself. This allows for precise control and clean, high-quality welds.<\/p><p>Tungsten electrodes come in different compositions, much like filler wires vary by material. To help welders quickly identify and select the right one, each type is color-coded. But how many types exist, and what do those colors actually mean? Let\u2019s find out.<\/p><figure id=\"attachment_14999\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14999\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14999 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Tungsten-electrode-color-code-1024x609.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"609\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Tungsten-electrode-color-code-1024x609.png 1024w, https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Tungsten-electrode-color-code-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Tungsten-electrode-color-code-768x457.png 768w, https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Tungsten-electrode-color-code-18x12.png 18w, https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Tungsten-electrode-color-code.png 1164w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14999\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tungsten electrode color code chart<\/figcaption><\/figure><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_62 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" >\u0421\u043e\u0434\u0435\u0440\u0436\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"\u041f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043a\u043b\u044e\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c \u043e\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0432\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">\u041f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043a\u043b\u044e\u0447\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/tungsten-electrode-color-code-and-chart-explained\/#understanding-tungsten-electrode-color-codes\" title=\"Understanding Tungsten Electrode Color Codes\">Understanding Tungsten Electrode Color Codes<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/tungsten-electrode-color-code-and-chart-explained\/#pure-tungsten-color-code-green\" title=\"Pure Tungsten Color Code: Green\">Pure Tungsten Color Code: Green<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/tungsten-electrode-color-code-and-chart-explained\/#thoriated-tungsten-electrodes-red-yellow\" title=\"Thoriated Tungsten Electrodes: Red &amp; Yellow\">Thoriated Tungsten Electrodes: Red &amp; Yellow<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/tungsten-electrode-color-code-and-chart-explained\/#ceriated-tungsten-electrodes-grey-orange\" title=\"Ceriated Tungsten Electrodes: Grey &amp; Orange\">Ceriated Tungsten Electrodes: Grey &amp; Orange<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/tungsten-electrode-color-code-and-chart-explained\/#lanthanated-tungsten-electrodes-blue-gold-black\" title=\"Lanthanated Tungsten Electrodes: Blue, Gold &amp; Black\">Lanthanated Tungsten Electrodes: Blue, Gold &amp; Black<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/tungsten-electrode-color-code-and-chart-explained\/#zirconiated-tungsten-electrodes-white-brown\" title=\"Zirconiated Tungsten Electrodes: White &amp; Brown\">Zirconiated Tungsten Electrodes: White &amp; Brown<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/tungsten-electrode-color-code-and-chart-explained\/#rare-earth-tungsten-electrodes-various-colors\" title=\"Rare Earth Tungsten Electrodes: Various Colors\">Rare Earth Tungsten Electrodes: Various Colors<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/tungsten-electrode-color-code-and-chart-explained\/#faqs\" title=\"FAQs\">FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"understanding-tungsten-electrode-color-codes\"><\/span>Understanding Tungsten Electrode Color Codes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"pure-tungsten-color-code-green\"><\/span>Pure Tungsten Color Code: Green<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4><p>Contains 99.5% pure tungsten. Offers excellent arc stability on AC. Ideal for welding aluminum and magnesium. Shorter lifespan and lower current capacity compared to alloyed electrodes.<\/p><h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"thoriated-tungsten-electrodes-red-yellow\"><\/span>Thoriated Tungsten Electrodes: Red &amp; Yellow<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4><ul><li><b>Red (WT20)<\/b>: Contains 2% thorium. Known for excellent arc starting and DC stability. Common for carbon steel and stainless steel. Though comically weakly radioactive\u2014with a half-life of 1.405\u00d710\u00b9\u2070 years\u2014it\u2019s still important to be cautious during grinding. Inhaling metal dust, whether radioactive or not, can be harmful.<\/li><li><b>Yellow (WT10)<\/b>: Contains 1% thorium. Similar characteristics as red but with slightly reduced performance. Less commonly used today.<\/li><\/ul><h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ceriated-tungsten-electrodes-grey-orange\"><\/span>Ceriated Tungsten Electrodes: Grey &amp; Orange<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4><ul><li><b>Grey (WC20)<\/b>: Contains 2% cerium. Suitable for both AC and DC at low amperages. Ceriated electrodes excel at initiating the arc, even with very low current. This makes them especially effective for welding thin sheet metal or delicate components that are sensitive to heat.<\/li><li><b>Orange (WC10)<\/b>: Contains 1% cerium. Used for low current applications. Less stable than WC20 and now rarely used.<\/li><\/ul><h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"lanthanated-tungsten-electrodes-blue-gold-black\"><\/span>Lanthanated Tungsten Electrodes: Blue, Gold &amp; Black<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4><p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Lanthanated electrodes offer the most variety among AWS types, with lanthanum oxide content ranging from 0.8% to 2.2%. This addition helps stabilize the grain structure under heat and improves electron emission. As a result, these electrodes maintain a sharp tip and provide reliable arc starts and performance on both AC and DC.<\/p><ul><li><strong>Blue (WL20)<\/strong>: Contains 2% lanthanum. A popular choice for both AC and DC welding, especially on inverter machines. It delivers a stable arc across materials like aluminum and steel, maintains a sharp tip, and offers excellent all-around performance\u2014at a reasonable cost compared to some other types.<\/li><li><strong>Gold (WL15)<\/strong>: Contains 1.5% lanthanum. Offers a good balance of arc stability and electrode life. Works well for both steel and aluminum.<\/li><li><strong>Black (WL10)<\/strong>: Contains 1% lanthanum. Lower lanthanum content results in reduced performance. Mostly phased out in favor of WL15 and WL20.<\/li><\/ul><h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"zirconiated-tungsten-electrodes-white-brown\"><\/span>Zirconiated Tungsten Electrodes: White &amp; Brown<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4><ul><li><b>White (WZ8)<\/b>: Contains 0.8% zirconium. The addition of zirconium oxide improves arc starts, reduces spitting, and enhances performance under high amperage. White tungsten electrodes are best suited for AC welding, especially for aluminum, where stability and cleanliness are critical.<\/li><li><b>Brown (WZ3)<\/b>: Contains 0.3% zirconium. An earlier version with lower zirconium content.<\/li><\/ul><h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"rare-earth-tungsten-electrodes-various-colors\"><\/span>Rare Earth Tungsten Electrodes: Various Colors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4><p>Contains a proprietary mix of rare earth oxides like cerium, lanthanum, and yttrium. Designed to combine the benefits of multiple alloy types. No fixed color\u2014varies by manufacturer (often purple or unspecified). Common in high-performance or universal-use applications.<\/p><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"faqs\"><\/span>FAQs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p data-start=\"47\" data-end=\"480\"><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><strong data-start=\"47\" data-end=\"173\">Q: Are tungsten electrode rods completely tungsten for the entire length? Or is it just the coloured tip that&#8217;s different?<\/strong><\/span><br data-start=\"173\" data-end=\"176\" \/><strong data-start=\"176\" data-end=\"182\">A:<\/strong> Yes, the entire rod is made from the specified tungsten alloy\u2014not just the tip. The colored tip is simply a visual code applied by the manufacturer to identify the composition (e.g., 2% lanthanated, pure tungsten, etc.). The alloy content is consistent throughout the full length of the electrode.<\/p><p data-start=\"47\" data-end=\"480\"><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><strong>Q: How should I sharpen a tungsten electrode, and are there special considerations for different colors?<\/strong><\/span><br \/>Sharpening requires focusing on three tips: the Grind Direction must be axial to stabilize the arc; the Grinding Angle should match your amperage (e.g., 30\u00b0-35\u00b0 for versatility); and always use a small Tip Flat \/ Truncation to prolong electrode life. See here for additional\u00a0<a title=\"tig tungsten electrode sharpening tips\" href=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/tungsten-electrode-sharpening-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u><b>tungsten electrode grinding techniques<\/b><\/u><\/a>.For different colors, always use a specialized grinder with ventilation, particularly for types like red-colored (thoriated) tungsten, due to its low-level radiation risk.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In TIG welding, the tungsten electrode acts as a non-consumable conductor and energy transfer point. &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/tungsten-electrode-color-code-and-chart-explained\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Tungsten Electrode Color Code and Chart Explained<\/span> \u0427\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0434\u0430\u043b\u0435\u0435 \u00bb<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"trp-custom-language-flag":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"cnaweld","author_link":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/author\/cnaweld\/"},"uagb_comment_info":5,"uagb_excerpt":"In TIG welding, the tungsten electrode acts as a non-consumable conductor and energy transfer point. &hellip; Tungsten Electrode Color Code and Chart Explained \u0427\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0434\u0430\u043b\u0435\u0435 \u00bb","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14994","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14994"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14994\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15617,"href":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14994\/revisions\/15617"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnaweld.com\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}