If you are using PVC hook up wire for electrical purposes, you should know about the insulation that you can use with this wire.
UL 1007
This wire is a form of hook up wire, which is particularly used for 300 V PVC cable that runs at about 0.016 inches of thickness of the insulation material. The popularity of the term UL grew a lot because the UL confirms that a wire can withstand the voltage and temperature that it claims to handle. Therefore, UL 1007 cable is endorsed by UL to work at 300 V, as it is mentioned on its specification sheet.
UL 1061
UL 1061 is another PVC hook up wire that is quite similar to UL 1007. It has 0.009 inches of thickness of insulation material. Like UL 1007, it also supports 300 V. It is generally used with the appliances that need an outlet with smaller diameter.
UL 1015
Yet another PVC hook up wire, the UL 1015 supports 600 V, as opposed to 300 V supported by UL 1007 and UL 1061. Since it supports higher voltage, it needs thicker insulation. The thickness of insulation material for this cable is 0.032 inches. The range of this wire is from 10 awg to 24 awg- but before the UL type could change.
Teflon
Teflon is another type of hook up wire. It supports insulation at high temperatures going up to 200 degree Celsius. Other PVC insulations work up to temperatures of 105 degree Celsius. Apart from the temperature difference, Teflon has copper plated with silver, and not tinned copper. This feature also helps it to sustain high temperatures.
These wires were some of the hook up wires that you could use while working on an electric application. Some of these cables cannot stand too much wear and tear, and so they are more suited for indoor works, while some cables are rough and tough, and so can be used outdoors as well as underground. Before you buy any type of wire, you must consult your electrician and take his opinion.
You might wonder how you can call 5 different wire and cable distributors and get a range of pricing for the same product. You’re expecting to get better pricing than Home Depot and Lowes right? Well sometimes that’s the case and sometimes it’s not for multiple reasons.
1. Copper
Copper is a volatile commodity traded on the stock market which changes the prices of electrical wire and cable drastically. Electronic cable and portable cord products have more engineering, jacket and materials in them to affect the price. Electrical wire and cable is mostly made with copper and a small amount of insulation to keep costs down as much as possible.
Copper can go up or down over 10% each day depending on how much play it gets and the supply and demand of the actual product. Normally when contractors call for pricing on large amounts it will come straight from the manufacturer because stocking that much copper can be fatal.
2. Time of Purchase
With copper going up and down daily it’s just as hard to time the purchase of inventory as it is the next big stock purchase. Your hope is to buy at the bottom and sell at the top but that scenario is usually unlikely. So assume you buy 50,000 feet of Romex 14/2 for your inventory at .15/ft and copper drops 10% over the next week. If a customer calls to purchase 10,000 feet you will mark up your .15/ft while other distributors who don’t have stock will mark up a price of .135/ft (10% less). Ideally if that distributor only wants to make 10% on the order they could sell it at your current cost.
On the flip side of that scenario the inventory could work in your advantage. Assume you bought the Romex 14/2 at .15/ft and copper went up 10%. You now have the upper hand to possibly make a little more than you planned because distributors without inventory must buy at a current price of .167/ft (10% higher).
3. Clout/Relationship with Manufacturer
Most people and businesses understand quantity breaks where 1 TV will cost $900 and 10 of the same TV’s might cost $850 each. The same works in the wire and cable industry but relationships are a big part as well because the manufacturers have competition too. They like to see that you trust in their product, price and customer service so much that you don’t call anyone else. That’s worth a better price to them and you can work together at creating new business and opportunities.
Those 3 points are fairly specific to the wire and cable industry but are also standard in the name of business itself. You shouldn’t take advantage of a good customer by saying; “They always buy from us anyways”. That’s a very poor look at customer service and treating you current customers worse than potential new customers is not a good idea.
Some companies offer deals only available for new customers! That’s an outrage! Treat your current customers better than your new customers because they’ve been giving you business for years and deserve that treatment. How would you feel if you’ve been buying TV’s for years from the same company at $850 each and then they offer the same TV to new customers only at $800 each? Probably like you’re worth nothing to them? Then don’t use this technique on your customers or they may feel the same way.
Looking for a cable for indoor conduit or duct that is ideal for indoor use and its ease of installation, than consider Romex® cable.
If your cable needs require outside use, a certain insulation and jacket encased wire is necessary to protect it from the elements. Generally, Romex® cable cannot be used in conduit or even used outdoors (due to the ground wire in the cable). However, Romex® that does not have a bare ground wire may be used both outdoors and in conduit. An example of is the dual rated THHN THWN wires inside the Romex® jacket. Use caution however as the jacket for this product is thin and may not provided the necessary protection.
If, however, you require that ground wire for an outdoor application, you may want to consider the MC or UF-B cable. The MC cable has a THHN ground wire and the UF-B cable has a protective jacket to resist environmental conditions.
If you have additional questions about these cables or any of your wire, cable or tubing needs, please contact WesBell Electronics at 800-334-8400.
There are many types of electrical wire for each possible condition the wire will be placed in. Some for indoor use only and some that can be buried directly in the earth and of course there’s a higher cost for the added options.
THHN Wire
THHN wire is the single copper hook up wire used alone and inside other electrical cables in the industry. THHN stands for Thermoplastic High Heat resistant Nylon jacket the the dual rated THHN/THWN wire adds in “Water Resistant”.
Romex Cable
Romex is an indoor only cable manufactured with THHN wires and a thin PVC jacket made solely for the ease of installation. Otherwise electrical contractors must run each THHN wire by itself or tape them together and attempt to run them as one. Romex cables were made to be cheaper because when adding all the bells and whistles you’ll end up with a much more expensive cable.
MC Cable
MC cable was manufactured because contractors wanted to run Romex cable outdoors and in conduit but couldn’t because the jacket was thin and the bare copper ground wire could be damaged. So Southwire decided to change the jacket slightly and also make the ground wire insulated, using a THHN wire instead of bare copper.
MC cable can now be used outdoors and in conduit. There is also a PVC jacketed MC cable which keeps it water tight for direct burial in the ground. Just ask for MC cable with PVC jacket.
UF-B Cable
UF-B cable stands for Underground Feeder with ground. This cable comes in the standard circuit sizes of 14 awg through 6 awg and come in 2 or 3 conductors plus a ground wire. The ground is bare copper but the UF-B jacket is very strong and can handle the underground abuse.
Now you know exactly which cable to use for each location you’re running it. The only thing left to do is call your electrician and ask him/her which size you need to power what you’re running current to.
Good luck with your search and if you can’t find it, call us to find it for you!
Romex wire has become really famous due to its time saving quality. It runs behind your walls, and connects your appliances to their respective switches. This cable comes in a variety of sizes- depending upon the amount of power required for a particular appliance.
Romex 12/2 and Romex 14/2 are two most popular sizes for homes. Though this wire is very popular in home wiring system, it cannot be taken outside, as the moisture will eat through its cladding and insulation.
Though romex wire is meant for indoor use, sometimes you need to take a part outside as well. In such a case, it is better that you use UFB cable. It is an underground wire, which does not require conduit. This cable can easily be used outside, and underground too.
If you do not have any electrical experience, make sure you leave the electrical fixing work to the experts. There is no need to work on it if you don’t know much about electrical work. This is because this kind of work is dangerous and can pose a danger to your life. If you have decided to do it on your own, make sure you switch off the power supply and wear rubber gloves.
If you want to connect small power sources to big power sources, inside your home, then Romex 8/3 and Romex 6/3 cables can be used. But then again, there is the same problem- Romex cannot be taken outside. If you have to do outdoor electrical wiring, you should use UFB cable. The UFB cable isn’t very expensive and minor outdoor fittings can be easily done with it.
In case you want to do electrical fitting for your garage or barn, then a small UFB cable would be sufficient- you can go for UFB 6/3 or smaller if you want. But make sure you do not use Romex wire for your garage, because this wire will wear out fast and lose its insulation really soon.
These are just some standard sizes. The ideal cable size would depend upon your house and application area. It is better to talk to an electrician and determine the cable that would best suit your needs.
Romex cable is manufactured by a company called Southwire, which is currently the largest copper wire manufacturer in the USA. The name Romex is usually followed by NM or NM-B which stands for “Non Metallic” and “Non Metallic with ground”.
Take a look at this video to see the correct way to cut and strip the Romex jacket off and install it in a standard electrical box. The video shows a few different situations that a contractor will see on everyday jobs. There are metal and plastic boxes that have different ways of making the connections with the electrical wire.
Even though there is a white and yellow cable sitting on his bench they are still both Romex NM-B cables. The white has 14 awg wires and the yellow has 12 awg wires. The Romex 12/2 with ground is used for installations using higher amounts of current.
Be very careful when cutting the jacket off to prevent injuries. It sounds repetitive but accidents happen and cutting yourself with a sharp blade that’s meant to cut a pvc jacket will ruin your day. Watch the video closely to make sure you always cut the cable correctly.
Electrical wiring work can be risky. If you need to do some work related to electrical wire, then you must have experience and knowledge about how electrical things work. When it comes to working with electricity, you cannot work on the trial and error procedure. Electrical mistakes are deadly and can even cause loss of life. This is why, when you work with electrical wire, you must be clear about certain things. There are a few situations to help you with your electrical problems.
First of all, let us talk about wiring a switch.
Using a home switch is very easy, but wiring may take a bit of knowledge. If you are going to wire an on-off switch, then it is a very simple task. There are three types of wires in a switch- green, white and black. Divide the black wire in 2 parts, and connect each part on terminal screw- on top and bottom. Connect the white wire with the light colored terminal and the green wire to the ground screw. Once this is done, your switch will be ready to work without any problems. In case you think that you cannot do this properly, it is better that you take help from an experienced person.
Let us now discuss how to wire a fan, specifically- a ceiling fan.
Wiring a ceiling fan is not very difficult, but if you do not have any electrical experience, it would be better if you call an expert. You may use a single switch to operate the ceiling fan for the sake of simplicity. Simply connect the black wire of the switch to the black wire of the fan. In case you want to wire a light as well, then you can connect the black wire of the switch to the blue wire, as well as the black fan wire.
Using a common electrical wire is very easy if you have the proper knowledge and tools. When you work with electricity, make sure you switch off the main power, and keep yourself insulated by wearing rubber gloves. Never work with electricity if your hands are wet.
Electrical Wire, Power Cable | electrical_wire August 7, 2010 | 
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