Wire lingo

[ForceFed70]

Hi All,

I always get confused by this, and I am sure others do as well. So let's put a thread together on proper conductor/wire names and lingo.

I'll start: When talking wire you state the guage followed by the number of conductors. The ground conductor does not count. For example: A wire that has 14 guage conductors and has a hot, neutral, and ground conductor would be called 14-2 wire. 10 guage wire that has 2 hot conductors, a neutral, and a ground would be called 10-3.

BUT! This only applies to wire using solid conductors. If the wire has stranded conductors then you count the ground as a conductor. I also think there are other cases where the "ground wire doesn't count" rule isn't true. Perhaps others could elaborate.

I would like it if someone could describe the common wire types. Romex, BX, etc.

 

[ishiboo]

Hi All,

I always get confused by this, and I am sure others do as well. So let's put a thread together on proper conductor/wire names and lingo.

I'll start: When talking wire you state the guage followed by the number of conductors. The ground conductor does not count. For example: A wire that has 14 guage conductors and has a hot, neutral, and ground conductor would be called 14-2 wire. 10 guage wire that has 2 hot conductors, a neutral, and a ground would be called 10-3.

BUT! This only applies to wire using solid conductors. If the wire has stranded conductors then you count the ground as a conductor. I also think there are other cases where the "ground wire doesn't count" rule isn't true. Perhaps others could elaborate.

I would like it if someone could describe the common wire types. Romex, BX, etc.

Even better, Romex, BX, etc. are not types of wire at all. Romex is a brand name of a NM (non-metallic) cable (versus BX, for example)... and BX is a type of cable, not wire

 

[mrb]

its not stranded wire vs solid wire. Cable of the types you mention does not count the ground in the number of conductors. CORD (such as 10/3 SOOW for example) which i believe is the stranded wire you are talking about counts all the conductors inside.

 

[ForceFed70]

Great guys, this is just the type of discussion/info I was looking for.

It's cable not wire.

Can you guys spell out the acronyms? What does BX stand for? And sorry, I didn't quite catch it here but BX is also a brand name?

Romex is a brand name, the type of cable is simply called Non Metalic

 

[nehog]

If the ground is insulated, then you count it, if bare, you don't?

 

[ishiboo]

If the ground is insulated, then you count it, if bare, you don't?

BX is 12/2 and 14/2 "with ground", the ground may or may not be insulated...

 

[CADPoint]

BX is 12/2 and 14/2 "with ground", the ground may or may not be insulated...

The OP is in the great white north!

BX is no longer an allowed install method in the USA. I can't comment on BX usage in Canada.

To my knowledge orginal BX was just 2 conductors and the steel jacket was the implied ground,
with use of the proper fittings and it never had a ground! BX install stopped around the early 70's.

This method has been replaced with MC metal-clad cable alone with AC armored cable both
can come with many various sizes of conductors and all w/ground.

Typical of US followed practices and what shows up on the manufactures literature; a ground or
bonding wire is not counted as a current carrying conduct, thus the w/ground is just that.

A cable is generally wires inside some sort of outer jack. It can also be a single conductor with
two types of different methods of insulations, and other various combinations required per the install.

 

[-JP]

Great guys, this is just the type of discussion/info I was looking for.

It's cable not wire.

Can you guys spell out the acronyms? What does BX stand for? And sorry, I didn't quite catch it here but BX is also a brand name?

Romex is a brand name, the type of cable is simply called Non Metalic

The name came from the original manufacturer, Greenfield, who invented flexible conduit we still use today and commonly refer to it by his name.
"B" stand for the series of design where it came after type "A". The "X" stands for experimental as this was the first type of flexible metal covered cable ever produced.
BX is the original multi-conductor flexible cable protected by a steel spiral cladding. Conductors were rubber insulated and wrapped with paper. The early version had no ground cunductor. Later version included a very thin strip of flexible metal just under the metal spiral cover to assist in ground conductance.

Romex is a brand name for "Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable".


JP

 

[theoldwizard1]

its not stranded wire vs solid wire. Cable of the types you mention does not count the ground in the number of conductors. CORD (such as 10/3 SOOW for example) which i believe is the stranded wire you are talking about counts all the conductors inside.

"Portable cordage" (also simply called cordage), is what is used to connect electrical appliances (like hand drills, power saws, drill press, etc.) to wall outlet. It is also used for "extension cords".

The outer insulation should have letters on it, starting with "S" that have meaning !

S - Service Extreme 600V
SJ - Service Junior 300V
E - Thermoplastic Elastomer insulation. If the letter "E" is not included then the insulation is "rubber", which is more flexible, especially in cold weather
O - Oil resistant (outer insulation)
OO - Oil resistant (inner and outer insulation)
W - Water resistant

Things to STAY AWAY from !

V - Vacuum cleaner cord
P - Parallel cord (also called zip or lamp cord)

The numbers (14/2, 12/3) indicate the gauge of the wire (lower numbers carry more current) and the number of conductors. If you are wiring up a cord to connect a 240V 30A generator to your house/garage, you will probably need 10/4 for up to about 15'. Over 15' or higher than 30A (continuous) you should go up to 8/4. (Yes, 4 conductors; 2 hots, a neutral and a ground.)


In general stick with SOOW or SJOOW. Most times you do not pay extra for S over SJ. SJEOOW is fine if you are not going to use it in cold weather.

The price of copper is through the roof. I have found it is cheaper to buy a good quality extension cord and cut the end off when I need to replace a heavy duty cord (I replaced a 8' 14/3 cord from a 2hp compressor with 25' 12/3 SJOOW extension cord with the appropriate plug).

The other "rule of thumb" I use for 100' extension cords

16 gauge < 5A
14 gauge < 10A
12 gauge < 15A

If your only going 50', you can probably drop down one.