To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Ballast wire ?

yeldogt

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 2, 2012
Messages
18,184
What's the thin wire used in a ballast called? Can you buy it ?


I have to rewire a LED fixture and the hole for the wires is too small for other possibilities ..... no -- I can't enlarge.

It's a 1-10v dimming so it has 4 wires and a ground.


Wish I had an old ballast around
 
Last edited:
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

alfredeneuman

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
4,584
Location
Fullerton, CA
Conductor sizes below 14 AWG are usually TFFN.
Tell it to Advance. It is written on some of the leads, but takes a magnifying glass to read.
(I was surprised too)
EDIT: I know most ballasts use TFFN....That was why I was surprised.
 
Last edited:

cybrdyke

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 9, 2014
Messages
3,449
Location
USA
What's the thin wire used in a ballast called? Can you buy it ?
It's 18AWG solid, so it's not THHN or TFFN.
Ballast manufacturers used to buy it by trainloads. They would tell the wire manufacturer what they need from the wire. It's 600v insulation, but other than that it wasn't required to have any other ratings. So, just basic insulation without the need for it to be rated as TF, TFN or TW or anything. It was just referred to as "fixture wire".
You normally dont see any markings on it at all. If you do, then that's great.
With the ballast industry almost extinct, it's probably easier these days for them to just buy wire "off the rack". TFN or similar would work just fine.
 

malibu101

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 1, 2005
Messages
3,908
Location
Walnutport PA
I've seen 18 solid "ballast" wire labelled as TFFN, I've also seen it marked AWM. and dual rated as TFFN/AWM.
AWM= appliance wire material.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
OP
Y

yeldogt

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 2, 2012
Messages
18,184
It's for an exterior light -- the light was a "tester" -- it had a cord/plug added. Whoever wired it cut the internal wire off just past the driver.
 

cybrdyke

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 9, 2014
Messages
3,449
Location
USA
Tffn. Yes it comes in 18 solid, I have a couple spools.

I've seen 18 solid "ballast" wire labelled as TFFN, I've also seen it marked AWM. and dual rated as TFFN/AWM.
AWM= appliance wire material.

We're all aware that wire companies make mistakes from time to time. But 18 solid is TFN, not TFFN. Even dual rated, it's still (technically) TFN/AWM.
CD
 

malibu101

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 1, 2005
Messages
3,908
Location
Walnutport PA
We're all aware that wire companies make mistakes from time to time. But 18 solid is TFN, not TFFN. Even dual rated, it's still (technically) TFN/AWM.
CD

Just looked at some of my rolls and this is above correct. I added an extra "F". :eek:

The rolls are marked either TFN or dual TFN/AWM.
Thanks for the correction!:thumbup:
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom