Wire for exterior gooseneck light?

[shawnn]

I got a porcelain pendant light and made a gooseneck. It's a modern light made in 2003. I'm not sure what wire should be used inside the 1/2" IMC conduit. I have some flexible cable, can I use it or would I have to strip the outer sheath off and use the individual conductor wires?

Edit: It's on a 15A light circuit.

 

[Shiftless]

I got a porcelain pendant light and made a gooseneck. It's a modern light made in 2003. I'm not sure what wire should be used inside the 1/2" IMC conduit. I have some flexible cable, can I use it or would I have to strip the outer sheath off and use the individual conductor wires?

Edit: It's on a 15A light circuit.

Do you want to conform to code?
Conduit outdoors is considered a wet location. That is one reason you shouldn't do it that way.
Run individual THHN wires at least 14 ga. in size.
If you strip flexible cable, the resulting individual wires would not be rated for use in conduit.

 

[Milton Shaw]

You might need to check temp requirements on wire as that light would keep the heat in the shade and run some high temps in the conduit close to the light. Heat should be more of a problem than moisture on the type light I am picturing in my mind.

 

[Shiftless]

You might need to check temp requirements on wire as that light would keep the heat in the shade and run some high temps in the conduit close to the light. Heat should be more of a problem than moisture on the type light I am picturing in my mind.

THHN is rated for 90 degrees C. in dry locations and 60 degrees C. in wet locations.
So even in wet locations you are good to at least 140 degrees F. The 90 degree C. limit translates to almost 200 degrees F.

A big 200 watt incandescent bulb will get very hot, but I bet you plan to use led or CFL, right?

 

[Norcal]

THHN is for dry locations only THWN is for wet locations but most is dual rated.

 

[shawnn]

I do want to conform to code so thank you for your input. I have a couple of medium wattage incandescent outdoor floods to use first then I'll go with LED.

 

[Shiftless]

THHN is for dry locations only THWN is for wet locations but most is dual rated.

You're right of course. I should have referred to that wire as THNN/THWN
I haven't seen any that wasn't dual rated.