
Glossary
Glossary of Wire Type Terminology
- Flat Wire: SPT: Stranded, Parallel, Thermoplastic
This is always followed by a -1, -2 or -3, signifying insulation thickness for different applications. - HPN: Heater, Parallel, Neoprene
Required for heater-type application, such as irons, toasters, etc.
NOTE: Electri-Cord can run some 20 AWG, but mostly we run 18, 16 and 14 AWG, 2 or 3 conductors. - P = Parallel Wire (Flat).
Jacketed Wire:
- S = Stranded (or Service Wire)
- J = Junior Service (300 Volt). If no “J” is in the wire type, then it is a hard service (600 Volt).
- T = Thermoplastic. If no “T” is in the wire type, then it has a rubber jacket.
- O = Oil-Resistant Compound
- W = Weather-Resistant Compound
- V = Vacuum (as in vacuum cleaner). This is a small O.D. jacketed wire, very flexible and initially used for vacuum cleaners but now used on many different types of products. Available only in 18 AWG.
Examples:
- SV = Stranded Vacuum Rubber Jacketed (NO “T”)
- SJT = Stranded Junior Thermoplastic
- SJTOW = Stranded Junior Thermoplastic, Oil and Weather resistant for UL and CSA.
Miscellaneous requirements:
- S.P. = Surface Printed
- N.M. = Non-Migratory compound to prevent the wire color from bleeding under unusual circumstances.
- VW-1 = Vertical Flame test (formerly FR-1)
- IEC, ICC = International Color Code on the inner conductors (Blue, Brown, Green w/Yellow Stripe)
- N.A. = North American Color Code on the inner conductors (Black, White, Green)
- 41/34 = Stranding specification format (41 strands of 34 AWG wire for each inner conductor)
- T.C. = Tinned Copper inner conductors
- RIBBED = Outer jacket is striated with ribs
- R/S or W/S = Red or White Stripe for visual polarity inspection on Flat wire
Temperature Ratings:
- 60°C = Standard rating (except HPN =90°C)
- 105°C = Electri-Cord’s alternate rating
(we normally don’t stock 75°, 90°C)
Inner Conductor Colors
Function | North American (NA) | International (ICC) |
Hot | Black | Brown |
Neutral | White | Blue |
Earth (Ground) | Green | Green w/Yellow Stripe |
Metric Conversion Chart:
Metric Conversion Chart | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Metric to Standard | Standard to Metric | |||||||||
25.4 mm per inch 305 mm per foot .305 M per foot 1.61 KM per mile |
.03937 inches per mm 39.37 inches per meter 3.28 feet per meter .622 miles per KM |
|||||||||
In. | Dec. | mm | In. | Dec. | mm | In. | Dec. | mm | ||
1/32 | .031 | .793 | 11/32 | .343 | 8.731 | 11/16 | .687 | 17.462 | ||
1/16 | .062 | 1.587 | 3/8 | .375 | 9.525 | 23/32 | .718 | 18.256 | ||
3/32 | .093 | 2.381 | 13/32 | .406 | 10.318 | 3/4 | .750 | 19.050 | ||
1/8 | .125 | 3.175 | 7/16 | .437 | 11.112 | 25/32 | .781 | 19.843 | ||
5/32 | .156 | 3.968 | 15/32 | .468 | 11.906 | 13/16 | .812 | 20.637 | ||
3/16 | .187 | 4.762 | 1/2 | .500 | 12.700 | 27/32 | .843 | 21.431 | ||
7/32 | .218 | 5.556 | 17/32 | .531 | 13.493 | 7/8 | .875 | 22.225 | ||
1/4 | .250 | 6.350 | 9/16 | .562 | 14.287 | 29/32 | .906 | 23.018 | ||
9/32 | .281 | 7.143 | 19/32 | .593 | 15.081 | 15/16 | .937 | 23.812 | ||
5/16 | .312 | 7.937 | 5/8 | .625 | 15.875 | 31/32 | .968 | 24.606 | ||
21/32 | .656 | 16.668 | 1 | 1.000 | 25.400 |