Electrical Wire & Cable at Lowes.com

Electrical Wiring for Every Application

Electrical wiring and electrical connectors are essential elements in residential and commercial buildings. In fact, the average home has about two miles of cable running through it. There are a variety of cables and connectors that offer different uses, from doorbell wiring and thermostat wiring to speaker wire, ethernet cord wires, weatherproof wiring connectors and more. Below we’ll provide some helpful information to make it easier to identify the many types of wiring available.

How to Identify Wiring and Cables
On wiring jackets, you’ll see a letter code, which provides attributes of the wire including material, gauge and voltage rating. The National Electrical Code (NEC) has a letter system that makes it easy to quickly identify a wire’s capabilities. Some common codes include THHN, XHHW and THW. THHN is the most commonly used wire in conduit and cable trays for services in commercial or industrial applications. Below are some common letters and attributes seen regularly in residential wiring:

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T: Thermoplastic insulation
H: Heat resistance
HH: High heat resistance
W: Suitable for wet conditions
N: Nylon coating resistant to oil or gas damage
X: Synthetic polymer and flame-resistant

Color-Coded Jackets for NM-B
Color-coded jackets are used on non-metallic (NM-B) wiring as a simple way to identify the gauge of the wires inside:

White: 14-gauge wire, used for lighting circuits
Yellow: 12-gauge wire, used regularly in households for general power to outlets and appliances
Orange: 10-gauge wire, commonly used for A/C units and water heaters
Black: Eight and lower-gauge wire, used for feeding a subpanel, electric range, oven and more

Popular Cable Types

Coaxial Cable: Metallic cable that carries television and video signals and connects to video equipment. Features a central conductor with a dielectric insulator, metallic shield and plastic jacket.
Romex Wiring: Romex is a trade name for electrical conductor wiring that’s commonly used as residential branch wiring. It’s often used for lighting and outlet circuits.
MC Cable: Metal clad cable is heavily used in commercial work, for running through concrete or other commercial environments.
Thermostat Wire: Used in heating and A/C systems. Available in 20 or 18 gauge with up to 10 conductors.

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Underground Feed (UF wire) Wiring: Good for use in underground wiring for electrical installations like irrigation systems, landscaping lighting etc., to receive power.

Armored Cables like BX Cable: This collection of insulated plastic-coated wires are protected by a metal sheathing that’s stronger than most. 

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