One of the most common voltage ratings for general purpose building wire is 600 volts since most electrical service in this country is at or below 240 volts, with 120 volts probably being the most common.  This makes 600 volt wire popular because there is a comfortable buffer between the line service voltage and what the wire can handle. But, with that being said, voltage rating (along...

Ask someone to name a material from which electrical wires are made and almost 100% of the time they will say copper. Just like its use in plumbing, copper is ubiquitous in the world of electrical engineering.  There is good reason for this. It is highly malleable and ductile, has reasonably high tensile strength, and is an excellent electrical conductor. But the truth is also that the...

For the longest time, the standard in electrical wire and cable installation, especially in commercial and industrial settings, was to draw it through conduit.  There are many clear advantages to doing so. Conduit is physically durable and protects the cables against moisture, sunlight, fire, and other environmental factors. Some conduit could also protect the cables against...

Belden is a name that should be known well to electricians and engineers, and has for more than 100 years manufacturers high-quality electrical wire and cable.  Founded in 1902 in Chicago by Joseph Belden, the company’s namesake, Belden got its start manufacturing lead wire for electric devices.  Today, lead is rarely used as a conductor in modern electric wire and cable, and...

Your home’s solar energy system can provide you with cost-effective electrical power, reduce your dependence on the grid, serve as a hedge against blackouts, and even reduce your family’s overall carbon footprint.  But part of having a solar energy system is upholding a high standard of responsible care and maintenance. Fortunately, high-level maintenance for solar panels and...

There are two things you should have noticed, if anything, about marine electrical cable. These are that it is more flexible than corresponding alternatives of the same gauge (such as automotive battery wire) and that, if you strip a little away to make connections, it looks silver. Silver is an excellent electrical conductor, but that’s not what’s at play here....

Welding cable, you already know, must be rated to appropriate voltage and ampacity in order to safely handle the load it’s placed under when used for its intended application.  But these are prerequisites, and there are other factors that qualify this type of electrical cable as appropriate for the tasks for which it is used.  Two of these will be covered here. ...

Fundamentally, electric wire and cable all do the same thing. They carry current to power a process, or a signal to be used for communication.  But, electric wire suppliers sell a wide range of different types of electric conductors that are used for many different uses. This short post will cover some of the types of general and specialty types of electric wire and cable sold...