# SE vs SO Cable Question For Ship



## Dcdjdrew (Jan 14, 2007)

I know that SJ type Cable is only allowed in lengths of 3' or shorter or suported by a truss. and that SO type cable is basically allowed anywhere onstage in resonable lengths but I am not shure about Type SE. i am asking this because My Theatre just got half a spool donated to us.

Thanks,

Drew Carson


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## u_dakka (Jan 14, 2007)

for those of us who dont know - what's SE,SO, SJ (or any others)??
Is this an american only thing?? If so what's the British equivilent?
andy


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## Footer (Jan 14, 2007)

For all your cable needs.... 

http://www.interpower.com/ic/NA_Cable_Types.asp

Borrowed from Kevin Montagne on LightNetwork.... 

SO is part of a standard designation (at least in the US) for cables where each letter means something about the cable. You would typically see other letters involved as well such as SOW, SJOW. The S stands for Service and means extra hard service when not followed by J, V or P. The J would stand for Junior and is used for lighter service like home-grade extension cords. The O means the cable is in an oil-resistant jacket. The W stand for outdoor and includes sun-light resistant jacket and wet location rated conductors. In typical entertainment usage you would see SOW or SOOW for the work horse "extension cords". The 2nd O means the both the conductor insulation and the jacket are oil-resistant. Often times you will hear these cable names shortened to just SO for convenience but they are different specs. For example 12/3 SOOW cable would be a heavy duty service cord suitable for outdoor use that was oil resistant on bot the outer jacket and the inner insulation. It would have 3 conductors sized at 12 AWG. This is a very common cord in the US entertainment industry. It typically does not come in Orange or Green colors.


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## ship (Jan 15, 2007)

Free cable is free cable.. be careful with it - see a few paragraphs down, but none the less if SE and not say SJE, it's fully complaint in all ways on a Class 1A theater stage. Just don't let it touch any of your lights.


Here (way below) is what I have so far in cable types by way of the NEC as published over the years (Mostly 1930's, 1950's, 1970's and 1999 as various letters appear or go away.) - You will find various types of asbestos cable in it also, as with one that seems like but is not, thus the list of old stuff one will see but no longer be mentioned in the current code. 

It's a uniform standard according the the NEC that the Euro does not follow in knowing what is what about cable the Euro cable in use. The US system is a really good system that covers just about every type of cable in use from that used inside the oven to that in an elevator. Each letter means something. As above with SOOW verses SOW, verses SO, verses type S.

Of note and unfortunate recently also is of recently most American manufacturers of cable are heading towards producting a US standards compliant, Euro compliant cable. It's cheaper to make and in theory rated as well. I'm not a fan of Euro cable in the least bit and can bairly pallet SE cable.

Recently I bought a 1,000' spool of 8/5 type SOW cable, it was Euro compliant. Euro compliant cable normally is not using fiber, jute or poly filler materials in making the cable round, instead it has the outer jacket applied on extra thick to act as a filler around the conductors. Color coding of inner conductors can also be the same or Euro standard. 
Seemingly for some reason on this spool of wire, the inner conductors were not twisted or stretched tight enough when the outer jacket was applied in it's uniform OD. diamater, and as opposed to normally around 1/8" of outer jacket between inner conductor and outer jacket, in this case there were areas where as little as 3/64" of insulation was all there was of outer jacket covering the inner conductors. It's less a jacket of insulation and more, just an applied coating. This was a problem and I got a full refund on the over $1,000.00 spool of wire. Unfortunately I find this thickness of covering problem more common than I like with dual US/Euro compliant cable - it's the way most cable companies are going given it's no doubt cheaper to product and market, (even McMaster is selling it) and it's for sale dirt cheap at times 2/3 the price of non Euro-compliant cable. Just a warning, beware of the outer jacket on any Euro compliant type S cable you get, Even normal Euro cable as similar to type SJT cable does not have this type of problem in the inner conductors not wrapping correctly and the outer jacket being too thin.

Believe an explination for this is that the outer jacket of the normal type S cable has it's outer jacket slided over that of the inner conductors as opposed to applied over in liquid form with the dual US/Euro cable. Unless those inner conductors are tight enough during the outer jacket application, the conductors will be too close to the outer jacket's wall and be un-safe to use. Gonna become a far too common problem. My recommendation is to avoid US/Euro compliant cable at least until it's more refined in quality control. I have seen more than one spool of Euro complaint type S cable that has this problem and in the center of the cable there is no way of knowing.

Beyond this, on Euro cable in general = with the exception of Martin fixture cable - love that stuff, Euro cable normally does not stand up well to oil - especially the oil that one might expect from a smoke or haze machine such as a DF-50. It even if rubberized and similar to type SE, just does not in my noting and in general, hold up well to oil without breaking down. SJT also has problems with oil. DF-50 machines eat thermoplastic wire! 

Also due to the nature of how the outer jacket loosely bonds to the inner conductors, more so than with a true outer jacket cable that has a jute core, one cut on the outer jacket at times is all that is needed for that cut to make it's way all the way down to the copper simply by way of that cable getting stretched.

Related to this nicking of the wire problem, In stripping outer jacket off cable I teach, demand and only approve of the pinch/pull/cut technique for stripping the outer jacket off a cable with dikes by way of those I supervise in instruction of approved - this is how we do it wiring. All who come to me for instruction, or to whome I observe stripping the outer jacket off cable learn my technique or do not work with cable. It's a technique with the dikes I have developed over the years - not sure where I got it from, but with normal cable works well to the extent that there is little to no chance of slitting inner conductors. All it takes is a nick on the inner conductor, and someone yanking on the cord to un-plug something and them inner conductors - even if they seem fine, with just a wee bit of a nick on them will tend to open up and expose copper conductors. Given one cannot pinch and pull the outer jacket away from the inner conductors by way of Euro cable, it's very difficult to follow this method in only doing the cutting of the outer jacket well away from that of the inner conductors. I don't allow raser knives or automatic jacket strippers and once one masters the pinch/pull/cut tecnique, it's faster and safer than that of an automatic stripper. "Nice toy, take it home and don't bring it back." Takes a quality brand of dikes to do this well, as with a quality brand of spring loaded wire strippers = not some multi-tool, and you have efficiency. None the less, Euro compliant cable as with Euro cable in general wipes out any chance of grabbing and stretching the outer jacket away from the inner conductors. It's a constant thing now that I using this technique, even with years of honing it, that I nick a conductor and have to cut and start over. Rule being no matter what wire or technique, you nick a wire even if not deep, you start over. Euro cable is really harsh to strip it's outer jacket off of easily without nicking the insulation off inner conductors.

Unfortunately also within this Euro class of wire that does not stand up as well to abuse or oil but does not suffer from the outer jacket thickness problem, is what's available these days for high temperature fixture wire such as TempFlex and ProFixture wire. This is all thermoplastic Euro grade wire with a silicone thermoplastic insulation surrounding three insulated conductors. Unfortunately the fairly industructable but very discontinued "Rockbestos" is no longer available. Had one of the above brands last all of one tour before the cable started cracking. Keep asking my various suppliers if they have any Rockbestos hanging about on the shelves or if they have anything similar... nope, it's all Euro Crap or there is a Anixter type of heat wire with a sort of varnished fiberglass coated silicone, but it's not very flexible. None the less, high temperature multi-conductor heat wire falls normally into a Euro class of cable these days and normally is not very cut or oil resistant in the same way that the old RockBestos was.

Next class of cable is SE which is sort of like synthetic rubber thermoplastic cable. I try not to use it if at all possible. This is a sort of rubberized plastic wire. Remember a few years ago when this stuff came out, my electrical supply house was having a school/sales day on this type of wire so as to introduce us "contractors" to the benefits of this newer and often cheaper type of wire. On paper, the SE wire also classed as ST wire has all the advantages of grade S (or using the two to three letter code system above mentioned, SO), it is 90 degree C. cable and supple like a rubber / neopreme (plastic rubber) one. The outer jacket is decent enough and does stand up to abuse and oil as well as neopreme. There is only one major difference between a SO and SE cable ("J" removed as it is or is not always the case), that's how at 90C the cable reacts to heat. On plastic cable, the plastic melts, than melts and exposes copper conductors to what caused the outer jacket to just melt away in offering little to no protection against heat. Have had more than one instance that type SJEOW cable in touching a fixture melted away and allowed a ground short of a hot conductor to a hot lighting instrument's grounded body. Woe be he that touches that cable now with exposed conductor.

In rubber, while dielectrically also defeated by temperature, and subsiquent to that all oil and water resistance ratings in that area exposed to heat are also defeated, the insulation is no longer rated for in voltage, there is a major difference. Rubber don't melt at as low of a temperature. While both cables are rated at the same temperature, if one is melting, the other only sort of smoldering or dry rotting, the one that is melting is melting all the way thru to inner conductors, the other is exposed to heat only on that surface area of a circle exposed to the heat and at a similar temperature retaining the curve and only that area exposed. It does not melt or persay defeat the insulation of the rest of the rubber in the area given it did not melt. Rubber/neopreme is on accidential contact with a lighting fixture going to be much superior to that of SE. By way of insulation, SE and SO cable (again using the two letter code), is the same except by respect of what heat will do to it. As long as you are careful that your cable will never touch the rear end of a fixture, it's good cable. Should there be a chance that it's going to be exposed to say a loose hang, it could be dangerous. Thus the difference - no matter what the manufacturers at some point were trying to push in cheaper and as good cable.

I believe anyway by at least time/history of cable, that since the cheaper SE type cable did not really take off in the industry, the industry is now pushing SO but Euro So cable as still cheaper than the jute fiber or kraft paper insulated poly core cable normal to SO. SE cable will normally come with some poly strands as filler but as long as your dikes are good quality, that's a minor detail. If not a good brand of dikes, or a dull set of them, this poly filler in SE will be difficult to cut away. That's the basics on observations of SE cable. It's not nomally much cheaper than SO cable these days, the manufacturers are pushing the Euro grade stuff instead. In other words, type SE cable is not much worth the effort in buying for use on stage unless really cheap or ... free.

Final class of cable would be type SJT or in following the above two letter ST - not that there is any thick extra hard usage thermoplastic wire on the market. ST wire is plastic cable. Fine in most instances and debatably in some circumstances can be resistant against oil - normally not. This type of cable does not react well to heat and often will be rated for 60C or 75C. It's a as with the Euro cable above an applied coating over the inner conductors, as oppsed to a jacket pulled over as the theory. Most powertools and orange extension cords will be this type of cable. The NEC does not specify a color of wire for stage usage, and in temporary other than class 1A situations, where supported by the truss/pipe, not on the floor and not as a cable drop, doesn't care what color the cable is. For Class 1A - believe it's 99 seat or more, (but would have to check), again it does not specify other than it need be extra hard service cord in longer than 3' lengths which as a type any form of SJ (Hard Service) cable does not comply with. As a theory, if there were a such thing as type STOOW cable, it would be fully compliant with any class 1A application of theatrical use. Plastic or not, it's a question of jacket thickness as opposed to stuff like scenery rolling over it.

Hope it helps. Below is the working chart I have made that's compiled of various NEC cable/wire descriptions. You will note the difference between stuff like TW and THHN wire - both in use in one's house at times and both perfectly acceptable during the say late 1970's. Lots of conductor/cable notes.




Wire Cord And Cable Types:
-2- High temp. Designation for 194̊F continuous use cable.
Vulcanized Insulators = Rubber
Non Vulcanized Insulators = Synthetic 
Neoprene Insulators = Heat, Oil, Gas and weather resistant.

AF- Asbestos 302̊F. Fixture wire,18-10 Awg. Heat resistant,With some moisture resistant types.300v. Max.
AL- Impregnated Asbestos Under 300v. 257̊F., Dry only.
AVA, AVB, & AVL Asbestos and Varnished Cambric, 194-230̊F., Dry with AVL wet.
B- Outer Braid usually of Glass.
Bell- wire usually low voltage, usually of 18awg. No rubber used, just 2 layers of cotton twisted in opposite directions.
C-Two or more stranded wires with flexible insulation for temporary use. Thermoset or Thermoplastic, Dry Use Only. Rough service wire, but not as nice looking as “PO”. Twice as thick in insulation but similar to “PO” with silk or Rayon top layer. Usually a yellow / green braided jacket, “Green and Yellow Cord”. No outer jacket to wires, just twisted single strands. Lamp Cord, 2 or more 18-10Awg. (Now is Thermoset or thermoplastic insulation with outer cotton cover.) Pendant and portable use, not hard usage in dry locations.
DBRC- Old Household, double braided rubber coated wire with cotton braid. Weather and fire resistant.
E- Elevator Cable, 2 or more, 20-2 Awg. Conductors, Thermoset, 3 layer cotton braided with flexible Flame retardant and Moisture Resistant Nylon jacket. For Elevator Lighting and Control in non-hazardous locations. Can incorporate 20 Awg Communications cable and or optical fibers within covering, and be permitted to be supported thru- center of insulation. “L.S” Designation =Limited Smoke flame retardant.
EO- Elevator Cable, Same as Above with one type available for Hazardous locations.
ET- Elevator Cable, Same as E, with a Rayon braid on each conductor.
ETLB- Same as E with No Braiding on each conductor.
ETP- Same as E with Rayon Braided Conductors and for Hazardous Classified Locations.
ETT- Same as ETP with No Outer Cover.
EV- Electric Vehicle Cord. 18 - 500 KCMil. Awg. Two or more conductors, plus grounding conductors and optional hybrid data or signal communications and optional fiberoptic cables. Thermoset with optional nylon insulation and optional braiding. Thermoset outer covering. For electric vehicle charging in wet locations and for extra hard use.
EVJ- Same as EV cord but 18 to 12 Awg, and thinner jacket.
EVE- Same as EV cord, but with thermoplastic Elastomer insulation and coverings.
EVT- Same as EV cord, but with Thermoplastic insulation.
F- Fixture Wire, 90̊C. 
FCC- Flat Copper Conductors, edge to edge for carpet, and under flooring.
FEP- Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene Insulation, Rated over 194̊F. Dry only.
FEPB- Same as FeP, but with glass braid or Asbestos type outer covering. 392̊F. Dry only.
FFH-2- Heat resistant rubber coated fixture wire, flexible strands, 167̊F.Rubber coated and latex rubber coated types.
G- 8Awg to 500 KCMil., 2-6 conductors plus Grounding Conductors. Portable Thermoset, Oil Res., Extra Hard Use. Stage and Garage Cable.
H- Higher Loaded Current Temp. May be used 167̊F. Max.
HF- ECTFE Solid or 7 stranded. 18-14 Awg. Ethylene Chloro trifluoroethylene. 302̊F. Fixture wire.
HFF- ECTFE Stranded wire, same as HF.
HH- Much Higher Temperature 194̊F. Max.
HPD- Heater Cord 18-12 Awg., 2 to 4 conductors. Dry Use Only. Thermoset or Thermoset with Asbestos covered wires instead of cotton, but similar to type C. Covered with cotton or Rayon. Not Hard usage.
HPN- Heater Cord, 18-12 Awg., 2 to 3 Conductors. Wet use, Light Duty Only. Oil resistant Thermoset. Non twisted.
HS- Heater Cord, 14-12 Awg., 2 to 4 Conductors. Thermoset insulation with cotton or Thermoset Outer Covering, Extra Hard Usage.
HSJ- Same as HS. But 18 - 12 Awg., Hard Usage only.
HSO- Same as HS. With Oil Resistance outer covering, Extra Hard Usage.
HSJO- Same as HSO but Only Hard Usage. 18 - 12 Awg Available.
HSOO- Same as HS. But with oil resistant Thermoset insulators, and oil resistant covering, Extra Hard Usage.
HSJOO- Same as HSOO but Hard Usage only and 18-12 Awg. Available.
IGS- Integrated Gas Spacer Cable, Exterior Use.
KF-1- and KF-2, Tape insulated fixture wire, solid or 7 stranded, 18-10 Awg. Aromatic Polyamide taped, 392̊F. Fixture wire.
KFF-1- and KFF-2 Stranded KF wire, note: -1- designates 300v. Max.
L- Lead Jacket.
MI- Mineral Insulated, Metal Shielded cable. Magnesium Oxide, 194̊F or 482̊F., Dry or wet locations, with copper or Alloy Steel outer covering. Mineral insulated and Metal Shielded.
MTW- Moisture, Heat and Oil Res. Flame Retardant Thermoplastic. Machine tool wiring in wet locations 140̊F. Or 196̊F. In dry locations with Nylon or Equivalent Jacket.
MV- Medium Voltage Cable, Solid Dielectric 2,001 volts plus.
N -Extruded Nylon or Thermoplastic Polyester, Tough and Very Resistant to Gas and Oil.
NM- “Romex”, Non-Metallic cable with paper wrapping between conductors and plastic sheeting. 
NMT- See RFH wire Below. (Non-Metallic Tubing.)
NMC- “Romex”, Non-Metallic cable with solid plastic sheeting.
O- Neoprene Jacket. See SO cable.
P- Rough Service appliance vacuum cleaner type cord. Flexible but like type “C”, coated in rubber like “POSJ”, encasing both strands with an appearance fabric outside layer.
PAF- Perfluroalkoxy, Solid or 7 strand, 482̊F. Fixture wire, 18-14 Awg. nickel or nickel coated copper fixture wire. See PFA wire.
PAFF- Stranded PAF wire, 302̊F.
PD- 18-10 Awg. Thermoset or Thermoplastic Insulation Cotton braiding and Cotton or Rayon outer covering. Pendant or Portable Wiring, Dry Locations, Not Hard Usage. Twisted Portable Cord.
PF- Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene, fixture wire, solid or seven stranded 392̊F. 18-14 Awg. Fixture wire.
PFA- Perfluorglkoxy, 194̊F. For dry and damp conditions. See PAF wire. 
PFAH- Perfluorglkoxy, 482̊F. Dry only, Raceway or Apparatus wire only. 
PFF- Same as PF wire, but stranded. 302̊F.
PGF- Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene, Glass Braided. 392̊F. Solid or seven stranded. 18-14 Awg. Fixture Wire.
PGFF- Stranded PGF wire, 302̊ F.
PO- Lamp cord with outer layer of silk or Rayon. Wires not Twisted but Parallel. Cotton yarn wrapping round twisted strands; Insulators of rubber on top of cotton, which insulates rubber from sticking to strands making it more flexible. Cotton layer atop Rubber, with Rayon or silk jacket enclosing two wires in parallel.
POSJ- New Replacement for “PO” using a rubber jacket encasing both wires, and does not fray like fabric wires, can be washed.
PPE- Portable Power Cable, 8 - 500 KCMil. With 1 - 6 conductors plus ground conductors. Thermoplastic Elastomer Insulation, with Oil Resistant Thermoplastic Elastomer Outer Covering. Portable Extra Hard Use. Rated for Stage and Garage use.
PTF- Extruded Polytetra Fluoroethylene, solid or seven stranded, 18-14 Awg. 482̊F. Nickel or Nickel coated copper fixture wire.
PTFF- Stranded PTF wire, 302̊F. 18-14 Awg. 
R- Rubber or Neoprene insulation. (Best Quality Rubber) Household Wiring.
RFH-1- Heat Resistant, Rubber Coated, 167̊F. 18 Awg. 300v. Fixture wire, solid or seven stranded. Also type “NMT” Fixture wire.
RFH-2- Heat Resistant, RFH wire, 18-16 Awg. 600v. with Latex Rubber or rubber coating. Otherwise the same as RFH-1 
RFHH-2- (LS) Limited Smoke Flame Retardant, Heat Resistant Cross linked synthetic polymer insulated fixture wire. Solid or stranded 18-16 Awg. and cross linked synthetic polymer with out jacket. No cover or NMT 194̊F. Multi conductor cable, and fixture wire.
RH- Thermoset, 167̊F. Dry and Damp only, Flame Retardant, and Moisture Resistant. Best Quality, Better than RH and RP wire. For Factories and like. Moisture Res. & Flame Retardant non-metallic Covering.
RHH- Thermoset, 194̊F. Dry and Damp only, Flame Retardant, and Moisture Resistant.
RP- Best Quality Rubber Insulation. 
RUH- Heat Resistant Latex Rubber 167̊F., Dry only.
RWH- Flame, Ozone and Moisture Resistant, 167̊ F. For dry and wet locations over 2,000 volts.
RWH-2- 194̊F. Continuous Temperature Thermoset. For Dry and Damp locations.
S- Hard Service Cord with two or more stranded conductors 18 - 2 Awg. with a serving of woven cotton between the copper and the Thermoset insulation. Jute or other “fillers” are twisted together with the conductors to make a round assembly. Outer jacket of high quality rubber or modern Thermoset. For Portable or Pendant, damp locations. Extra Hard Use. Stage and Garage Use.
SA- Silicone Rubber or Silicone Asbestos, 194̊F. For dry and Damp Areas. Silicone Rubber insulation with Glass or other Braided covering. (392̊F. Special Applications)
SBRC- Old Household, Single Braided rubber covered with cotton braid.
SC- “NEC” designation for Entertainment Industry and Stage Lighting Cable; rated 600 volts 8 - 250 KCMil.
Awg., 1 or more Conductors. Extra Hard Usage. Thermoset insulation and outer covering.
SCE- Same as SC, with PVC or Thermoplastic Elastomer Insulation and outer covering.
SCT- Same as SC, with TPE based thermoplastic Insulation and outer covering.
SE- Flame Retardant and Moisture Resistant, Hard Service Cord. 18 -2 Awg. 2 or more conductors, Use Underground, stage and Garage and not Fire Resistant. Thermoplastic Elastomer Insulation and outer covering. 
SEO- Same as SE But with Oil Resistant Outer Covering.
SEOO- Same as SEO, But with oil Resistant Insulation also.
SIS- Switchboard wire 194̊F. Thermoplastic Flame Resistant for Switchboards. Synthetic Heat resistant Rubber. Dry only.
SJ- Same as S-Cord, with Lighter Jacket 18-10 Awg. 2-5 Conductors, Thermoset Insulation and outer jacket. Junior Hard service Cord.
SJE- Same as SJ, with Thermoplastic Elastomer Insulation and outer covering.
SJEO- Same as SJE But Oil Resistant.
SJO- Same as SJ But with Oil Resistant outer covering. Same as SO cord, with an even lighter jacket.
SJOO- Same as SJO But with Oil resistant insulation also.
SJT- Same as SJ cord, except with outer jacket and insulation of (thermoplastic) Materials.
SF- Silicone 200̊C. Fixture wire.
SF-1or 2- Silicone Rubber NMT, 392̊F. “-1" is 18 Awg. 300v. “-2" is 16-18 Awg. 600v. Solid or seven stranded. Fixture wire. 
SFF-1or 2- Stranded SF, NMT wire. 302̊F.
SO- Cord, same as S cord, thermoset insulation with an oil resistant jacket of neoprene or similar material thermoset. Rated for stage and garage use.
SOO- Same as SO with Oil Resistant Insulation
SN- Synthetic rubber wire re-named “type T”, in 1947 from original 1940 code designation thermoplastic insulation, with no cotton required, not cold resistant.
SP- Rubber “Zip Cord”. 
SP-1- All Thermoset Parallel cord 20 -18 Awg, 2or3 Conductor. Pendant or portable use, Damp Locations, Not Hard Use. Not twisted.
SP-2- Same as SP-1 but 18-16 Awg.
SP-3- Same as SP-1 But 18-10 Awg. For Refrigerators, Room Air Conditioners.
SPE- All Elastomer, (Thermoplastic) Parallel Cord. 20-18 Awg. 2 or 3 Conductors. Otherwise same as SP-1 to 3 Cord.
SPT- “Zip Cord”, Fixture Cord, 2 or 3 wire Stranded, Designated by gauge and number of wires. Eg: “18-3" is 18 gauge 3-wire. Thermoplastic Insulation. Otherwise same as Sp-1 to 3 cord.
SRD- Range or Dryer Cable. 10- 4 Awg. 3 or 4 conductors. Thermoset insulation and outer covering. Portable for damp locations. 3-Conductor versions are not twisted.
SRDE- Same as SRD cable but Thermoplastic Elastomer insulation and outer covering.
SRDT- Same as SRD cable but with Thermoplastic insulation and outer covering.
ST- Same as S cord, except with outer jacket of (thermoplastic) Materials. 18-2 Awg. 2 or more Conductors. Rated for Stage and Garage Use. 
SV- Same as SJ Cord, with an even Lighter Jacket. Vacuum cleaner cord. 18-16 Awg. 2 or 3 conductors. Thermoset insulation and covering. Not hard use, pendant or portable, damp locations.
SVE- Same as SV cord but with Thermoplastic Elastomer insulation and covering.
SVO- Same as SV cord but with Thermoset insulation and oil resistant Thermoset covering.
SVT- Same as SV cord with outer jacket of (therm plastic) Materials.
T- Wire wrapped in thermoplastic insulation for protection from below 32̊ to 150̊. Tinsel Cord 140̊F,(TP, TS, TPT, TST)
TA- Thermoplastic and Asbestos, 194̊F., Switchboard use only.
TC- Signal Wire, Power and Control.
TW- T-Wire with water-resistant insulation. Should not be buried directly in ground. 140̊ Flame Retardant, Heat and Moisture resistant thermoplastic.
TBS- Thermoplastic with Fibrous outer braid, 194̊F. Fire Retardant (Switch Boards).
TBWP- Triple Braided weather proof with no rubber used, 3 layers of water proof cotton used on single wire outdoors services.
T2- Thermoplastic covered fixture wire, solid or 7 stranded. 140̊F. 18-16 Awg. Fixture Wire.
TFE- Extended Polytetrafluoroethylene. 482̊F. Dry Locations only, Apparatus or Raceway lead wiring or open wiring, Avl. With Nickel or nickel coated copper wire only.
TFF- Same as T2 wire but stranded, 140̊F.
TFN- Heat Resistant Thermoplastic covered fixture wire of solid or seven strands. 18-16 Awg. And a nylon jacket or equivalent covering 194̊F.
TFNN- Same as TFN but stranded.
THW- TW-Wire 167̊F. With heavier heat resistant insulation. Dry and Wet Locations, Flame Retardant. (194̊F. Special Applications within electric discharge lighting equipment, 1,000w. open circuits or less.)
THHN- Thermoplastic 194̊F. Insulation with outer nylon (or equivalent) jacket Heat Resistant, Flame Retardant with nylon or equivalent jacket. Dry and Damp Locations.
THHW- Thermoplastic 167̊F. Wet Locations. Flame Retardant, Heat Resistant. (194̊F. Dry Locations.)
TFE- Extruded Polytetra Fluoroethylene. 482̊F. Dry areas only for Apparatus and raceway wiring or open wiring.
THWN- Thermoplastic insulation, 167̊F. with outer nylon (or equivalent) jacket; Flame Retardant, Heat and Water Resistant.
TPE - ‘Flexalloy is a PVC based UHMW therrmoplastic elastomer from Teknor Apex, Vinyl Division, that is billed as being “lighter, more flexible, and more resistant to extreme cold” than cable producted with conventional compounds. Coast Wire and Plastics Technology is using it to jacket a new line of cable that they manufacture, called FlexOLite Touring Cable. The Flexalloy compound is used for the inner insulation and for the outer jacket. “One bigh advantage of Flexalloy vinyl TPE for insulation and jacketing is that it weighs only half as much as rubber,” - Jim Crisman, VP of the Entertainment Div. Of Coast Wire (PLSN p77 Cable Construction, Nov. 2003.
TPT- Parallel Tinsel cord. 27 Awg. 2 conductor. Thermoplastic insulation and covering. Attached to an appliance rated at not more than 50 watts and not more than 8 feet away with a special connector, for damp locations and not hard, but extremely flexible use. Not Twisted conductors.
TS- Jacketed Tinsel cord. 27 Awg. 2 conductor. Thermoset insulation and covering, same as TPT otherwise.
TST- Same as TS cord but with thermoplastic insulation and covering.
UF- Underground Feeder and Branch Circuit Cable, 140̊F. a water proof version of NMC, rated for burial in the ground. 
USE- Underground Service Entrance Cable not fire resistant but high temp. Wire 167̊F. Replaces Lead shielded cable. Heavily rubber coated, with outer covering extra water resistant, can also be type “T” with thermoplastic protection.
V- Varnished Cambric, #6 to MCM2000, 185̊F., Dry use only.
W- Cord Rated 2,000 volts Extra Hard Usage; 8-500 KCMil. 1-6 conductors. Replaced welding cable as in acceptable stage cable until type SC was developed. Thermoset insulation with Oil Resistant Thermoset cover. Rated for Stage and garage use.
X- Crossed linked Synthetic polymer, Very Tough, Moisture and Heat Resistant. Fixture wire.
XF- Same as X wire but solid or seven stranded, 302̊F. 300v. 18-10Awg. Cross-Linked Polyolefin.
XFF- Same as XF, but stranded.
XHH- Thermoset, 194̊F. Dry and damp locations. Flame Retardant.
XHHW- Moisture Resistant Thermoset, 194̊F. For dry and Damp locations and 167̊F. For wet locations. Flame Retardant, and moisture resistant.
Z-Dry and Damp Locations, 194̊F.(302̊F.Dry locations in special applications) Modified Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene.
ZF- Modified ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, solid or seven stranded, 18-14 Awg. same as Z above, 302̊F. Fixture Wire.
ZFF- Same as ZF above but stranded.
ZHF- High temperature modified ETFE solid or seven stranded. 392̊F. 18-14 Awg. Fixture wire.
ZW- Modified Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene Wet Locations, 167̊F.; (194̊F. Dry and Damp; 302̊F. Dry, special Applications).


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## Van (Jan 19, 2007)

Ship one of these days I going to come to Chicago and take you to lunch ! < it is Chicago right ? >


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## Chris15 (Jan 19, 2007)

Van said:


> Ship one of these days I going to come to Chicago and take you to lunch ! < it is Chicago right ? >



If I am ever in the states I would be very tempted to do the same...


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## gafftaper (Jan 20, 2007)

Another amazing post from the big guy which is now copied and pasted into a word document and stashed in my teaching files... I've got a whole graduate course in that folder now. By the way, this one's 9 pages long in Word. 

You Da Man Ship!! If I'm ever in Chicago I'm buying at Lou Malnati's.


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## ship (Jan 22, 2007)

Ah' the roaches in some of the "trendy places..." Not persay Lou's place but in general as a concept of what's trendy... roaches crawing across one's table as part of the side show entertainment... been there, done that. You do of course realize that much of Chicago's sewer system was or still is at some point wood, much less much of it's neighborhoods were raised a few fet so as to allow for sewers to be installed? Love Chicago, raised about it, miss it in many ways especially the 24 hour Home Depot, - except for ducking down on the floor of my apartment during gang gunfire outside the windows. - Don't miss that so much now that I'm way out into the middle of nowherere and the corn fields, or the winter parking "regulations." Here I cleared myself a spot and it was quickly stolen... take an available spot and the next morning I find the lug nuts on my car removed and within feet of pulling out of the parking spot, my wheel falls off... Got a garage these days... much less no lawn furniture or hour spent in finding a available parking space that someone might not claim as theirs marked or not... Chicago love and miss the city, miss stuff about it... not the Unions or the gangs, or the bumbs, or the parking or the guys pulling into turn lanes so as to "make a mistake" and speed past you having waited in getting to the head of the stop light line, or those cutting into = because they after the 100th time in getting where they were going, just never realized that they were in the wrong lane of traffic and instead need to cut in. This or they were too important to wait in line... These days I more likely wait in line with the rest who make the best of their "gotta have a traffic jam" personality types. Stop sign or stop light, much less 25mph in a 40mph speed zone, yep that stop light might go red so I had at best slow down in waiting for it to do so... darned, I missed it going red.. Guess I had at best go extra slow in missing the next light. It's rush hour, we are not a city unless I go extra slow in making it such by way of trafic jams.

Used to think in a South Park type of way that during rush hour, there were old people employed or with the goal of making traffic jambs while I was city commuting. That old guy that during rush hour got in the fast lane and did keep his 100 yard distance between him and the car in front and similar types. I call them "In-grown traffic jambs." Sort of like an ingrown toe nail - something you can't help but is seriously painful when following. Anyway, out in the corn fields where there is roads you just don't travel during winter snow storms, I live out on the far boon docks of the city now... love/hate it these days.


I don't live in Chicago any longer, though still prefer the Local Chicago broadcasts as opposed to the more local Rockford boradcasts these days, none the less, it's rare I do a real city trip these days. Still visits and tours are welcome. Chris now also works where I work and if not me, he would give the tour and all that stuff.

None the less, let all the above SE verses SO verses Euro class SO cable be noted that it's a selective impression and opinion of cable. I have noted such stuff recently as the buyer for cable where I work. I had the choice to buy SE cable, tried it and didn't like it. In the past year have experienced lots of Euro grade domestic compliant cable and also don't like it. This was however testing on my part and not some real history to cable or overall knowledge of cable other than what I recollect.


Dinner, believe that it's the host's job to buy... On cable= the above is my observation of late, you won't find me buying much Euro cable in the future. This after long ago also having crossed off SE cable from the purchase list.

STill I'm a simple person. Just want what I find that works well. IN being simple I give heck to my suppliers in supplying me given this. Some like the challenge, others put my face on their dart board in a corporate frustration type of way. I respect that, but still only buy what I find that works well.


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