# So You Call Yourself A ME part 2



## ship (Dec 26, 2005)

78) Why is solder in old lighting fixtures harder to remove than new solder?
79) What is Alternating Direct Current?
121) At what percentage does voltage drop become un-acceptable?
122) When using a generator, how many ohms resistance can the grounding rod have?
123) What are the two types of feeder cable authorized for stage use?
124) According to the NEC 1999, what is the maximum allowable length of SJ cable for stage use?
125) How many amps is 12ga. THHN wire rated for?
126) How many amps is 14ga SJ cable rated for?
127) How many watts is 12ga. SO cable rated for?
128) What is the difference between a NEMA 5-15 and L5-15 Plug?
133) What is the difference between SJOW and SJOOW cable?
135) Why would 12/3 SO cable be rated for more in amperage than 12/19 SO wire?
136) What is the specified torque on a Camloc set screw?
142) What is the minimum size wire which should be attached to an NEMA L21-30 plug?
145) What is “Poor Mans 220?”
146) Why shouldn’t Gaffers tape be used over electrical connections on stage? (2 reasons)
150) Why aren’t twofers without molded junctions approved of by the NEC?
151) What is the proper name for Greenfield or BX cable?
152) What does the NEC say about attaching a 25' or longer Edison cable directly to a service panel - why?
156) 2/0 SC Cable is rated for how many Amps?
163) Which lamp base is bigger: candelabra, Intermediate, or mini candelabra?
177) What does cmils have to do with wire?.
178) What two colors are the neutral wire allowed to be according to the NEC?
179) On European cable wired for 120v. what color is the neutral supposed to be?
180) On Zip Cord or SPT-2, what determines which wire is the neutral?
184) The grey wire on an electronic component is what?
185) 18' is the minimum NEC height of a service drop over a sidewalk, private driveway, or street?
186) What happens inside a standard circuit breaker when it trips?
187) How do you tie a UL knot?
194) In a 1900 type box, If the frame of a standard receptacle/outlet is grounded, why does the NEC say you should still run a ground wire to the conduit box?
197) Why won’t a GFCI protect against shorts, or overloads?
198) When the neutral conductor touches a grounded surface such as a metal outlet box on the load side of a GFCI, the GFCI will do what?
199) What two applications can you not use a GFCI receptacle for?
200) What is the difference between a 3-way and 4-way switch?
201) What does the break-off tab on a receptacle do?
203) On a switched circuit feeding through the lampholder, there are three wires, the Black, White and Red, which two wires would be correct to use to feed the lampholder?
205) The wires connected to the “A” and “B” terminals on a 3-way switch are called what? What color are they?
209) Are you allowed to ground to sewer pipes? Why? What about water inlet pipes and regulations for them?
216) Name three ways you can reduce grounding rod resistance in the soil.
217) What is the difference between grounded, bonded and grounding conductors?
219) What is the difference between time delay and dual element fuses?
221) How do you “Float the Ground?”
222) Do you count the neutral wire when determining the capacity of multi-cable or raceways?
225) What is the current recommended practice for which side is up on a receptacle and why?
226) When mounted horizontally, which side of a receptacle should be mounted up?
227) Under what conditions can you use a ground-lift adaptor?
228) What is a DPDT Switch?
235) Why are household dimmers in a cord fed quad box frowned upon by the code?
238) How many Edison cube taps can you stack?
243) Would a GFCI preform properly if fed by a 12/2 SPT-2 (Zip Cord)? Why or why not?
255) How many volts does analog run off of?
256) Which pin on a 3-pin XLR plug is the positive?
259) Rubber such as the jacket of wire has bad chemical resistance to two things, which are they? Acids, Alcohol, Caustic Bases, Gasoline, Grease, Kerosene, Oil, Solvents, or Water? 
260) Which of the following has only fair chemical resistance to grease and water? (The rest have good)
Nylon, Melamine, Phonolic, Urea, Ployvinyl Chloride, Polycarbonate, or Rubber
261) Which material has the best continuous temperature rating, Nylon, Urea, Phenolic, or Ployvinyl Chloride?
262) An electric motor is over-heating and it is not from the load, what is probably the cause?
263) What problems might a switch or dimmer mounted on the neutral leg of a lamp cause?
280) If the show lights suddenly dim, and it is not from the power company because it is only your lights, what is this an indication of and what will probably happen next?
281) What is the minimum amount of twists on a pigtail splice for a good connection?
283) Acid fluxes are more useful than rosin flux for tinning large wire. True or False? Why?
288) Of the two Strain Relief Inserts in a Bates plug with a flat and rounded side to each, describe the quantity and position of them when using 14/3 SJ wire, 14/3 SO, 12/3 SJ, 12/3 SO, and 16 ga heat wire in a fiberglass sleeve.
289) Why would the use of vinyl tubing be frowned upon by the NEC when used on a 16 ga power cord over a SJT jacket, into a plug?
299) What is the difference between MTW, THHN, and TW wire?
300) On a Slip Panel mount receptacle mounted vertically, does it matter which end is up, and if so, which end should it be?
301) On a twist Panel mount, such as a L6-15R, our 208v. connector, does it matter which end is up, and if so which part should it be?
302) If the Diversitronics strobe is 3,000 watts, why is it permissible to use a L6-15 plug on it?


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## CHScrew (Dec 27, 2005)

151) Armored cable
184) The gray wire is incoming power.
256) Pin 2
262) probably because of low line voltage. making the motor draw excessive current causing it to overheat


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## AVGuyAndy (Dec 27, 2005)

145 - I beleive it is the "dryer plug"
197 - Because that's the circuit breaker's job.
256 - A trick question.  Depends on the gear. Today's standard is pin 2, but it used to be pin 3
127 - 15a


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## ship (Dec 27, 2005)

AVGuyAndy said:


> 145 - I beleive it is the "dryer plug"
> 197 - Because that's the circuit breaker's job.
> 256 - A trick question.  Depends on the gear. Today's standard is pin 2, but it used to be pin 3
> 127 - 15a



145) not a correct answer though a dryer plug could be wired by way of this means.
197) urr... electrons don't follow union rules.
256) new to me, I follow the backstage handbook.
127) incorrect answer.


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## ship (Dec 27, 2005)

CHScrew said:


> 151) Armored cable



What "type" of cable/wire is this?


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## soundman (Dec 27, 2005)

7 Why is solder in old lighting fixtures harder to remove than new solder? 

Anything to do with the lead in the solder?

145) What is “Poor Mans 220?” 

two 110 drops twoferred together. 

197) Why won’t a GFCI protect against shorts, or overloads? 

As long as the current across the hot and neutral are the same a GFCI is happy, so and overload will not trip it. 

235) Why are household dimmers in a cord fed quad box frowned upon by the code?

Heat?

262) An electric motor is over-heating and it is not from the load, what is probably the cause?

not getting enough power

180) On Zip Cord or SPT-2, what determines which wire is the neutral? 

One wire should be ribbed and the other is smooth I think the smooth is the neutral.


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## ship (Dec 27, 2005)

soundman said:


> 7 Why is solder in old lighting fixtures harder to remove than new solder?
> 
> Anything to do with the lead in the solder?
> 
> ...



7) Could be, is there a change due to heat or age that goes on in such a connection?

145) Two drops of 110 together? Can you explain further? Wouldn't such a concept tied together create quite the short? Much less in 110v drops, that does not really answer the question other than if you know the answer.

197) Ding, Ding, Ding.
235) Wrong answer, check a specific NEC rule. Box cubic fill capacity in filling was not a part of the question. Speaking of that, ever read the instructions on a household dimmer about the question of cooling fins clipped off and the de-rating of the dimmer? A 600w household dimmer without all it's cooling fins is rated for how many watts? How many should it need to be located next to a duplex receptacle and half it's wings clipped off? Would bending down instead of breaking off the cooling fin/wing still allow maximum wattage?

180) Absolutely incorrect and something specified specifically in the NEC.


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## soundman (Dec 28, 2005)

145) Two drops of 110 together? Can you explain further? Wouldn't such a concept tied together create quite the short? Much less in 110v drops, that does not really answer the question other than if you know the answer.

Well using two 110 outlets that are out of phase from each other you can wire the hot to hot and get 220 and neutral to neutral to get -220. 

The other answers were more like hunches then fact based.


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## ship (Dec 28, 2005)

So how is this that you can measure 220 btween hot hot an neutral at the same time? Most meters I use only have two probes not three.

"Poor Mans's 220" is not a reference to 110v (mis-stated in voltage.) This much less in reference to te neutral.

You are very close in concept, but not really in term or application.

On the oter answers, they are good answers in general. Too bad that out of how many hundred members, others have not the guts or brass ones you have. One's hunch is often the best source for wiring. Rely upon it for keeping you safe, and in answering one's hunch, you learn different at times and will memorize what was different from unch. Given this, nothing wrong with having the guts to reply upon a hunch as long as it's on-line. This way once it gets to doing it in reality, such a question you will know for sure.


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## inspector_gizmo (Dec 28, 2005)

Its a little late, so I'm going to answer the ones I know off the top of my head.

123) What are the two types of feeder cable authorized for stage use?
Type S and Type SJ however SJ is very limited in use, leading us to question number 124.

124) According to the NEC 1999, what is the maximum allowable length of SJ cable for stage use?
The maximum allowable length of SJ cable for stage use is 20 feet and it must be protected from traffic.

128) What is the difference between a NEMA 5-15 and L5-15 Plug? 
NEMA 5-15 is a standard 15 amp edison plug, while a NEMA L5-15 is a locking 15 amp edison plug more commonly known as a twistlock.

133) What is the difference between SJOW and SJOOW cable? 
I believe that SJOW is a Jr. Hard service cable that is oil and water resistant, while SJOOW is a Jr. Hard service cable that is oil, water, and weather resistant.

187) How do you tie a UL knot?
A UL knot is tied by taking about 3 inches of the hot and neutral wires and making a loop with each wire, one going above and one going below then placing the ends of the wire through its opposite loop. Somewhat hard to explain, but i would be happy to provide a picture.

201) What does the break-off tab on a receptacle do? 
The break-off tab on a receptacle ties the terminals of the upper and lower outlets together, when the tab is broken it allows each of the two outlets to be fed individually i.e. a 15 amp circuit connected to the top part of the receptacle and a different 15 amp circuit connected to the bottom half of the receptacle.

228) What is a DPDT Switch? 
A DPDT Switch is a Double-Pole Double-Throw switch, a special type of switch used normally to disconnect both the hot and neutral as opposed to just a hot, common to loads such as electric motors or Ship's lamp tester.

I'm not sure how entirely correct my answers are, but I figured I would throw in my $.02.


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## ship (Dec 28, 2005)

inspector_gizmo said:


> 123) What are the two types of feeder cable authorized for stage use?
> Type S and Type SJ however SJ is very limited in use, leading us to question number 124.
> 124) According to the NEC 1999, what is the maximum allowable length of SJ cable for stage use?
> The maximum allowable length of SJ cable for stage use is 20 feet and it must be protected from traffic.
> ...



123) Wrong. I believe the question was "What type of Feeder Cable."
124) Wrong.
128) Correct
133) Wrong
187) Correct
201) Correct
228) Correct though if I'm switching a neutral it is only in rare instances and with high quality switches that guarentuee both lines are switched at the same time. Switching a neutral is frouned upon by the NEC. Lamp testers I build leave their neutral in tact and not switched. Not really a reason to switch the neutral on a lamp tester.


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## Mayhem (Dec 28, 2005)

DPST switches are commonly found with neon illumination in them (at least here in Australia), so it is fairly common to see both the active and neutral switched. 

Often see some people wire them incorrectly so that the neon is illuminated when the switch is off as well as on.

12V DC illuminated switches can be found with just 3 terminals on them, as the ground (negative) terminal is only used to activate the illumination.

Mains DPDT illuminated switches can also be wired this way, so that the illumination is retained but the neutral is not actually switched.

Enjoying reading the responses to these questions.


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## CHScrew (Dec 28, 2005)

ship said:


> CHScrew said:
> 
> 
> > 151) Armored cable
> ...



Sorry.

BX was a particular brand of ArmorClad Cable made by General Electric. It has a flexible aluminum or steel sheath over the conductors and is mostly resistant to damage


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## ship (Dec 28, 2005)

So type "AC" armored cable is what?


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## sound_nerd (Dec 29, 2005)

without reading the other replies, here goes.
78) higher temp solder was used
145) taking two 120v circuits, and combining them to form a 220v "circuit".
150) is it a stress relief issue?
163) candelabra
201) splits the receptacle into a two circuit, or at least a split feed unit. You need one feed for each the top and bottom of the unit, allowing you to have seperate switches or breakers for each plug.
228) double pole, double throw. Two lines can be switched between two different "on" positions, and an off.
262) not enough power getting to the motor.


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## ship (Dec 29, 2005)

sound_nerd said:


> 78) higher temp solder was used
> 145) taking two 120v circuits, and combining them to form a 220v "circuit".
> 150) is it a stress relief issue?
> 163) candelabra
> ...



78) Where does one find low verses high temperature solder? Could be a percentage of the makeup of the solder but probably short of asking Altman what grade of solder they were using in the 1970's for their cyc lights later in the 90's requiring a propane torch to melt to solder to, not a correct answer. There is some form of change instead that is going on I think within the solder given time and heat. Though I might be wrong.

150) while also a problem, this specifically is not referenced as part of the problem. Though in the past I have seen some other than factory modified strain relief fittings even by me doing so in making a strain relief more easier clamp two wires - also against code to modify a plug by the way. In the end - no matter if done or not in the industry, there is a specific reason that it is specifically against code to use the plug or connector as a twofer terminating device.

163) nope.
201) For the most part good and correct.
228) For the most part good and correct.
262) For the most part in laymens terms correct. Given this how does one correct for this?


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## sound_nerd (Dec 29, 2005)

ship said:


> sound_nerd said:
> 
> 
> > 78) higher temp solder was used
> ...



For the twofer issue, according to code and the design of the plugs, you may not nave more than one wire terminating in each sleeve of the plug? So, if making a twofer and terminating in the plug, you now have two wires in each sleeve, as opposed to the one required by code? 

As a side note, if this is the case, could you not have your twofer split out inside of a duplex box (or other elec. box) mid-cable?


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## ship (Dec 29, 2005)

Very good though the language I remember is something like "A plug is not an interconnection device."

Given a 1900 box is not a plug, than it would be permissible were 1900 boxes permissible in most instances to be installed on cord. Given they are not, it's not much of a worry. There are exceptions for the use of a quad box on a cable and it's often done to code or not, but it is not permissible as a twofering device by way of any normal standards or even four outlet standards. (This is a very much abused rule by even IBEW electricians.)

On the other hand if absolutely necessary and you comply with all other rules on the subject, and otherwise on the market there is no other solutions, than it could very much be. I at one point recently made a fused and conduit clamp mounted quad box into a Edison to like eight staggered cord IEC output device. Given there was nothing else available to mount on a truss and distribute power as needed, and it otherwise kept to professional standards, such equipment on a world tour to a major rock and roll show was not challenged. This given I don't use 1900 boxes for just about anything I wire. Instead Bell Boxes or handy boxes are much more useful.

None the less, the use of a quad box given there is other solutions for a twofer would also be other than compliant with code. Also, given some old time instances where a plug was the only option, using a 1900 box would be even more against code to use.

By the way, this within a volconizing splice of the cord is by no means used sufficiently in the industry. One might not believe the number of plug spliced twofers both from other companies or done by techies in the field I cut up per year. Such a thing would also and especially include a 120 to 208v adaptor which is hugely dangerous.


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## Radman (Dec 31, 2005)

With only the 2002 Handbook edition of NEC to guide me:

78 ) Why is solder in old lighting fixtures harder to remove than new solder?

older lighting fixtures were manufactured with lead core solder, and lead has a higher melting point than rosin, which is at the core of today's solder


121) At what percentage does voltage drop become un-acceptable? more than 3% drop at the furthest from the source, 5% elsewhere


124) According to the NEC 1999, what is the maximum allowable length of SJ cable for stage use?

Well, according to NEC 2002 it's 1.0 m (3.3 ft)


125) How many amps is 12ga. THHN wire rated for?

30


126) How many amps is 14ga SJ cable rated for?

15


127) How many watts is 12ga. SO cable rated for? 

20


128) What is the difference between a NEMA 5-15 and L5-15 Plug?

5-15 is standard 15 amp edison, L5-15 is standard 15 amp twistlock, the L designates locking


133) What is the difference between SJOW and SJOOW cable? 

SJOOW is oil resistant, SJOW isn't


135) Why would 12/3 SO cable be rated for more in amperage than 12/19 SO wire?

I'd assume because of the heat produced by so many wires next to eachother. I think a better way to put it is that 12/19 is rated less, rather than 12/3 being rated more


142) What is the minimum size wire which should be attached to an NEMA L21-30 plug? 

of the thermoset types, 8 awg


146) Why shouldn’t Gaffers tape be used over electrical connections on stage? (2 reasons)

I'll give you three: not rated as an electrical insulator, with heat it tends to crisp and fall off, and for the third reason, it's my one of my pet peeves!


156) 2/0 SC Cable is rated for how many Amps? 

200 (?)


177) What does cmils have to do with wire?.

cmil (or circular mils) is the unit of measurement the AWG (American Wire Gauge) is based upon


178) What two colors are the neutral wire allowed to be according to the NEC?

white and gray


180) On Zip Cord or SPT-2, what determines which wire is the neutral?

the wire without the sharp ridge is supposed to be neutral


184) The grey wire on an electronic component is what?

neutral?


185) 18' is the minimum NEC height of a service drop over a sidewalk, private driveway, or street?

street


186) What happens inside a standard circuit breaker when it trips?

a switch opens the circuit, I forget the specifics


187) How do you tie a UL knot?

I used to know that one


197) Why won’t a GFCI protect against shorts, or overloads?

gfci only protects against ground faults; shorts and overloads are not ground faults


200) What is the difference between a 3-way and 4-way switch?

1 way. 3 way has 3 positions, 4 way has 4 positions, 4-3=1

oh snap, brain blast! that was wrong, 3 way switch I think can have 3 switches in seperate locations controlling the same circuit, all functioning as if they were the only switch; 4 way works trhe same except replace the 3's with 4's


203) On a switched circuit feeding through the lampholder, there are three wires, the Black, White and Red, which two wires would be correct to use to feed the lampholder? 

black and white


more to come, need break


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## Radman (Dec 31, 2005)

201) What does the break-off tab on a receptacle do? 

when not broken off, it connects the two outlets so they are the same circuit. When you break it you can connect each outlet to a different circuit.


178) What two colors are the neutral wire allowed to be according to the NEC? 

in addition to the colors I already mentioned, any other color may be used provided there are three continuous white stripes along the length of the wire.


216) Name three ways you can reduce grounding rod resistance in the soil. 

salt, water, additional rods 


217) What is the difference between grounded, bonded and grounding conductors? 

grounded conductor is a conductor that is intentionally connected to ground, usually referred to as the "neutral"

bonded refers to permanently connected metallic parts to act as a grounding conductor that can handle any likely current

the grounding conductor is the actual wire used to connect to the grounding electrode (ie the green one)

This reminds me of the last show I did. I was having trouble with some parcans tripping the CB on the dimmer, and it was narrowed down to one isntrument. It was checked to see if there was a wire shorting somewhere inside, but it looked OK. The cable was checked for proper wiring, OK as well. Finally he checked the wiring of the fixture plug, aha! We often joke whenever we have to wire a bunch of plugs "so black is ground, right?" Well apparently whoever wired this fixture thought so! The ground and the hot conductors were swapped in the plug! I laughed at that one for quite a while.


222) Do you count the neutral wire when determining the capacity of multi-cable or raceways? 

what capacity? could you explain more?


226) When mounted horizontally, which side of a receptacle should be mounted up?

slightly confusing question, what kind of receptacle?


228) What is a DPDT Switch? 

double pole, double throw. has 6 terminals, in 2 columns of 3. 3 positions, one for each pair of terminals. center position=no connection; upper pos. = upper pair connected to center pair; lower pos. lower pair conn. to center pair. the columns are isolated from eachother so never connect


243) Would a GFCI preform properly if fed by a 12/2 SPT-2 (Zip Cord)? Why or why not?

yes, it will work; it measures the load side for leaks to ground, so as long as the load has a ground wire it will work, but the line side does not need to be grounded

255) How many volts does analog run off of?

10


259) Rubber such as the jacket of wire has bad chemical resistance to two things, which are they? Acids, Alcohol, Caustic Bases, Gasoline, Grease, Kerosene, Oil, Solvents, or Water?

oil and gas


280) If the show lights suddenly dim, and it is not from the power company because it is only your lights, what is this an indication of and what will probably happen next? 

indicates the end of a scene, usually leads ot applause


281) What is the minimum amount of twists on a pigtail splice for a good connection? 

guess is 3


288) Of the two Strain Relief Inserts in a Bates plug with a flat and rounded side to each, describe the quantity and position of them when using 14/3 SJ wire, 14/3 SO, 12/3 SJ, 12/3 SO, and 16 ga heat wire in a fiberglass sleeve. 

see the little square paper included with each plug (it's been a while since I have)


299) What is the difference between MTW, THHN, and TW wire?

besides the number of letters? MTW is Machine Tool Wiring, moisture, heat, and oil resistant; THHN is heat resistant; TW is moisture resistant; all are thermoplastics


302) If the Diversitronics strobe is 3,000 watts, why is it permissible to use a L6-15 plug on it?

the lamp is at a lower voltage

<hr>

There are a few I'm too lazy to look up right now.


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## ship (Jan 1, 2006)

Radman said:


> 133) What is the difference between SJOW and SJOOW cable?
> 
> SJOOW is oil resistant, SJOW isn't
> 
> ...



133) incorrect
142) incorrect
156) incorrect
184) incorrect?
203) incorrect


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## ship (Jan 1, 2006)

Radman said:


> 178) What two colors are the neutral wire allowed to be according to the NEC?
> 
> in addition to the colors I already mentioned, any other color may be used provided there are three continuous white stripes along the length of the wire.
> 
> ...



178) incorrect
222) Wire fill and conductors in a cable for determining amperage rating of the multi-cable.
226) When a Edison say duplex receptacle is mounted so the parallel blades are horizontal, which pin should be up?
280) If not intended.


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## Radman (Jan 1, 2006)

133) More specifically the insulation on SJOW is thermoset, while on SJOOW it is oil-resistant thermoset. Both have an outer covering of oil-resistant thermoset.


142) Aah?! Well my table only shows for 3 and 2 current carrying conductor cables, is that perhaps why I'm off?


178) From the 2002 NEC Handbook, 200.6(B)

```
... An insulated grounded conductor larger than 6 AWG shall be identified either by a continuous white or gray outer finish or by three continuous white stripes on other than green insulation along its entire length...
```

So I should have mentioned that green is excluded from "every other color."


222) No. Don't count it.


226) I'm gonna go with hot on top, reason being so if the connection is loose gravity keeps it on the terminal and off the enclosure. Gravity also may hepl keep it screwed down.


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## n1ist (Jan 1, 2006)

79) What is Alternating Direct Current?
Alternating current: Current flow switches direction 120 times a second (or 100 for 50Hz places)
Direct current: Current flow is unidirectional

122) When using a generator, how many ohms resistance can the 
grounding rod have?
The ground rod's resistance itself better be very low  Resistance to earth should be 25 ohms or less.

126) How many amps is 14ga SJ cable rated for?
15A, thoufh you need to derate if more than 3 current-carrying conductors (not ground or neutral ONLY in 3-phase use)
20A

35) Why would 12/3 SO cable be rated for more in amperage than 12/19 SO wire?
You neeed to derate due to heating caused by all the wires bundled together.

142) What is the minimum size wire which should be attached to an NEMA L21-30 plug?
30A plug - #10 wire

151) What is the proper name for Greenfield or BX cable?
BX is type AC (or is it MC?) Greenfield is LFMC

179) On European cable wired for 120v. what color is the neutral supposed to be?
blue

186) What happens inside a standard circuit breaker when it trips?
Either a bimetalic strip heats up to open the breaker or an electromagnet does it.

200) What is the difference between a 3-way and 4-way switch?
3-way is SPDT, 4-way is DPDT wired as a crossover. To switch a light from multiple places, you use 3-ways on each end and 4-ways in the middle.

203) On a switched circuit feeding through the lampholder, there are three wires, the Black, White and Red, which two wires would be correct to use to feed the lampholder?

In general, black is unswitched hot, red is switched, so the lampholder is wired between red and white.

205) The wires connected to the “A” and “B” terminals on a 3-way switch are called what? What color are they?

They are called travellers. They can be any color other than white, grey, or green.

216) Name three ways you can reduce grounding rod resistance in the soil.
Multiple ground rods, chemical ground rods or chemical soil treatments.

221) How do you “Float the Ground?”
You shouldn't. Using a 3-2 prong adapter and not connecting the ground tab or green pigtail, or by ripping off the ground pin of a 3-prong.

222) Do you count the neutral wire when determining the capacity of multi-cable or raceways?
Yes, in single-phase applications, usually not in 3-phase unless you have high harmonics

225) What is the current recommended practice for which side is up on a receptacle and why?
NEC doesn't spec this, but common wisdom is ground up, so something falling across the pins will bounce off the ground rather than welding itself across hot and neuitral.

226) When mounted horizontally, which side of a receptacle should be mounted up?
Hot

235) Why are household dimmers in a cord fed quad box frowned upon by the code?
They aren't rated for stage use. Also, a regular quad box (with knockouts) can't be cord-fed. Cord-fed boxes must have strain reliefs that thread into holes in the box.

243) Would a GFCI preform properly if fed by a 12/2 SPT-2 (Zip Cord)? 
Sure. The GFCI trips if the current flowing on hot and neutral aren't the same. It doesn't care where the current is flowing. Plug-in GFCI testers won't be able to trip it without a ground, however.

255) How many volts does analog run off of?
0-10V

263) What problems might a switch or dimmer mounted on the neutral leg of a lamp cause?
The shell of the lamp will be hot (and a shock hazard) if the lamp is turned off.


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## ship (Jan 2, 2006)

n1ist said:


> 225) What is the current recommended practice for which side is up on a receptacle and why?
> NEC doesn't spec this, but common wisdom is ground up, so something falling across the pins will bounce off the ground rather than welding itself across hot and neuitral.
> 
> 226) When mounted horizontally, which side of a receptacle should be mounted up?
> Hot.



Very expert. Introduce yourself and welcome to the forum. By the way, as with Radman and all others, feel free to question and challenge or answer all questions or correct other answers. This is not a me thing, it's more that I presented some questions and all should have discussion both on answers and questions answered both for what I'm saying yes and no to subject to my own memory and to what other's answer.

Believe that the above #225 was a change to the NEC . Though I could be confused on proposed verses actual changes. Never fails to amaze me on even new work how much is done wrong. 

However given both 225 and the code like description (I remember it as a 2005 code change), and 226, would it not make more sense the neutral is up? This in addition to the other question about medium screw lamp bases on what feeds the outer screw shell and why.

I was hoping someone would get #151 as an actual description and surprised by the lack of response to #178.


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## ship (Jan 3, 2006)

Radman said:


> 133) More specifically the insulation on SJOW is thermoset, while on SJOOW it is oil-resistant thermoset. Both have an outer covering of oil-resistant thermoset.
> 142) Aah?! Well my table only shows for 3 and 2 current carrying conductor cables, is that perhaps why I'm off?
> 178) From the 2002 NEC Handbook, 200.6(B)
> ```
> ...




133) incorrect.
178) Perhaps it’s a change, but in the first reply it’s no longer necessitated to be continious, and I have never heard or seen of this three stripe rule other than in rare instances. If you have a panel with all black THHN wires feeding it, one not marked, one with a single each stripe of red, blue and white or grey and one green at times, you know what is what thus what is acceptable. 

Where I stipulate and find a problem with the answer in general is the white or any “with stripe concept.” In general - unless marked, or not user serviceable with a guideline available such as in multi-cable, a black wire with a white stripe, or any color other than say green/yellow or white grey, would be hot in having a continuous stripe and secondary color to the main hot color. This gets into minor details of the code or multi-cable types having confusing stuff going on, but in general if I see a white with black stripe, it is hot. If I see a black with white stripe, it’s also hot.

Of your NEC reference, it states “continous finish” not stripe.

226) as the above thought or answer.


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## Radman (Jan 3, 2006)

133)  Hmm, now I'm stumped. The table in my version of NEC has them exactly the same except for that difference in the insulation. I don't specifically remember anything you could be looking for, unless one has purple lettering and the other doesn't. :/


178) The book says 3 stripes, so 1 stripe would not mean neutral, and therefore could still mean hot. Also just to clarify, when I said white AND gray, I meant white OR gray. I always see either solid white or solid gray, but which wire is neutral on a black zipline if one has a white stripe? Would you ever even see a cable like that?


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## ship (Jan 3, 2006)

133) see below... I believe much of it is what is currently in your NEC as with what's in earlier NEC texts by way of description. I won't answer the question, instead it's something that should be looked up below in figuring out the important difference.

178) Code also says that on zip cord the ribbed one is the neutral. That's been around for a while now. Think your code book is out of date. I studied the 99' version, you the next, I remember the changes to both. Think the 2005 version has corrected what we debate about in three verses one stripe plus the continious necessity. Neither of us has I think studied 2005 sufficiently. n1ist and others, you are welcome to jump in here as anywhere else.

On the other hand, if you open a service switch, pull box, or sub-panel and see five black wires inside it, one each is black, red, blue, white and green with a single stripe of color to each, would you really be thinking that a single white stripe is hot? That type of sensibility I think is move the motivation for this. For me, three stripes, while I have seen it before in use, is kind of a stupid rule.

If looking at some telephone cable looking multi-cable that has colors of every type and stripe on the other hand, there could be a good use for something like that. On the other hand, once it's multi-cable, it's non-user servicable parts and normally you get to use what ever wire fits your diagram as long as those servicing the equipment are able to meter or read the published spec for it. This such as on a Socapex cable where it's already common that wires marked as 13-18 will be a ground and even numbers a neutral, it would not be feasible to be using the three stripe tecnique.

Also given cable lay or where each conductor is inserted in a cable bundle, if one were to use the conductors of various stripe where they fall, one would also wind up with a rats nest worth of wires going everywhere. 

Three stripes, seen it done, about 95% sure it's only one stripe these days needed.

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

AF- Asbestos 302°F. Fixture wire,18-10 Awg. Heat resistant,With some moisture resistant types.300v. Max.
AL- Impregnated Asbestos Under 300v. 257°F., Dry only.
AVA, AVB, & AVL Asbestos and Varnished Cambric, 194-230°F., 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, 90°C. 
FCC- Flat Copper Conductors, edge to edge for carpet, and under flooring.
FEP- Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene Insulation, Rated over 194°F. Dry only.
FEPB- Same as FeP, but with glass braid or Asbestos type outer covering. 392°F. Dry only.
FFH-2- Heat resistant rubber coated fixture wire, flexible strands, 167°F.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 167°F. Max.
HF- ECTFE Solid or 7 stranded. 18-14 Awg. Ethylene Chloro trifluoroethylene. 302°F. Fixture wire.
HFF- ECTFE Stranded wire, same as HF.
HH- Much Higher Temperature 194°F. 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, 392°F. 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, 194°F or 482°F., 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 140°F. Or 196°F. 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, 482°F. Fixture wire, 18-14 Awg. nickel or nickel coated copper fixture wire. See PFA wire.
PAFF- Stranded PAF wire, 302°F.
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 392°F. 18-14 Awg. Fixture wire.
PFA- Perfluorglkoxy, 194°F. For dry and damp conditions. See PAF wire. 
PFAH- Perfluorglkoxy, 482°F. Dry only, Raceway or Apparatus wire only. 
PFF- Same as PF wire, but stranded. 302°F.
PGF- Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene, Glass Braided. 392°F. Solid or seven stranded. 18-14 Awg. Fixture Wire.
PGFF- Stranded PGF wire, 302° 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. 482°F. Nickel or Nickel coated copper fixture wire.
PTFF- Stranded PTF wire, 302°F. 18-14 Awg. 
R- Rubber or Neoprene insulation. (Best Quality Rubber) Household Wiring.
RFH-1- Heat Resistant, Rubber Coated, 167°F. 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 194°F. Multi conductor cable, and fixture wire.
RH- Thermoset, 167°F. 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, 194°F. Dry and Damp only, Flame Retardant, and Moisture Resistant.
RP- Best Quality Rubber Insulation. 
RUH- Heat Resistant Latex Rubber 167°F., Dry only.
RWH- Flame, Ozone and Moisture Resistant, 167° F. For dry and wet locations over 2,000 volts.
RWH-2- 194°F. 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, 194°F. For dry and Damp Areas. Silicone Rubber insulation with Glass or other Braided covering. (392°F. 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 194°F. 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 200°C. Fixture wire.
SF-1or 2- Silicone Rubber NMT, 392°F. “-1" is 18 Awg. 300v. “-2" is 16-18 Awg. 600v. Solid or seven stranded. Fixture wire. 
SFF-1or 2- Stranded SF, NMT wire. 302°F.
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 32° to 150°. Tinsel Cord 140°F,(TP, TS, TPT, TST)
TA- Thermoplastic and Asbestos, 194°F., Switchboard use only.
TC- Signal Wire, Power and Control.
TW- T-Wire with water-resistant insulation. Should not be buried directly in ground. 140° Flame Retardant, Heat and Moisture resistant thermoplastic.
TBS- Thermoplastic with Fibrous outer braid, 194°F. 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. 140°F. 18-16 Awg. Fixture Wire.
TFE- Extended Polytetrafluoroethylene. 482°F. 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, 140°F.
TFN- Heat Resistant Thermoplastic covered fixture wire of solid or seven strands. 18-16 Awg. And a nylon jacket or equivalent covering 194°F.
TFNN- Same as TFN but stranded.
THW- TW-Wire 167°F. With heavier heat resistant insulation. Dry and Wet Locations, Flame Retardant. (194°F. Special Applications within electric discharge lighting equipment, 1,000w. open circuits or less.)
THHN- Thermoplastic 194°F. Insulation with outer nylon (or equivalent) jacket Heat Resistant, Flame Retardant with nylon or equivalent jacket. Dry and Damp Locations.
THHW- Thermoplastic 167°F. Wet Locations. Flame Retardant, Heat Resistant. (194°F. Dry Locations.)
TFE- Extruded Polytetra Fluoroethylene. 482°F. Dry areas only for Apparatus and raceway wiring or open wiring.
THWN- Thermoplastic insulation, 167°F. 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, 140°F. a water proof version of NMC, rated for burial in the ground. 
USE- Underground Service Entrance Cable not fire resistant but high temp. Wire 167°F. 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, 185°F., 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, 302°F. 300v. 18-10Awg. Cross-Linked Polyolefin.
XFF- Same as XF, but stranded.
XHH- Thermoset, 194°F. Dry and damp locations. Flame Retardant.
XHHW- Moisture Resistant Thermoset, 194°F. For dry and Damp locations and 167°F. For wet locations. Flame Retardant, and moisture resistant.
Z-Dry and Damp Locations, 194°F.(302°F.Dry locations in special applications) Modified Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene.
ZF- Modified ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, solid or seven stranded, 18-14 Awg. same as Z above, 302°F. Fixture Wire.
ZFF- Same as ZF above but stranded.
ZHF- High temperature modified ETFE solid or seven stranded. 392°F. 18-14 Awg. Fixture wire.
ZW- Modified Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene Wet Locations, 167°F.; (194°F. Dry and Damp; 302°F. Dry, special Applications).


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## Radman (Jan 3, 2006)

Original question:

Ship said:


> 133) What is the difference between SJOW and SJOOW cable?



Argument:

Ship said:


> 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.



W designates suitable for damp or wet locations, so

SJOW (SJO+W)- Same as SJO but waterproof.
SJOOW (SJOO+W)- Same as SJOO but waterproof.

I don't see how this tells me anymore than my table in the NEC. The difference is the same as that between SJO and SJOO, so:

My answer:

Radman said:


> [T]he insulation on SJOW is thermoset, while on SJOOW it is oil-resistant thermoset. Both have an outer covering of oil-resistant thermoset.



So now I'm just plain confused.

Unlesss you are being picky on me leaving out that they are both waterproof, which really has no relevence the difference.


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## ship (Jan 5, 2006)

S - Rubberized,
J - Junior hard service Jacket
O - Oil Resistant outer coating to the outer jacket of the cable.
O - Oil Resistant inner coating on each of the individual conductors.
W - Water Resistant.

How's that for simple? this given there is differences in type S insulation would be the only flexible term here in what it's made out of.


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## Mayhem (Jan 5, 2006)

May just be because Australia doesn't use this system that I am confused by the way you have written this ship.

Desen't "O" just refer to the presence of an Oil Resistant coating, and it is the number of O's that determines jacket only or individual conductors as well.

Thus "O" indicates an Oil Resistant coating to the outer jacket of the cable.

"OO" would then indicate an Oil Resistant inner coating on each of the individual conductors (in addition to the outer jacket).

Thus the difference between SJOW and SJOOW is that whilst both have an oil resistant out jacket, the SJOOW has added protection in that the individual conductors also have an oil resistant coating.


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## ship (Jan 8, 2006)

correct.


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