Wire and Cable

Color Code Wire and Cable Types

The Code specifies the colors of wire insulation so All wire insulation must also be labeled, identifying
that it is obvious which wires serve which functions the type of insulation:
(hot, neutral, or grounding): H—heat resistant
Black—hot; connects to the darkest terminal R—rubber
screw on a receptacle or switch T—thermoplastic
Red—second hot wire when there are two, as W—water resistant
in a 240-volt circuit All wire insulation must also be labeled, identifying
White—neutral wire; connects to the silver the type of insulation:
terminal screw on a receptacle or switch AC—armored (metal jacket) cable
Bar or green—grounding wire; connects to C—corrosion resistant
the green-tinted screw on a receptacle, switch, fix- F—feeder
ture, or appliance. NM—nonmetallic
The Code allows a white wire to be used as a U—underground
black wire if its end is visibly painted or taped black. SE—service entrance

Wire (Single-Lead) Labels

Wire Type Label Specifications
Thermoplastic vinyl T General purpose to 140°F (60°C)
TW General purpose to 140°F (60°C) and water resistant
THW General purpose to 167°F (75°C) and water resistant
Rubber R General purpose indoor-only to 140°F (60°C)
RW General purpose indoor-only to 140°F (60°C) and water resistant
Rubber and cotton braid RH General purpose to 167°F (75°C)
RHH General purpose to 194°F (90°C)
RHW General purpose to 167°F (75°C) and water resistant
RH/RW General purpose to 167°F (75°C) dry and 140°F (60°C) wet
Cotton braid WP Weatherproof for overhead outdoors

Cable (Multiple-Lead) Labels

Wire Type Label Specifications
Thermoplastic vinyl T General purpose to 140°F (60°C)
TW General purpose to 140°F (60°C) and water resistant
THW General purpose to 167°F (75°C) and water resistant
Rubber R General purpose indoor-only to 140°F (60°C)
RW General purpose indoor-only to 140°F (60°C) and water resistant
Rubber and cotton braid RH General purpose to 167°F (75°C)
Cotton braid WP Weatherproof for overhead outdoors

352 WIRING
Ampacity The IRC specifies the current-carrying capacity
Because all wire has electrical resistance, the flow (ampacity) of wires depending on their size, insu-
of electrons (current) generates heat and raises the lation type, and temperature rating, as shown in
temperature of the conductor, posing a fire danger. the table below.

Ampacity of Copper Wire in Cable and Conduit

Conductor Temperature Rating

60°C 75°C 90°C 60°C 75°C 90°C

RHW. THHW RHW-2, THHN, THHW RHW. THHW RHW-2, THHN, THHW
THW, THWN, THW-2, THWN-2 THW, THWN, THW-2, THWN-2
TW, UF XHHW, USE XHHW, XHHW-2, USE-2 TW, UF XHHW, USE XHHW, XHHW-2, USE-2

Size, AWG Copper Aluminum or Copper-Clad Aluminum

18 — — 14 — — —
16 — — 18 — — —
14 20 20 25 — — —
12 25 25 30 20 20 25
10 30 35 40 25 30 35
8 40 50 55 30 40 45
6 55 65 75 40 50 60
4 70 85 95 55 65 75
3 85 100 110 65 75 85
2 95 115 130 75 90 100
1 110 130 150 85 100 115
1/0 125 150 170 100 120 135
2/0 145 175 195 115 135 150
3/0 165 200 225 130 155 175
4/0 195 230 260 150 180 205

Recommended Maximum Length of Branch Circuits, Ft

Circuit Amperage

Size, AWG 5 10 15 20 30 40 50
14 234 117 78 — — — —
12 517 187 124 93 — — —
10 595 298 198 149 99 — —
8 — — — 236 157 118 —
6 — — — — — 183 146
4 — — — — — — 234

Wire and Cable 353

 Electrical Boxes
All wire connections, whether to switches, recepta-
cles, and light fixtures or as junctions between branch
circuits, must be made within a code-approved box
having an approved cover plate. The code specifies
the number of conductors allowed on the basis of
box volume.
By conductor, the code means anything that
occupies an equivalent volume. To arrive at the
number of conductors, add the following:
• each wire terminating in the box.
• each wire running unbroken through the box.
• each device, such as a switch or receptacle.
• each cable clamp or fixture stud.
• all grounding wires lumped as one.
ox volume is usually stamped on the box. If not,
B
compute the volume from the inside dimensions.
Box extensions and covers having volume add to the
total volume.
The table below lists the conductor capacities of
most available boxes.

Maximum Number of Conductors in Metal Boxes

Maximum Number of Conductors1

Box Dimensions, in Capacity, cu in No. 18 No. 16 No. 14 No. 12 No. 10 No. 8 No. 6
4 × 11⁄4 round or octagonal 12.5 8 7 6 5 5 4 2
4× 11⁄2 round or octagonal 15.5 10 8 7 6 6 5 3
4× 21⁄8 round or octagonal 21.5 14 12 10 9 8 7 4
4 × 11⁄4 square 18.0 12 10 9 8 7 6 3
4 × 11⁄2 square 21.0 14 12 10 9 8 7 4
4× 21⁄8 square 30.3 20 17 15 13 12 10 6
411⁄16 × 11⁄4 square 25.5 17 14 12 11 10 8 5
411⁄16 × 11⁄2 square 29.5 19 16 14 13 11 9 5
411⁄16 × 21⁄8 square 42.0 28 24 21 18 16 14 8
3×2× 11⁄2 device 7.5 5 4 3 3 3 2 1
3 × 2 × 2 device 10.0 6 5 5 4 4 3 2
3 × 2 × 21⁄4 device 10.5 7 6 5 4 4 3 2
3 × 2 × 21⁄2 device 12.5 8 7 6 5 5 4 2
3×2× 13⁄4 device 14.0 9 8 7 6 5 4 2
3×2× 31⁄2 device 18.0 12 10 9 8 7 6 3
4 × 21⁄8 × 11⁄2 device 10.3 6 5 5 4 4 3 2
4 × 21⁄8 × 17⁄8 device 13.0 8 7 6 5 5 4 2
4× 21⁄8 × 21⁄8 device 14.5 9 8 7 6 5 4 2
33⁄4 ×2× 21⁄2 masonry box/gang 14.0 9 8 7 6 5 4 2
33⁄4 × 2 × 31⁄2 masonry box/gang 21.0 14 12 10 9 8 7 4
1
Where no volume allowances are made for clamps, fixture studs, hickeys, etc. as described in IRC Sections
E3805.12.2.2 through E3805.12.2.5.

354 WIRING
 Common Electrical Boxes

Square Square extender Square box with extender

Plastic handy box Bevelled switch Ganged bevelled switch

Box with ears and clamps Wall box with brackets Box with side bracket

Round pancake Octagon box Metal handy box

Electrical Boxes 355

 Running Cable
With nonmetallic (NM) cable and plastic boxes,
running cable through walls and ceilings is fairly
simple. The more difficult part is fitting batt insu-
lation around the cable and boxes.
The illustration below shows the key provisions
in the International Residential Code:
• staple within 8 inches of a plastic box.
• staple within 12 inches of a metal box.
• staple every 4 feet 6 inches minimum along
framing.
• bore holes in middle of framing.
• cable within 11⁄4 inches of stud face to be protected
by 18 gauge metal plate.
• radius of cable bends 5 × cable diameter, mini-
mum.
Rules for ceilings and floors are illustrated on the
facing page.

Running NM Cable in Walls

Bend radius
greater than 5 times
cable diameter

Staple cable
every 4' 6" min

Staple within
8" of box with
no connector

Nonmetallic
box

Staple within
12" of box
with connector

Metal box
44”-48"

Holes over
1-1/4" from 18-ga steel
stud face over cable if
within 11/4"
of stud face
12”-18"

356 WIRING
 Running NM Cable in Floors and Ceilings

UNFINISHED BASEMENT CEILING

Any size cable may

run on 1x4 min.
running boards

Any size cable

may run through
holes in framing Any size cable may
members run through holes in
framing members

Cables larger than

10-ga may be
stapled to joist bottoms

ATTIC FLOOR WITHOUT LADDER OR STAIRS

Rafter

Exterior wall

Ceiling joist
Across joists
under eaves
Stapled to preferred
sides OK in
all cases
Across joists
OK only if attic
inaccessible

Light
fixture Thru joist OK
in all cases

Interior wall

Running Cable 357

 Running Conduit
The International Residential Code calls for wires to
be protected by conduit when run through concrete
or when otherwise exposed to physical damage. Two
types of conduit predominate in residential construc-
tion: electrical metallic tubing (EMT) and Schedule
80 PVC rigid nonmetallic conduit (RNC).
EMT is the easiest to use and the most com-
mon. All conduit comes in straight 10-foot lengths
and must be connected using only fittings appro-
priate for the application. Fittings (see the illustra-
tions on the facing page) are designed for either dry
inside locations or wet outside locations. Outside
fittings may be used either inside or outside.
Rules for Running Conduit
• Conduit is always run before the wire it will con-
tain. Wires are pulled though the conduit one
section at a time, using a special pulling wire.
• A special pulling fitting must be provided for every
360 degrees of accumulated bend in the conduit.
• Metal conduit is grounded, so no separate ground-
ing wire is required; the white grounded-neutral
wire is required, however.
• The size of a conduit is dictated by the number
and type of wires it contains (see tables below).
Bending EMT
Always use a conduit bender specifically designed
for the size conduit being installed. The illustration
on the facing page show the operation of bending
conduit:
1. Measure half the desired finished distance of
the bend. This is usually the distance to a wall.
2. For 1⁄ 2-inch conduit, add 21⁄ 4 inches to the
finished distance and mark the conduit. For other
sizes see the markings on the conduit bender.
3. Line up the mark with the arrow on the bender,
and pull back until the conduit makes a 90 degree
angle with no pull on the bender handle.

Maximum Number of Conductors in Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT)

Trade Size, in
Wire Type Size, AWG 1⁄ 2 3⁄ 4 1 11⁄4 11⁄2 2
TW 1/2 14 8 15 25 43 58 96
12 6 11 19 33 45 74
10 5 8 14 24 33 55
8 2 5 8 13 18 30
6 1 3 4 8 11 18
4 1 1 3 6 8 13
2 1 1 2 4 6 10
1 1 1 1 3 4 7
THW 14 6 10 16 28 39 64
12 4 8 13 23 31 51
10 3 6 10 18 24 40
8 1 4 6 10 14 24
6 1 3 4 8 11 18
4 1 1 3 6 8 13
2 1 1 2 4 6 10
1 1 1 1 3 4 7

358 WIRING
 Conduit Fittings

INSIDE (DRY) USE ONLY OUTSIDE (WET) USE

Coupling Coupling 90° connector

90° bushed elbow

Set-screw connector Connector

LB condulet LB condulet

Offset connector Offset connector LL or LR condulet

Pulling elbow

Corner-pulling elbow Side condulet

Back condulet

Break-apart elbow

Bending Conduit

BENDING CONDUIT MAKING A KICKBEND (OFFSET)

x°
1

Length required

x°
1
Length + 2 /4" 2
(for 1/2" EMT)

Finished length

Running Conduit 359

 Receptacles
Receptacle Types

120 VAC RECEPTACLE GROUND FAULT (GFCI) RECEPTACLE

Neutral
(long slot) Ears

Hot
Silver (white (short
wire) slot)

For cover RESET

plate screw Jumper
TEST
Brass
(black or
red wire)
Ground
(green or
bare) Ground

OTHER COMMON RECEPTACLES HOW THE GFCI WORKS

Fault Pickup
sensor coil

Toroid

Hot 1.000 A
15 Amp 20 Amp
120 Volt 120 Volt Neutral 0.995 A

"TEST"

20 Amp 30 Amp
240 Volt 240 Volt

Ground fault current, 0.005 A

30 Amp 50 Amp
120/240 Volt 120/240 Volt

360 WIRING
Switches
Switch Types

SINGLE-POLE/ THREE-WAY SWITCH FOUR-WAY SWITCH

SINGLE-THROW (used in pairs) (used between
(used singly) pair of three-ways)

Line
Common Common

Traveler Traveler Traveler Traveler

In-1 In-2
Position 1
Position 2
Out-1 Out-2

Traveler Traveler
Traveler Traveler

Common
Common

Load

Traveler Traveler
Line In-1 In-2

ON

Load Out-1 Out-2

Gnd Common

Switches 361