Thhn thwn thwn 2 and xhhw xhhw 2 are a lot of letters to understand but they are two common types of building wire and its critical to understand the differences between the two in order to choose the best wire for your application. Welding wire is a perfect alternative to car audio wiring and to many the moderate difference in price is worth the headache with how stiff difficult that ish can be to work with.
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Primary wire vs thhn. This wire is a bare one conductor copper wire and is often used indoors or in conduit. Available in 100 ft 500 ft or 1000 ft spools come in carded packages that can be hung on racks or displays. 1gpt or primary wire. Thhn is a code for thermoplastic high heat resistant nylon coated wire which is allowed for use in dry to damp location and rated for a maximum temperature of 90ºc 194ºf. Thhn wire stands for thermoplastic high heat resistant nylon and as we can tell from the name this wire is made of thermoplastic material pvc insulation can withstand high temperatures and features a nylon jacketthhn wire is a building wire and is primarily used to carry electrical currents to external power sources. What is thhn wire.
The primary use for this type of wire is to run more than one conductor at. Take note that welding wire is designed to carry dc current in extreme conditions and surprise surprise is made of fine strand cabling large diameters of copper. It is usually rated to 80ºc 176ºf. This wire is rated for up to 600v and up to 90c. The biggest challenge for an engineer is to balance the best wire for the project and the budget. It features a multi stranded core and flexible insulation making it ideal for pulling through tight spaces.
The primary coating of thhn is nylon which is vulnerable in moisture and will eventually break down and the wire will erode becoming unusable. In addition to evan mccartys answer in the context of power distribution systems primary wire at least in the united states is a name for insulated stranded copper wire used in general purpose automotive and sometimes marine applications. If thhn is used as tracer wire when it fails the line will need to be excavated and the thhn wire will require replacement. Call for prices on larger size spools of wire. Thhn wire is the original version of the dual rated cable. This is the most common wire you find at auto stores.
Thhn wire is covered with a pvc jacket and nylon coating. Designed to withstand heat up to 194 degrees fahrenheit this resistance drops to 167 degrees if oil exposure occurs. Thhn wire is typically two conductor and found in the familiar romex style cabling that laces all homes and other structures. Wire is made in the usa. Thwn is a code for thermoplastic heat and water resistant which is suitable for use in both dry and wet locations with a maximum temperature rating of 75ºc 167ºf. Jtt primary wire is resistant to grease oil acids and available in ten bright colors for easy identification.
As its name implies it is a good general purpose automotive wire. The most popular sizes for thhn wire are 12 and 40 though other sizes are available for nonstandard projects.