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Tagged with 'XHHW'

Choosing between THHN & XHHW wire

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Weighing the differences between THHN/THWN-2 & XHHW/XHHW-2 building wire


When it comes to building wire, two of the most common and popular choices for electricians, engineers & homeowners are THHN and XHHW (or the newer and improved THWN/THWN-2 and XHHW-2). These cables come in both copper and aluminum, can have solid or stranded conductors, and are mainly used for power distribution up to 600 volts in the construction of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.

While these two wire types are very similar and often interchangeable in their application, the differences are important to know in order to make the smartest decision when making a building wire purchase.


Wire Jacket & Insulation


The main difference between XHHW/XHHW-2 and THHN/THWN-2 is in the wire’s jacket. The different letters in names denote particular properties of each cable, and each provides the cable with varying levels of insulation:

 












THHN


T for Thermoplastic
HH for High Heat-Resistant, and
N for Nylon Coated

  • Temperature rating: 90ºC in dry locations



XHHW


X for Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE)
HH for High Heat-Resistant, and
W for Water Resistant

  • Temperature rating: 90ºC in dry, 75ºC in wet locations



THWN or THWN-2


for Thermoplastic
for Heat and
W for Water Resistant, and
N for Nylon Coated.

  • THWN temperature rating: 90ºC in dry, 75ºC in wet locations

  • THWN-2 temperature rating: 90ºC in both dry and wet locations



XHHW-2


XHHW-2 has the same properties as XHHW, but the "-2" denotes improved insulation.

  • XHHW-2 temperature rating: 90ºC in both dry and wet locations


 

 

 


The jackets on the THHN family are thinner than those of XHHW wires. This means that,
while more THHN can be fit into a raceway or fed through a conduit, its jacket doesn’t offer as much protection as the XHHW jacket—XHHW’s jacket coating is more resistant to chemicals, ozone and abrasions while THHN’s thin coating can lead to current leakage and can break down from chemical or environmental exposure, emitting a toxic smoke when burned.

 

Flexibility


Even though its jacket is thicker and more protective, XHHW is also more flexible than THHN wire. The XLPE insulation of the XHHW allows the cable to bend and flex better than the THHN’s PVC insulation—so XHHW is much easier to work with during the installation process.

 

Price


When comparing the price of the two wires, the equivalent gauge of XHHW costs somewhere between 5-20% more than its THHN counterpart.

 

Final Verdict


At the end of the day, the decision between using XHHW or THHN in their next project comes down to weighing performance versus budget. On one hand, THHN is the more popular cable with our customers and many would say it’s perfectly sufficient for what they need. On the other hand, XHHW has the features to provide increased efficiency and extended longevity.

Both cables are incredibly popular, each with unique characteristics that are advantageous in certain environments. The choice between the two really just boils down to the project at hand and the budget with which you have to work.

 




 

At Wire & Cable Your Way, we sell many sizes of THHN/THWN-2 & XHHW/XHHW-2 building wire with a wide range of colored jackets and sold either cut-by-the-foot or in spools. Follow the links below to check out our selection.









Shop THHN/THWN-2




Shop XHHW-2



 

500' Roll of 12 Gauge Wire - Price

Thanks for stopping by WireAndCableYourWay.com

Are you Looking for a 500' roll of 12 gauge wire for your upcoming project?

If so, please take a look at the following 12 gauge wires Wire And Cable Your Way has in stock below:

12 Gauge Stranded Copper Building Wire

1. #12 Gauge THHN Stranded Copper Building Wire

Click here to view price of 12 gauge THHN wire>>

THHN is the most common building wire, offered in several different colors, and can be buried in a conduit underground.

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2. #12 Gauge XHHW-2 Stranded Copper Building Wire

Click here to view price of 12 gauge XHHW-2 wire>>

12 AWG XHHW-2 is available by the foot and can be buried in a conduit underground.

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3. #12 Gauge XLP-USE-2/RHH-RHW-2 Stranded Copper Building Wire

Click here to view price of 12 gauge XLP-USE-2 wire>>

12 AWG XLP-USE-2 is also available by the foot and is rated for direct burial

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12 Gauge Solid Copper Building Wire

1. #12 Gauge THHN Solid Copper Building Wire (Multiple Colors Available)

Click here to view price of 12 gauge THHN Solid wire>>

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2. #12 Gauge XHHW-2 Stranded Copper Building Wire

Click here to view price of 12 gauge XHHW-2 wire>>

All of the 12 gauge wire above are in stock and can be shipped the same day ordered.  Most customers receive their order within 1-3 business days.

If you can't find exactly what you are looking for please call us! 855-880-8010

Until next time.

Your pal,
Willie

WireAndCableYourWay.com

Photo Of The Day - "Electric in Nature"

Trenched wire Service to Barn

Sending a thanks to our customer, James, for sending us this photo depicting the trench dug between his barn and his service pole.  We like the angle of this photo and how it captures two main points of connection - the barn and the service pole.  James purchased our THHN Copper Building Wire for the connection and ran it through a conduit which will then be laid in the trench seen above.

THHN Copper Building wire is very popular for this type of installation.

Click here to view our THHN Copper Building Wire Category>>

 

For our customers who think copper is a bit too expensive for their project, we offer a great single aluminum conductor and a URD Multi-Conductor Aluminum Cable.

Our Multi-Conductor Aluminum Cable (URD) is rated for direct burial while the single conductor must be buried in a conduit.

Click here to view our Underground Secondary Distribution (URD) Cable>>

Click here to view our single conductor XHHW-2 Aluminum Cable Building Wire>>

We cut all these wires and cables by the foot and can ship them out same day.

Feel free to call us at 855-880-8010 or visit us at WireAndCableYourWay.com to view our full product line.

Thanks for stopping by!

Your pal,
Willie

 

Wire & Cable For Wind Farms & Renewable Energy Projects

wind turbine farm

We here at Wire & Cable To Go take pride in supplying wire & cable for renewable energy/solar energy projects. From small home solar panel installations to big wind farm projects, we share a strong passion for clean renewable energy!

With that being said, we were very happy to receive these great photos from our friends & customers out in Hawaii who sent the above photos of wind turbines on a wind farm project they worked on for over a year. Their mission was to bring clean renewable energy to thousands of homes in the area and from what I hear their mission was accomplished!

They gave us last look on the job and we were able to ship them thousands of feet of Tray Cable (THHN/PVC) & XHHW MCM Cable on the same day they ordered. Plus, they needed the cable to arrive in 2 days so the project wouldn't be held up and we expedited the shipping with no problems at all!

Are you working on a wind turbine or solar panel project?

If so, we recommend checking the specs on the application and see what types of wires are needed. While some applications require PV Solar Wire & USE-2 Solar Wire others do permit the use for the cables below which we cut by the foot at no extra charge, and can ship out the same day!

If you have questions about your solar energy project please do not hesitate to contact us!

Thanks for stopping by!

Your pal,
Willie