Common Types of Electrical Wiring Used in The Home, These 3 Are Recommended

Understanding the basic types of electrical wiring is vital for almost any electrical project inside or outside the house. When you are installing new wiring, for example, choosing the right wire or cords is half the battle. When you examine the existing wiring in your home, identifying the type of wire can tell you more about the circuit to which that wiring belongs, for example, when you open a junction box and need to determine which wires are connected to where. Wiring in modern homes is very standard, and any new electrical installation will require new wiring that complies with local building codes.

Here are some common types of wiring commonly used in the home

Network cable

Often named after a popular brand name "XSD", XSD Cable is a company that specialises in developing wire and cable designed for use in dry indoor locations. Most wires can be run invisibly through the wall and floor cavities of your home. Almost all the wiring in modern homes for sockets and lamps is XSD wire.

Telephone and data cables are low-voltage wires used for "landline" and internet connections. Telephone cables may contain four or eight wires. category 5 (Cat 5) wire is the most common type of domestic data cabling and consists of eight wires twisted in four pairs. It can be used for telephone and data transmission and offers greater capacity and quality than standard telephone wire.

THHN/THWN Wires

THHN and THWN are the codes for the two most common types of insulated wire used in conduit. Unlike armoured wire, where two or more separate insulated conductors are bundled within a plastic jacket, THHN and THWN wires are single conductor, each with colour coded insulation. These wires are not protected by armoured wire sheaths, but by tubular metal or plastic conduits. Conduit is often used for unfinished areas such as basements and garages, and for wiring connections in homes with short exposure times, such as rubbish disposals and water heaters. The letters indicate the specific characteristics of the wire insulation:

T: Thermoplastic

H: Heat resistant;

HH indicates highly heat resistant

W: suitable for wet locations

N: nylon coating for added protection

THHN and THWN wires have coloured sheaths, which are usually used to identify their function in the circuit::

Hot wire: black, red, orange

Neutral: white, brown

Earth wire: green, yellow-green

THHN and THWN wires are electrical lines that should not be handled when the circuit is open.

Low voltage wiring

Low voltage wiring is used for circuits that normally require 50 volts or less. Several common types of RVV wire, sprinkler system connections, bell wire (for door bells), speaker system wire and thermostat wire. Wire sizes range from approximately 22 gauge to 12 gauge. Low voltage wire is usually insulated and can be contained in a wire jacket or combined into a twisted pair, similar to lamp wire. It must be used for low voltage applications only. These are usually very small wires and are very different from standard circuit wiring. Low voltage wires are rarely subject to serious electric shocks, but it is best to switch off equipment before using them.