Anyone see the color coded NM cable on the market yet. Why didn't someone think of this years ago?
I did have someone ask for Brown or Black once so it would blend in with the timbers in an old house. Couldn't find it though.
Got a link?
Bill
I just saw the ad for this. I only had one question, 'why'?. I don't see the advantage. You anyone like to enlighten me?
Bill,
This is actually colored colors. The ad is in this months issue of either EC Mag. or CEE News. I'll check when I get home.
Jim M,
One question for you..
How old are you and your eyes?
Just checked out southwire.com and they are making the wire. It looks like a great idea. Of course you will always have the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" guys but I love to see things changed and updated. Hope to see this new romex available soon.
Redsy,
I'm early 40's, eyes are fine.
I still don't see the advantage.
Me neither, unless they come in forty-two different colors... (One color for each of the maximum # of circuits in a panel...)
From southwire.com:
Southwire Company has announced plans to introduce a new line of color-coded non-metallic cable (Type NM-B) under the ROMEX® brand name that will offer inventory and installation advantages to the construction and retail markets. The new ROMEX Extra Color NM-B is color-coded by gauge size based on the following colors: #14 - White; #12 - Yellow; #10 - Orange; #8 and #6 - Black.
I wonder if sizes other that #14 will be available as white or colored? Hmm.
That makes it easy to tell what wire size I need on the truck. I wonder if three wire will be the same color as two wire, in the same size.
Years ago when electric heat and electric hot water tanks were big, we used to have red nm for the 240 volt circuits.
Jim,
My thoughts exactly. Look, grab, go.
OK, I'm beginning to understand now...
[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 01-21-2002).]
who needs vision?
we can gauge by feel, right?
It would be easier to visually follow circuits in exposed areas. I'm wondering what the customer critique would be on seeing all these different colors together where they run exposed?
Bill
I can guage by feel too... 14-2-G is a lot more flimsy than 12-2-G...
I'd be more interested in color coordinating for surface mounting on jenny-lynn walls! Yellow to match the wall paper... Brown to match the stained oak... (Just kidding...) Painted NM Cable surface mounted in old houses is the norm here...
Canadian Sparky... the RED romex wire for 240V is still widely available around these parts (Southern Ontario).
Virgil,
"jenny-lynn walls" ??
Help me out here, I may have heard the term, but can't remember where.
Please 'Splain
Bill
Well if your going to color coordinate a room with NM-B do the straps come in different colors too ? I mean afterall, if you run Brown on the stained Oak panel a white staple would look, well somewhat out of place. ?
Jenny Lynn Wall: A solid wall, built from wood planks or decking, much like a barn wall. Some are built in staggered layers. Popular building method in the late 1800's to early 1900's.
motor-t, yep, good point!
Now it's the
Product of the year.. !
I can't wait for all the 'designer' models to come out.......
Can't you guys just wait for the psychadelic version to be marketed? Far out man.....
In typical Ford tradition, for many years our equivalent of NM was available in any color so long it was gray.
These days we have the much wider range of choice and can buy gray or white, with cable clips to match.
Have any of you guy's used the color banded MC yet. Same great idea? Paul, this is a little closer to psychadelic. Of couse there have been times after getting hammered by a live circuit, everything was psychadelic for a while.
Roger
[This message has been edited by Roger (edited 06-29-2002).]
CanadianSparky--in the 1970s I remember seeing a remodeled home in SE Alberta that used new roofing panels called "aspenite" [OSB?] and some extra-fat gnarley orange 75°C "romex"...the conductors were more like THW (south) or TWH (north.) This was a few US-code editions before NM-B down here.
I read the article giving this award to Encore wire and they claim to have "invented" it, yet Southwire had it on the market in our area at least 2 months before any other manufacturer. Now it seems every NM maker is coloring the wires. We really like using it, it is so much easier to grab a rol of wire and know you have the right size without having to look closely. I would like to know why 6awg and 8 awg are both black, why not green and blue?
[This message has been edited by Electric Eagle (edited 06-30-2002).]
Jim,
Yes the 3 conductor cables are also coded the same color as their 2 conductor versions. I was told that the main reason for the color coding was to help inspectors identify the guages easier. I don't know if they meant home inspectors or county inspectors. It's available here in AZ at the big orange stores.
[This message has been edited by Brian Winkle (edited 07-01-2002).]