ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Half-Painted Wire?

I've just seen a roll of UF (12/2 w/gr) that has a very unusual couductor in it. Besides the Black and Bare wires there is what appears to be a Red that was painted White on 'one side' (half the circumference)

Is this something new, or some sort of defect?

Bill

Easy one...
This way for 120.
The other way for 240!

Maybe for this rule??

200.7(C)

(2) ......... In these applications, the conductor with white or gray insulation or with three continuous white stripes shall be permanently reidentified to indicate its use by painting or other effective means at its terminations and at each location where the conductor is visible and accessible.

I just went and looked at this again. The Red seems a little thinner than usual so it is more likely a White with Red paint on it. It seems to be fairly consistant throughout the coil (250')



I twisted the wire a bit so that you could see that it is 2 colors.

Bill

Bill:
We had a similar situation...500' spool #6 & #8 THHN Cu, full spool, factory wrapped).
Was supposed to be "black" and about 40% thru the spool it changed gradually from black to red.

Advised the supply casa, they advised the distrubitor & mfg. Had a call wanting to see it from sales rep. Told him to come to jobsite; he can see both ends.

HotLine1
John

Most rx has a 'born on' date
(proof they drink Bud?)
that can be traced via manufacturer.

methinks they just got done with 12-3 and did'nt clean the 'wire machine' guts too well.....

I've noticed recently on colored wires that they are actually white wire with a thin coating of the darker color over the white. So, it is possible that when they were coating the wire to make it red that it didn't cover good. Then somebody at the plant only saw the white and loaded it in the machine as white. Just a thought.

Bill:
That certainly looks confusing. On the new 12-2-2 w/g they use black and white then red and White with a red trace for two different circuits.
However I have noticed with some cable when I use the seatek to strip it with the black coating will come off and there is a white wire under this black coating.
Seems like the manufacturing process has cut some corners.
-Mark-

I've noticed that starting to happen on some brands of cable over here as well, although sometimes it appears that the white inside is almost a separate layer bonded to the outer red or black. Strange that it's the more expensive brands being made like that now.

In the early seventies, larger Anaconda THW was extruded that way. Didn't need white tape—just a piece of emery cloth.