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To hookup
any electrical circuit from scratch, you will need a conductor to
connect the power (electricity) to a switch, outlet, and/or fixture,
such as a ceiling light. The type and size is the prime consideration.
Switches, outlets, and fixtures --- along with in-wall and ceiling
boxes in which the switches, outlets, and fixtures are connected
--- are matched to the conductor. For example, No. 6 wire for an
electric range would not be used to connect a lighting circuit that
requires a No. 12 wire.
TYPES
OF CONDUCTORS:
Technically, the metal through which electricity flows is called
a conductor. In the real world, it's called wire, cord, and cable.
That is how it is referred to in the stores that sell it.
Wire-
For practical purposes, a wire is a single strand of conductive
material enclosed in protective insulation. You can buy single-strand
wire off of a roll in any length you want. It is some times precut
and packaged in standard lengths.
Cord-
A cord is stranded wires encased in some type of insulation, such
as plastic, rubber, and cloth. Zip cord, for example, is two wires,
encased in a rubber-like insulation and held together with a thin
strip between the wires. You can easily separate the wires by pulling
them apart, hence the name zip cord. You zip it apart. Cord is used
for lamps, small appliances, and cord sets that have plugs and/or
receptacles on one or both ends of the cord. It is sometimes precut
and packaged, but is usually sold off of the roll. All conductors
are priced by the lineal foot.
Cable-
A cable has two or more color-coded insulated wires grouped together
within a protective sheathing of plastic or metal. Black (or sometimes
red) is the insulation color code for power or hot wires. White
is the code for neutral; green or green and yellow stripes for ground.
Or the green wire may be substituted with a plain bare copper wire.
It too is "ground." Cable is normally sold in precut lengths of
25', 50', 100' or 250'.
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