The ratings and specifications associated with electrical wire and cable can be a mouthful, to say the least. A mouthful is one thing when you understand what you’re working with and not so great when you don’t. So this post will attempt to make short of a long-winded qualifier like “10 AWG solar PV multi-conductor tray cable.”

In the event you have done any home wiring, or just some basic projects like making a lamp or wiring a series of lights, you might be familiar with a term like “6 AWG wire.” Which is actually far, far more nonspecific than you might assume, especiall

There’s more to electrical wire than meets the eye, and some wires and cable types are better used than others in specific circumstances and for niche, specialty applications.

With that said, here are 6 attributes of electrical wire and cable that you should understand before undertaking any electrical job, no matter how simple or straightforward it might seem.

As you might expect, these have unique strengths and weaknesses which are generally application dependent. You can learn more about some of the common types of specialty cable here, along with why copper or aluminum wire is generally preferred for the application.

Solar panel cable, often adapted from other types of cable such as welding cable, is an electrical conductor used in some capacity or other in solar power systems. Here’s what you need to know from a very high level.