What Kind of Wire is This ?

[Dennis D]

I had some outdoor lighting installed a few years ago and they ran one of the ( power ? ) wires in the expansion joint of a cement walkway. I was snowblowing the walk and cut this wire......I've exposed both pieces and can make the connection but not sure what wire I may have around here. It sure looks like old ungrounded extension cord variety . Or even antenna wire ??.....maybe low voltage ?
Here's what's written on the wire -

300 V VW1 C ( UL )
Type SPT-260C 2Xo.824 MM ( 18 AWG ) ( ?? )
Errowire or Ferrowire ??

What could I use to make this splice ?

Thx

[chasranney]

That's 18 gauge wire. AWG stands for American Wire Gauge. You can buy it at any home store. In the AWG system, the larger the number, the smaller the diameter. For example 18 guage is smaller than 16 guage which is smaller than 14 guage.

What you have there might not be appropriate for outdoor use. I refer to the insulation, not the guage.

Here's a copy/paste from the web :

18-gauge are used for low-voltage lighting and lamp cords in 10 amps. 16-gauge are used for light-duty extension cords supporting 13 amps. 14-gauge are used for light fixtures, lamps, lighting circuits with 15 amps.

[Dennis D]

That's 18 gauge wire. AWG stands for American Wire Gauge. You can buy it at any home store. In the AWG system, the larger the number, the smaller the diameter. For example 18 guage is smaller than 16 guage which is smaller than 14 guage.

What you have there might not be appropriate for outdoor use. I refer to the insulation, not the guage.

Here's a copy/paste from the web :

18-gauge are used for low-voltage lighting and lamp cords in 10 amps. 16-gauge are used for light-duty extension cords supporting 13 amps. 14-gauge are used for light fixtures, lamps, lighting circuits with 15 amps.

That's the wire the lighting company used when they installed the 5 lights & the transformer. Sure wish they'd have routed it a different way.

Anyway, thx for the help. I'm off to the store.

[bluejaybill]

Yes, most likely that is a low (12 volt) lighting system and not full voltage. Should be going from the transformer to the lights, not wall voltage to the transformer!

[Dennis D]

Yes, most likely that is a low (12 volt) lighting system and not full voltage. Should be going from the transformer to the lights, not wall voltage to the transformer!

...And I already hit the hardware store for wire and and got back here & tried to tape it and re-connect it - - and it's almost too cold to unwrap the elect. tape......

If this even works at all, much less 'til it warms up it'll be a miracle.....: ).......

Thanks.....

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I wouldn’t just twist and tape those back together. At the very least, use a weatherproof crimp-on butt connector on each lead and use heat shrink tubing over silicone RTV to cover them. If that splice is outside, water will get in and eventually weaken or destroy the exposed metal. Here’s a video that explains the principle - but the connectors shown are not weatherproof.

Your best bet if you can’t lay a fresh run of zip cord (or, far more preferably and code compliant, wire rated for outdoor use, which zip is not) is to ask for the proper weatherproof connectors at a good electric supply house.

[customxke]

I try and avoid bringing too much snark to the forum, but what on earth does this have to do with jazz guitar gear?

[Jx30510]

I'm with Customxke. While I'm open minded and fuss free, I ran thru the thread waiting to see some kind of link with pickups, wiring harness or whatever.. Nope
This thread should be deleted

[chasranney]

This thread can be moved to "Chit Chat and Introductions". No need to delete it.

[Jx30510]

Admit it 's a bit awkward talking about wire gauge for house and garden applications on a music site?
Well I guess it' s not that importancet after all.
Have a nice day

[Dennis D]

I try and avoid bringing too much snark to the forum, but what on earth does this have to do with jazz guitar gear?

It doesn't.

I just figured there's someone more knowledgeable than myself here who would read it and be kind enough to answer. Of course there was and I appreciate it.

Sorry to all and delete if necessary.

[chasranney]

No worries, Dennis.

FYI, the 1st three topics under Chit Cat & Introductions currently are:
"Literature", "My Definition of Wanker", and "Wanker = Putin". Your wire-guage topic would be perfectly fine there.

It doesn't.

I just figured there's someone more knowledgeable than myself here who would read it and be kind enough to answer. Of course there was and I appreciate it.

Sorry to all and delete if necessary.

[sgosnell]

It has nothing to do with jazz guitar, just like lots of other posts. If one doesn't want to read posts that don't address jazz guitar, one is not forced to click on those posts. It costs nothing extra to ignore threads.

[Hammertone]

Easy...

Q: What kind of wire is it?
A: It's speaker wire, to connect a guitar amplifier, via the speaker out jack, to a speaker cabinet, typically with 1/4" phone plugs. Looks like copper, which is good stuff.

Such an arrangement can be employed in playing amplified jazz music on a suitably-equipped guitar. Pro tip: using a nice lead cord can really help tie the room together.

[palindrome]

Isn't this the kind of wire Leonard Cohen's bird used to sit on?

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

It has nothing to do with jazz guitar

Then again, we’ve had at least a few posts about having left a guitar or an amp (we’ve had both a Fender and a Henriksen, as I recall) in the driveway and running over it. Eventually, one of us will do that on return from a late gig, and an ensuing snowfall will bury it. Thanks to this thread, that poor sod will discover it while snowblowing the driveway the next day and be able to repair the broken speaker wire in a hurry and be on time for the gig.

The more you know……….

[icr]

I use this type of connector for my 12V lawn lighting. All my lamps are spliced in this way.

[Dennis D]

I use this type of connector for my 12V lawn lighting. All my lamps are spliced in this way.

...So assuming the wires are these pretty plain vanilla 18 ga., and I hopefully use these connectors correctly, is it common practice for either the control box or outdoor power box to have a reset ? Neither box is eye level and both involve getting up close and personal ( so I can read the dials ), while sitting in snow..... : )

...and all this and still no guitar content.....: )

Thanks !!

[icr]

A transformer based (non-switching) 12V lawn light box might have the iron transformer, a circuit breaker, on-off switch, timer and photocell in the box.

[jazzkritter]

Maybe an in line fuse? Seen quite a few of those in outdoor lighting.
(Doing my subversive best to keep a friendly thread thatscfar away from jazz guitar arguments alive and well)

[Dennis D]

A transformer based (non-switching) 12V lawn light box might have the iron transformer, a circuit breaker, on-off switch, timer and photocell in the box.

....." Name five things I could screw up by just looking at them, besides my back. ".....

[Dennis D]

Maybe an in line fuse? Seen quite a few of those in outdoor lighting.
(Doing my subversive best to keep a friendly thread thatscfar away from jazz guitar arguments alive and well)

......Forgot about the possibility of a fuse......

Maybe the best idea is to declare this project, and the thread that resulted from it, as 'now awaiting a professional' ...

So now, it will join the choir invisible, be gone to meet its maker, cease to be, and be bereft of life. It will be, in short, an ex-thread !!

Lots of thanks to all !! : )

[sgosnell]

It shouldn't be that hard to repair or replace the wiring. It's low voltage. If you follow the wire (might be difficult, requiring digging) you should be able to find out where it terminates, on each end. That should tell you what it's for. Then you can decide whether it's necessary to pay someone to repair/replace it. It might be part of something you no longer use, or even never used.

[Dennis D]

It shouldn't be that hard to repair or replace the wiring. It's low voltage. If you follow the wire (might be difficult, requiring digging) you should be able to find out where it terminates, on each end. That should tell you what it's for. Then you can decide whether it's necessary to pay someone to repair/replace it. It might be part of something you no longer use, or even never used.

Thanks again - I'd like to get the landscape lights working again and if I get lucky, it's just a splice......But yeah we still have snow on the ground, so any extensive outdoor work will be a ways off.....

Hurry Spring.....