Type E Wire

Type E wire belongs to the broad category of hook-up wire and features insulation made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which offers some particularly useful characteristics when it comes to durability and resistance to damage. It’s also relatively flexible and comes in a wide range of American Wire Gauge (AWG) sizes, making it a versatile cable for use in several different types of wiring.

At WesBell Electronics, we carry Type E wire, as well as the closely related Type EE and Type ET, and many other types of hook-up wire. Understanding Type E wire and the differences between it and other cables can help ensure you get the right one for your application.

What Is Type E Wire?

We said that Type E wire is a type of hook-up wire, but we can further categorize it by its insulation. Type E wire uses PTFE, and WesBell Electronics offers PTFE wire and cable in 250, 600 and 1,000 volts. Type E wire supports 600 volts and has silver-plated copper strands with a PTFE jacket rated to  200℃. This 600-volt version is the basic version and comes in AWG sizes 14-26.

Like other types of PTFE wire, Type E is made up of stranded silver-plated copper and is commonly used for indoor or outdoor applications where a high temperature is required. If you’re looking for something without high-temperature capabilities, try our electrical wire or another type of hook-up wire. They are much cheaper and more flexible.

WesBell Electronics offers Type E wire in a wide range of colors for easy identification. These colors include black, green, orange, purple, white, yellow, red, gray, brown and blue. We sell it by the foot and offer bulk pricing on large quantities.

Specifications and Standards

Type E wire fits several different specifications and standards from third parties, including:

• CSA Group.
• UL, LLC.
• Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS).
• Military Specification 16878/4.

Type E Wire vs. Type EE and Type ET

Type E wire is quite similar to two other types of hook-up wire: Type EE and Type ET. All three use a PTFE coating and stranded silver-plated copper strands to support temperatures of -60°C to 200°C and chemical resistance.

The difference between the three is in their thicknesses and voltage capabilities. Type E wire is right in the middle with its 600-volt capacity and an AWG range between 10 and 26. Type EE wire has a narrower selection of thick wires from 14 to 24 AWG, but it supports up to 1,000 volts for high-powered applications. Finally, Type ET is the smallest, between 20 and 32 AWG, offering superior flexibility in low-voltage applications. It supports up to 250 volts.

PTFE Wire for High-Temperature Applications

Though commonly used in similar situations, electrical wire and PTFE wire are different types of hook-up wire. Electrical wire is bare copper with 19 bare copper strands and a nylon coating that protects against moisture. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-insulated wire achieves more flexible stranding by using tinned copper instead of bare. Neither of these can handle particularly high temperatures.

PTFE wire, on the other hand, has a high-temperature jacket that’s able to handle much higher temperatures than PVC or electrical wire. These high-temperature capabilities also make PTFE wire and cable very hard to manufacture because it gets so hot that the wire breaks as it’s being made. So it’s standard to get 1,000 feet of a PTFE cable in 100 or 150-foot increments.

Those who use heat-shrink tubing might know that using a heat gun on PVC wire will melt it back a little bit. PTFE wire can handle a heat gun with its higher heat resistance. You’ll sometimes see this with a solder gun, though, when the tip of the solder gun gets too close to the insulation.

Type E Cables From WesBell

Here at WesBell Electronics, our knowledgeable staff members know the difference between all of these types of wire and cable because we deal with them each day. If you’re not sure if Type E is right for your application, we can help. Just walk us through your project and we’ll help you find the best balance between performance and cost with the right kind of hook-up wire.

In addition to helping with selection, we also offer a range of wire preparation services, such as twisting, striping and harness assembly, so you can spend less time getting your wires ready and more time working on the bigger picture. Click on the links above to browse our Type E cables, or reach out to us if you have any questions!