XHHW Wire

XHHW wire is a trusted choice for feeders and branch circuits in commercial, industrial, and residential projects. It uses cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation that stands up to heat, moisture, and many chemicals, making it dependable in wet and dry locations. Available in copper and aluminum, XHHW and XHHW-2 cover a wide range of sizes for panel feeds, service entrances, and long conduit runs while maintaining strong electrical performance.

Key attributes:
- Rating: typically 600 volts. XHHW is 90°C dry/75°C wet; XHHW-2 is 90°C in both wet and dry locations.
- Conductor: stranded copper or aluminum for smoother pulls through conduit.
- Insulation: XLPE for abrasion resistance and low dielectric loss; often sunlight resistant for outdoor use.
- Compliance: meets NEC Article 310 and UL standards; check cable markings for specific listings.

Benefits you’ll notice on the job:
- Handles higher temperatures without degrading insulation.
- Performs reliably in damp areas, rooftops, and washdown spaces.
- Aluminum XHHW-2 lowers material cost on long feeder runs, while copper XHHW offers higher ampacity per size and robust terminations.

Common applications include conduit and cable tray runs to subpanels, HVAC equipment, pumps, and lighting distribution. For outdoor feeders, look for XHHW-2 that is sunlight resistant; for direct burial, choose products additionally marked USE-2. Compared with THHN/THWN-2, XHHW’s XLPE insulation provides lower capacitance and often a thicker wall, which some specifiers prefer for feeder circuits and harsher environments.

Buying and installation tips:
- Match wire size to ampacity tables and the temperature column approved by equipment lugs.
- Verify terminals are rated CU-AL if using aluminum; apply antioxidant compound and torque lugs to spec.
- Plan conduit fill and pulling tensions; use a lubricant compatible with XLPE.
- Account for ambient temperature, bundling, and continuous loads to apply proper derating.
- Follow color conventions: green or bare for equipment grounding, white or gray for neutrals, other colors for ungrounded conductors.

Explore copper XHHW, aluminum XHHW-2, and cut-to-length options to balance performance, code compliance, and cost.