Tyumen 40FT 18 Gauge 2pin 2 Color Red Black Cable Hookup Electrical Wire LED Strips Extension Cord 12V/24V DC Cable, 18AWG Flexible Wire Extension Cords for LED Ribbon Lamp Tape Lighting

A practical, no-nonsense low-voltage workhorse

LED strips are unforgiving about bad cable. Voltage drop, mystery alloys, flimsy jackets—any of those will turn a clean install into a troubleshooting session. I reached for the Tyumen 18 AWG red/black zip cord for a series of 12V and 24V lighting runs, plus a couple of quick automotive and bench hookups. After several weeks of use, it’s become the spool I keep within arm’s reach for general low‑voltage DC projects.

What it is

This is a 40‑foot length of two‑conductor, color‑coded cable—red for positive, black for negative—bonded as a zip cord. It’s stranded, flexible enough to route around cabinetry and enclosures, and sized appropriately for most LED strip and accessory power needs. The jacket splits cleanly if you want to separate the conductors for terminations, and the overall presentation is straightforward and tidy on the spool.

Build and handling

• Jacket and stripability: The jacket feels like PVC and strips cleanly using an 18 AWG notch without tearing or nicking strands. The conductors aren’t pre‑tinned (which is normal), and the wire takes solder well without the telltale spitting or dulling you often see with very cheap alloys.
• Flexibility: It’s not silicone‑soft, but it’s not broom‑stick stiff either. I’d call it “moderately flexible.” It routes through cabinets and vehicle panels without fighting you, and it retains gentle bends nicely. In a cold garage, the jacket definitely firms up; it still works, but precision bends take a bit more coaxing.
• Polarity clarity: Big win here. The red/black color coding reduces mistakes at install time and during later servicing. I like zip cords for this reason—easy to keep pairs tidy and intuitive.

Electrical performance and voltage drop

The whole point of 18 AWG in low‑voltage is to keep resistance (and therefore voltage drop) in check over realistic runs. In my tests, the behavior matched what I expect from true 18 AWG:

• Typical resistance for 18 AWG is about 6.4 ohms per 1000 feet, per conductor. On a 40‑foot run, your circuit “sees” 80 feet (out and back), or roughly 0.51 ohms.
• At 2 amps, the drop is about 1.0V. On a 12V LED strip, that’s noticeable at full brightness if you’re feeding from only one end. On 24V strips, it’s much less of a concern.

In practice:
- 12V, 2A load over ~30 feet: I saw about 0.7–0.8V drop at the strip end. I mitigated this by injecting power at both ends—problem solved.
- 24V, 1.5A load over ~35 feet: Drop stayed under 0.5V and was visually negligible on the LEDs.

Thermally, the cable ran cool at 3A over 10–15 feet. For higher currents or longer runs, I’d either step up to a heavier gauge or split the load and add another feed point. That’s standard best practice with LED strips anyway.

Installation notes and compatibility

• Terminations: The conductors fit cleanly into common LED controllers, barrel‑jack pigtails, Euroblock/terminal strips, and Wago 221 lever connectors. It’s a tight fit for tiny JST‑SM 2‑pin connectors typically used with thin, short patch leads; I wouldn’t recommend forcing it.
• Splitting the pair: The bonded jacket peels apart easily by hand. I prefer to split 1–2 inches at endpoints to keep strain relief tidy.
• Polarity protection: Because it’s a two‑color zip cord, tracing polarity through conduit or behind cabinets is dead simple. That’s a subtle win that pays dividends when troubleshooting months later.

Suitability for different environments

• Indoors: Ideal for under‑cabinet and shelf lighting, accent runs, and general DC hookups. It’s tidy, easy to label, and hides well with clips or channels.
• Automotive/12V systems: Works well for accessories, small amplifiers, cameras, fans, and LED strips. The jacket resists incidental dampness, but I’d avoid placing it near hot engine components or where it will see constant abrasion.
• Outdoors: I’d keep it in protected locations only (enclosures, soffits with a drip edge). It’s not a burial cable and not UV‑rated as far as I can tell, so prolonged sun exposure and moisture aren’t its intended use case.
• In‑wall: This is not rated for permanent in‑wall building wiring. If you’re running cable through finished walls or ceilings, look for CL2/CL3 or equivalent ratings.

What I used it for

• A 24V shelving light array with two injection points: clean install, minimal drop, no discoloration across segments.
• A 12V LED strip retrofit in a van: easy routing under trim, solid connections to a fuse panel and dimmer, and no nuisance stiffness on gentle curves.
• Bench power for microcontroller projects and small DC fans: predictable, low‑mess, and quick to strip and tin.

It’s become my default for low‑voltage prototypes that might later graduate to a more permanent build. Having a consistent, known‑quantity wire reduces variables.

What could be better

• Cold‑weather flexibility: If you frequently wire in unheated spaces or need tight bends in winter, a silicone‑jacketed 18 AWG will feel nicer. This cable is fine, but you notice the PVC in the cold.
• Labeling and ratings: I’d love clearer printed jacket markings for quick identification of gauge and any ratings at a glance. The color coding is excellent; extra spec printing would make inventory easier.
• Connector fit for tiny housings: Not a flaw in the cable so much as a reality check—18 AWG won’t play nice with the smallest quick‑connect housings designed for 20–24 AWG. Plan your connectors accordingly.

Practical tips for getting good results

• Keep runs short on 12V. If you must go long, inject power at both ends or every 10–15 feet depending on load.
• Prefer 24V for longer LED strips. You’ll halve the current and minimize visible drop.
• Fuse the positive lead at the source. Size the fuse for the wire and the load; 3–5A is typical for modest LED runs on 18 AWG.
• Use lever nuts or terminal blocks for branch connections. They’re strain‑relieved, reusable, and far better than twisting and taping.
• Label polarity at endpoints. Even with red/black, labels prevent mistakes in crowded enclosures.

Who it’s for

• DIYers outfitting shelves, cabinets, desks, and display cases.
• Van and automotive enthusiasts adding modest 12V accessories.
• Makers and hobbyists who need a reliable, easy‑to‑strip two‑conductor cable on the bench.
• Light commercial installations where cable will be accessible and protected (auditoriums, classrooms, churches) but not in‑wall.

If you’re wiring high‑current loads over long distances, or you need in‑wall or outdoor‑rated cable, this isn’t the right product. For most low‑voltage DC lighting and accessory work, it hits the sweet spot of flexibility, clarity, and predictable electrical behavior.

Bottom line

The Tyumen 18 AWG red/black zip cord does exactly what I want a general‑purpose low‑voltage cable to do: strip cleanly, route predictably, hold up to handling, and behave like true 18 AWG in terms of resistance and voltage drop. It’s easy to work with, it minimizes polarity mistakes, and it plays well with the connectors that dominate LED and small‑DC ecosystems.

Recommendation: I recommend it for LED strips and general 12V/24V DC hookups where runs are moderate and the cable will live in protected spaces. It’s dependable, tidy to install, and electrically honest. If you need extreme flexibility, in‑wall certification, or outdoor abuse resistance, look elsewhere; otherwise, this is a solid, grab‑and‑go spool that earns its keep.