Article 402 Fixture Wires

This article covers general requirements and construction specifications for fixture wires.

Fixture wires shall comply with this article and also with the applicable provisions of other articles of this Code.

Fixture wires shall be of a type listed in Table 402.3, and they shall comply with all requirements of that table. The fixture wires listed in Table 402.3 are all suitable for service at 600 volts, nominal, unless otherwise specified.

Name	Type Letter	Insulation	AWG	Thickness of Insulation		Outer Covering	Maximum Operating Temperature	Application Provisions
				mm	mils
Heat-resistant rubber-covered fixture wire — flexible stranding	FFH-2	Heat-resistant rubber or cross-linked synthetic polymer	18—16	0.76	30	Nonmetallic covering	75°C (167°F)	Fixture wiring
	FFHH-2						90°C (194°F)
ECTFE — solid or 7-strand	HF	Ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene	18—14	0.38	15	None	150°C (302°F)	Fixture wiring
ECTFE — flexible stranding	HFF	Ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene	18—14	0.38	15	None	150°C (302°F)	Fixture wiring
Tape insulated fixture wire — solid or 7-strand	KF-1	Aromatic polyimide tape	18—10	0.14	5.5	None	200°C (392°F)	Fixture wiring — limited to 300 volts
	KF-2	Aromatic polyimide tape	18—10	0.21	8.4	None	200°C (392°F)	Fixture wiring
Tape insulated fixture wire — flexible stranding	KFF-1	Aromatic polyimide tape	18—10	0.14	5.5	None	200°C (392°F)	Fixture wiring — limited to 300 volts
	KFF-2	Aromatic polyimide tape	18—10	0.21	8.4	None	200°C (392°F)	Fixture wiring
Perfluoro-alkoxy — solid or 7-strand (nickel or nickel-coated copper)	PAF	Perfluoroalkoxy	18—14	0.51	20	None	250°C (482°F)	Fixture wiring (nickel or nickel-coated copper)
Perfluoro-alkoxy — flexible stranding	PAFF	Perfluoroalkoxy	18—14	0.51	20	None	150°C (302°F)	Fixture wiring
Fluorinated ethylene propylene fixture wire — solid or 7-strand	PF	Fluorinated ethylene propylene	18—14	0.51	20	None	200°C (392°F)	Fixture wiring
Fluorinated ethylene propylene fixture wire — flexible stranding	PFF	Fluorinated ethylene propylene	18—14	0.51	20	None	150°C (302°F)	Fixture wiring
Fluorinated ethylene propylene fixture wire — solid or 7-strand	PGF	Fluorinated ethylene propylene	18—14	0.36	14	Glass braid	200°C (392°F)	Fixture wiring
Fluorinated ethylene propylene fixture wire — flexible stranding	PGFF	Fluorinated ethylene propylene	18—14	0.36	14	Glass braid	150°C (302°F)	Fixture wiring
Extruded polytetrafluoroethylene — solid or 7-strand (nickel or nickel-coated copper)	PTF	Extruded polytetrafluoroethylene	18—14	0.51	20	None	250°C (482°F)	Fixture wiring (nickel or nickel-coated copper)
Extruded polytetrafluoroethylene — flexible stranding 26-36 (AWG silver or nickel-coated copper)	PTFF	Extruded polytetrafluoroethylene	18—14	0.51	20	None	150°C (302°F)	Fixture wiring (silver or nickel-coated copper)
Heat-resistant rubber-covered fixture wire — solid or 7-strand	RFH-1	Heat-resistant rubber	18	0.38	15	Nonmetallic covering	75°C (167°F)	Fixture wiring — limited to 300 volts
	RFH-2	Heat-resistant rubber Cross-linked synthetic polymer	18—16	0.76	30	None or nonmetallic covering	75°C (167°F)	Fixture wiring
Heat-resistant cross-linked synthetic polymer-insulated fixture wire — solid or 7-strand	RFHH-2*	Cross-linked synthetic polymer	18—16	0.76	30	None or nonmetallic covering	90°C (194°F)	Fixture wiring
	RFHH-3*		18—16	1.14	45
Silicone insulated fixture wire — solid or 7-strand	SF-1	Silicone rubber	18	0.38	15	Nonmetallic covering	200°C (392°F)	Fixture wiring — limited to 300 volts
	SF-2	Silicone rubber	18—12	0.76	30	Nonmetallic covering	200°C	Fixture wiring
			10	1.14	45		(392°F)
Silicone insulated fixture wire — flexible stranding	SFF-1	Silicone rubber	18	0.38	15	Nonmetallic covering	150°C (302°F)	Fixture wiring — limited to 300 volts
	SFF-2	Silicone rubber	18—12	0.76	30	Nonmetallic covering	150°C	Fixture wiring
			10	1.14	45		(302°F)
Thermoplastic covered fixture wire — solid or 7-strand	TF*	Thermoplastic	18—16	0.76	30	None	60°C (140°F)	Fixture wiring
Thermoplastic covered fixture wire — flexible stranding	TFF*	Thermoplastic	18—16	0.76	30	None	60°C (140°F)	Fixture wiring
Heat-resistant thermoplastic covered fixture wire — solid or 7-strand	TFN*	Thermoplastic	18—16	0.38	15	Nylon-jacketed or equivalent	90°C (194°F)	Fixture wiring
Heat-resistant thermoplastic covered fixture wire — flexible stranded	TFFN*	Thermoplastic	18—16	0.38	15	Nylon-jacketed or equivalent	90°C (194°F)	Fixture wiring
Cross-linked polyolefin insulated fixture wire — solid or 7-strand	XF*	Cross-linked polyolefin	18—14	0.76	30	None	150°C (302°F)	Fixture wiring — limited to 300 volts
			12—10	1.14	45
Cross-linked polyolefin insulated fixture wire — flexible stranded	XFF*	Cross-linked polyolefin	18—14	0.76	30	None	150°C (302°F)	Fixture wiring — limited to 300 volts
			12—10	1.14	45
Modified ETFE — solid or 7-strand	ZF	Modified ethylene tetrafluoroethylene	18—14	0.38	15	None	150°C (302°F)	Fixture wiring
Modified ETFE — flexible stranding	ZFF	Modified ethylene tetrafluoroethylene	18—14	0.38	15	None	150°C (302°F)	Fixture wiring
High temp. modified ETFE — solid or 7-strand	ZHF	Modified ethylene tetrafluoroethylene	18—14	0.38	15	None	200°C (392°F)	Fixture wiring
*Insulations and outer coverings that meet the requirements of flame retardant, limited smoke, and are so listed, shall be permitted to be marked for limited smoke after the Code type designation.

The ampacity of fixture wire shall be as specified in Table 402.5.

Size (AWG)	Ampacity
18	6
16	8
14	17
12	23
10	28

Fixture wires shall not be smaller than 18 AWG.

The number of fixture wires permitted in a single conduit or tubing shall not exceed the percentage fill specified in Table 1, Chapter 9.

Fixture wires that are intended to be used as grounded conductors shall be identified by one or more continuous white stripes on other than green insulation or by the means described in 400.22(A) through (E).

Thermoplastic insulated fixture wire shall be durably marked on the surface at intervals not exceeding 610 mm (24 in.). All other fixture wire shall be marked by means of a printed tag attached to the coil, reel, or carton.

Fixture wire types listed in Table 402.3 shall be permitted to be surface marked to indicate special characteristics of the cable materials. These markings include, but are not limited to, markings for limited smoke, sunlight resistance, and so forth.

Fixture wires shall be permitted (1) for installation in luminaires and in similar equipment where enclosed or protected and not subject to bending or twisting in use, or (2) for connecting luminaires to the branch-circuit conductors supplying the luminaires.

Fixture wires shall not be used as branch-circuit conductors except as permitted elsewhere in this Code.

Overcurrent protection for fixture wires shall be as specified in 240.5.