Spt-1 Wire Vs. Spt-2 Wire.

Spt-1 on Top, Spt-2 on bottom

18 gauge wire is found pretty much everywhere, almost every house and office in the country has some that is used for power cords on products and for those of us in the lighting industry it's the standard for C7 and C9 light line. The wire come in generally two varieties Spt-1 and Spt-2. These are both 18 gauge wire, that means that the copper wiring on the inside of the wire itself is the same. The main difference is the insulation!

On the left the photo shows both Spt1 (top) and Spt2(bottom), as you can see Spt-2 wire has almost double the amount of insulation. This added protection lets you run more power through the wire itself.

Spt-1 wire can handle up to 7 amps, or 770 watts.

Spt-2 wire can handle up to 10 amps, or 1100 watts. 

Using that information will let you evaluate your power needs, be sure to never exceed the recommended amperage this WILL cause the wire to fail and be a potential hazard.
Click here to check out our rolls of 18 gauge wire!

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For those of us using the wire for decorating here is some info on calculating power for your Christmas lights!

The following formula will determine the amount of Amps necessary to power your Christmas lights. This table works for all of the C7 Bulbs and C9 Bulbs that we carry.

Total Number of Bulbs X Bulb Wattage ÷ 110 = Amps Needed

C7 Bulbs - 5 Watts 25 Bulbs = 1.135 Amps 50 Bulbs = 2.270 Amps 100 Bulbs = 4.545 Amps

C9 Bulbs - 7 Watts 25 Bulbs = 1.590 Amps 50 Bulbs = 3.180 Amps 100 Bulbs = 6.360 Amps

7 watt C-7 or 10 watt C-9 Bulbs will draw more power, If you are using LED screw in bulbs on 18 gauge wire they pull only .96 watts!

Mini Lights - 2.5 volts 300 minis = 1 Amp 1 Amp = 110 watts

I hope this helps you understand the differences between Spt-1 and Spt-2 wire.Check our website for more info!

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Zach
All American Christmas Co.
www.aachristmas.com
www.allamericanchristmas.com