SO Cable

We have been at this quite a long time and hardly a day goes by that we are not asked what the difference is between SO cable, SOW cable and SOOW cable. SO cable is an older version of this cable and was basically the original call out for what we see today as service cord. The S standing for service and the O standing for oil resistant Jacket. Over the years as technology advanced the W was added to the original call out and that meant that the jacket was also now water resistant. The maximum voltage rating on any of the above call outs is 600 volts. If you need a higher voltage rating you would want to look into a Type W or maybe even a Type G cable each of which would be rated up to 2000 volts.

The modern day version is now mostly known as SOOW cable. The newer version now has both an oil resistant jacket as well as oil resistant inner conductors. The W still stands for a water resistant jacket. Note we say water and oil resistant and not water and oil proof. Many people ask us if this cable can be used in situations where the cable will be submersed in water all the time. It is not advisable to use the SOOW cable in this situation as that is not what it is designed for. Think temporary power situations like stage lighting or portable generator usage etc. Getting the jacket wet every now and then is much different than keeping it submerged in water. The same thing applies to the oil resistant feature of the cable. It is not recommended to keep this cable submerged in oil or any caustic substance for that matter.

SOOW cable is available in sizes ranging from 18 gauge at the small end up to 2 gauge at the large end. Conductor counts can be anywhere from 2 conductors up to 60 conductors depending on the size of the cable in question.

Speak with an SO Cable Expert at Delco Wire:  1-800-714-WIRE (9473).