wire and cable type selection workflow

Cable selection starts with environment and wiring method. A calculator can check a value only after the correct product family is on the table.

Use this guide before sizing conductors when the first decision is wiring method: cable assembly, conductors in raceway, wet location, direct burial, exposed work, or mechanical protection.

When to use this guide

• A buyer sees NMD90, NMWU, AC90, ACWU90, TECK90, RW90, or T90 and needs to know what information to verify before purchase.
• A project moves from dry indoor wiring to outdoor, underground, garage, shed, wet, corrosive, or exposed routing.
• A contractor wants a clean record of cable markings, environment, and manufacturer instructions before voltage-drop, fill, or bend checks.

Inputs to gather

• Location and environment: dry, damp, wet, underground, direct burial, exposed, concealed, subject to damage, corrosive, sunlight, or temperature extremes.
• Cable or conductor markings from the jacket or reel, including type designation, conductor material, size, temperature rating, voltage rating, and approval mark.
• Installation method: cable assembly, individual conductors in raceway, armoured cable, tray cable where applicable, or service/utility-specific product.
• Route details: bends, supports, penetrations, boxes, fittings, transition points, and whether the run enters a different environment.
• Manufacturer data sheet and local authority or product-listing constraints.

Project path matrix

Working checklist

• Confirm the project branch: A buyer sees NMD90, NMWU, AC90, ACWU90, TECK90, RW90, or T90 and needs to know what information to verify before purchase.
• Measure or photograph the first hard inputs: Location and environment: dry, damp, wet, underground, direct burial, exposed, concealed, subject to damage, corrosive, sunlight, or temperature extremes. Cable or conductor markings from the jacket or reel, including type designation, conductor material, size, temperature rating, voltage rating, and approval mark.
• Record the decision basis: A cable type name is not a blanket permission for every environment. Look for recognized Canadian approval marks and product markings before treating a cable as acceptable for the project.
• Keep the handoff package together: Photos of jacket markings, reel labels, box labels, and approval marks.
• Stop before work proceeds if this applies: The route includes wet, direct-burial, hazardous, high-temperature, corrosive, service-entrance, or utility-controlled conditions.

Workflow

1. Classify the environment first; do not start with conductor size or price.
2. Decide whether the job needs a cable assembly or individual conductors in a raceway.
3. Photograph jacket markings and product labels before cutting or installing material.
4. Check whether wet, buried, exposed, mechanical-protection, or transition points change the wiring method.
5. After the cable family is credible, run voltage drop, bend radius, conduit fill, and pulling checks as separate screens.

Decision checkpoints

• A cable type name is not a blanket permission for every environment.
• Wet-location suitability depends on product marking, fittings, terminations, route, and local review.
• Direct-burial and underground raceway decisions are not interchangeable without product and authority checks.
• Armour, jacket, and raceway choices can affect bend radius, box entries, bonding, supports, and pulling setup.

Canada-specific checks

• Look for recognized Canadian approval marks and product markings before treating a cable as acceptable for the project.
• Confirm current Canadian Electrical Code context, local authority requirements, and manufacturer instructions for the wiring method.
• Do not import U.S. cable-type assumptions or use a foreign product label as a Canadian approval mark.

Project package to keep

• Photos of jacket markings, reel labels, box labels, and approval marks.
• Route sketch showing environment changes and transition points.
• Manufacturer data sheet and installation instructions for the product family.
• Calculator results for voltage drop, bend radius, conduit fill, or pulling checks after the wiring method is selected.

Stop and get local review

• The route includes wet, direct-burial, hazardous, high-temperature, corrosive, service-entrance, or utility-controlled conditions.
• Cable markings are missing, unreadable, foreign-only, or inconsistent with the supplier description.
• The selected wiring method is being used to avoid a raceway, trench, bonding, or product-listing question.

Questions to settle before work starts

• Which local authority, utility, property authority, product listing, or manufacturer instruction controls this wire and raceway decision?
• Which inputs are measured from the field or nameplate, and which are still assumptions from a quote, drawing, or memory?
• Which part of the work will be concealed, energized, interconnected, or purchased before review if the sequence is not controlled?
• Which single assumption would change the equipment choice, installation path, cost, schedule, or inspection timing?
• Who will keep the final photos, calculator outputs, product documents, permit or utility records, and commissioning notes?

Use the related tools

• Use the Canadian Wire and Cable Type Designations Table to decode common labels.
• Use the Voltage Drop Calculator after the conductor material and route length are known.
• Use the Cable Bend Radius Calculator and Conduit Fill Calculator after the wiring method is credible.

Public reference starting points

• SCC recognized Canadian electrical approval marks - Approval-mark reference starting point.
• Nexans Canada products - Canadian cable product-family structure example.
• Southwire calculators - Competitor/manufacturer workflow signal for cable, fill, and voltage-drop tools.

Local standards and authority note

Confirm cable selection against the current Canadian Electrical Code, local authority, product markings, and manufacturer installation instructions.