Heavy-duty commercial trucking fleets should always check their stock of replacement wire to see what type of insulation they are buying, says Purkeys in its latest blog post “Are You Buying the Right Wire?” The company continues on to say that the wrong insulated wire can overheat and ignite under certain conditions.
Instead of opting for the cheapest option when it comes to replacement wire, Purkeys encourages fleets to specify general purpose crosslinked polyethylene insulated wire to order. This wire offers a broader temperature range, no reflow and better abrasion resistance than other options like polyvinyl chloride. From the Purkey’s blog:
“When fleets order replacement wire they must be sure to specify what kind of wire insulation they want. Fleets often end up with a stock of polyvinyl chloride (GPT/PVC) insulated wire because they do not specify a different type of wire when they order, and it’s the cheapest option. GPT/PVC insulation is rated at 85 or 105 C, and does not have very good abrasion resistance. GPT/PVC insulation can reflow and melt off the wire once it heats past its rated capacity.”
What kind of wire are you using? Be sure to read the rest of “Are You Buying the Right Wire” on the Purkey’s Blog for all the insight.