NM-B cable

Trade jargonOhio homeowner glossaryCC-BY-4.0

TL;DR

NM-B cable is the nonmetallic-sheathed wiring — universally called Romex — that carries most branch circuits in US homes: insulated conductors and a ground wrapped in a plastic jacket, color-coded by gauge with white for 14, yellow for 12, and orange for 10. The B suffix marks the modern 90-degree-C insulation, though ampacity is still taken from the 60-degree column.

Definition

What it means

NM-B cable is the nonmetallic-sheathed wiring — universally called Romex — that carries most branch circuits in US homes: insulated conductors and a ground wrapped in a plastic jacket, color-coded by gauge with white for 14, yellow for 12, and orange for 10. The B suffix marks the modern 90-degree-C insulation, though ampacity is still taken from the 60-degree column. It is limited to dry, protected locations, which is why exposed runs in garages and outdoors need conduit or a different wiring method.

Category

Where it sits in the glossary

NM-B cable is part of the Trade jargon group inside the ProFix Directory glossary. Browse every term in this category from the glossary index.

Why this matters for Ohio homeowners

Why Ohio homeowners should know it

This is a term Ohio homeowners encounter when reading contractor quotes, hiring paperwork, or inspection reports. Understanding it well enough to ask one good follow-up question is usually all the protection a homeowner needs.

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License: CC-BY-4.0 — quote freely with attribution to ProFix Editorial Team / ProFix Directory.

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