UL 3266 XLPE Wire 125°C / 300V — Motor Lead & Internal Wiring for Vietnam & Indonesia
XLPE Insulation Filling the Temperature Gap Between PVC and Silicone
UL Style 3266 is a single-conductor appliance wiring material (AWM) insulated with extruded XLPE (crosslinked polyethylene), rated for 125°C continuous operation at 300V AC with a horizontal-flame rating. The style covers conductor sizes from 32 AWG to 10 AWG in solid or stranded construction, with a thin insulation wall of 15 mils minimum average — the same wall dimension as UL 1007 PVC, but with a 125°C thermoset insulation rather than an 80°C thermoplastic. Tags may indicate 600V peak for electronic use only. CableApex supplies UL 3266 wire as a UL Recognized Component — file on record. CIF Ho Chi Minh City and CIF Surabaya, transit 10–14 days.
XLPE at 125°C occupies a practical cost-performance position: standard PVC wire maxes out at 105°C, and silicone rubber wire at 200°C adds significant wall thickness and cost. For equipment that runs hotter than PVC can tolerate — particularly electric motors — but does not need the 200°C ceiling of silicone, UL 3266 delivers the required temperature headroom at a fraction of the silicone cost and with a thinner, more compact insulation profile.
UL 3266 Specification Summary
- Style Number: UL 3266 (AWM, UL 758)
- Temperature Rating: 125°C continuous
- Voltage Rating: 300V AC (600V peak for electronic use, when tag indicates)
- Flame Rating: Horizontal flame
- Conductor Range: 32 AWG – 10 AWG, solid or stranded
- Insulation: Extruded XLPE, 15 mils avg / 13 mils min at any point
- UL Status: UL Recognized Component — file on record
- Intended Use: Internal wiring (broader than “of appliances”)
Conductor & Dimension Reference
The table covers the most commonly ordered gauges for motor lead and internal wiring applications. AWG is the primary sizing reference.
| Gauge (AWG) | Cross-Section (mm²) | Stranding | Ins. Wall (mm) | Nom. OD (mm) | Max. Resistance (Ω/km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 AWG | 0.33 | 7/0.25 | 0.38 | 1.50 | 57.6 |
| 20 AWG | 0.52 | 10/0.25 | 0.38 | 1.70 | 36.4 |
| 18 AWG | 0.82 | 16/0.25 | 0.38 | 1.90 | 23.2 |
| 16 AWG | 1.31 | 26/0.25 | 0.38 | 2.20 | 14.6 |
| 14 AWG | 2.08 | 41/0.25 | 0.38 | 2.50 | 8.96 |
| 12 AWG | 3.31 | 65/0.25 | 0.38 | 2.80 | 5.64 |
| 10 AWG | 5.26 | 105/0.25 | 0.38 | 3.30 | 3.55 |
Motor Lead Wiring — The Primary Application
The motor lead connection — from winding termination to terminal box, and from terminal box to the equipment control panel — is the dominant use case for UL 3266 in Vietnamese and Indonesian manufacturing. The temperature at the winding termination area during continuous full-load operation determines the specification:
- Class B motors (130°C winding limit): The winding termination zone where the motor lead attaches routinely exceeds 105°C under rated load, pushing past the limit of UL 1015 PVC. UL 3266 at 125°C covers this thermal environment while the thin 15 mil wall keeps the lead wire compact for routing through the motor frame to the terminal box.
- 10 AWG — the most specified gauge: 10 AWG UL 3266 covers the motor lead current requirement for standard three-phase induction motors in the 3.7–7.5 kW (5–10 HP) range at 380V AC — the most common motor size range in Vietnamese and Indonesian industrial equipment, HVAC, and machine tools.
- Pump, compressor, and fan motor leads: Water pumps, HVAC compressors, and industrial exhaust fans across both markets use Class B or Class F insulation systems where the lead wire at the winding exit point exceeds 105°C under sustained load.
Other Applications in Vietnam and Indonesia
- Appliance internal wiring at 110–125°C: Commercial food dehydrators, compact dryers, and heating appliances where wiring near the heating element exceeds 105°C but does not require 200°C silicone — UL 3266 delivers the thermal margin at lower cost.
- Power electronics (600V peak electronic use): Switching power supplies, inverters, and DC-DC converters where peak voltage exceeds 300V AC RMS but stays within the 600V peak envelope, and where component heat dissipation raises enclosure temperature above 105°C.
- Generator and alternator winding leads: Internal lead connections at the winding exit where routing temperature requires 125°C rated insulation.
UL 3266 vs Related Internal Wiring Styles
The decision tree starts with temperature and voltage. Within the XLPE family alone, three Styles cover different combinations:
| UL Style | Insulation | Temp | Voltage | AWG | When to Specify |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3266 (this page) | XLPE | 125°C | 300V | 32–10 | Motor leads at 105–125°C; cost-effective 300V XLPE; thinnest wall |
| 3271 | XLPE | 125°C | 600V | 30–2000 kcmil | Same temp but 600V circuits; thicker wall; wider AWG range |
| 3321 | XLPE | 150°C | 600V | 30–4/0 | Ambient exceeds 125°C, or 600V needed; XLPE family upgrade |
| 1015 | PVC | 80–105°C | 600V | 30–2000 kcmil | Ambient ≤ 105°C; lowest cost; 600V general purpose |
Shipping to Vietnam and Indonesia
CableApex supplies UL 3266 CIF Ho Chi Minh City and CIF Surabaya, transit 10–14 days. MOQ 500 metres per AWG; mixed-AWG orders accepted. Full UL recognition documentation, RoHS Declaration, and REACH SVHC Declaration accompany every order.
UL Recognition
All UL 3266 wire supplied by CableApex is produced under active UL Follow-Up Service as a UL Recognized Component — file on record. Each production reel carries the UL Recognized Component mark in accordance with UL Subject 758 marking requirements.
Related UL Styles for Comparison
- UL 3271 XLPE Wire — 125°C / 600V Motor Leads & Internal Wiring
- UL 3321 XLPE Wire — 150°C / 600V Crosslinked Polyethylene AWM
- UL 1015 PVC Wire — 600V / 80–105°C General Purpose
- All AWM Wire Styles
Order Information
Specify AWG (32–10), conductor type (solid or stranded), colour, and quantity. MOQ 500 m per AWG. Mixed-AWG orders accepted. Sample from 10 m. Quotations returned within 12 hours.
