What is this jacket made from?

[Marc M]

Jerry, what is this jacket made from. also, I see this in my house with 3 wire and my brothers as 2 wire ungrounded. What gives?

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Hi Marc,

To provide the correct answer I have e-mailed a wire manufacturer who manufactured that type of wiring when it was being made.

I will hopefully have an answer back in a day or two.

[Marc M]

Very nice, thank you.

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Marc,

I know it is called fabric-covered non-metallic sheathed cable, i.e., it is just an older style of NM cable, and *I think* the fabric *may have been* cotton fibers saturated in rubber *or something* ... but "I think", "may have been", and "or something" is not the answer I want to give, I want to give the specific answer.

[Marc M]

The silver sort of looks like a metallic material. Interresting...

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Hi Marc,

The silver sort of looks like a metallic material. Interresting...

And feels kind of slick to the touch too.

I have sent another request for information to that company and to another company, either my first inquiry was lost or they have no idea who to forward my inquiry to.

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Hi Marc,

I received this reply from Product Support at Southwire, the manufacturer's of RomexTM NM cable:

Some of it was paper and tar which looked like rubber. There may have been other versions as well.
Southwire

Not what I expected as I've seen the fabric-covered NM cables and worked with it, and, while I have see some which looked like that description, most looked more like fabric, more like cotton.

However, that is the answer I have received back.