This spring, just like flowers in a field, utility projects will be popping up all over the place. If you drive to and from work, you can’t help but pass a few on the way.

Many of you may be working on utility projects this spring and summer, and OmniCable has your back. OmniCable’s warehouses are in full bloom with wire & cable products, value-added services, and solutions for your utility project, including  the newly added tracer wire.

What is Tracer Wire?
Simply, it is wire that is used to trace pipes and lines that are underground. Tracer wire is for direct burial to facilitate detection and tracking of underground utility systems. It also carries a radio signal to aid in the location of buried utility lines.

Why Use Tracer Wire?
Tracer Wire is explicitly designed for direct burial applications, so it will hold up to the stress and pressures of being buried in trenches. The high molecular weight polythylene (HMWPE) insulation is designed to provide excellent abrasion, crush, chemical, oil and moisture resistance.

THHN/TFFN vs. Tracer Wire
You can use THHN/TFFN instead of Tracer Wire since it offers a slight price advantage upfront. However, THHN/TFFN is not designed to be installed underground. If you use THHN/TFFN over Tracer Wire, there may be constant repairs, maintenance, and replacement costs, which will turn your initial saving  into a loss over time.

OmniCable’s Tracer Wire Products
OmniCable stocks solid bare copper and HMWPE tracer wire in various colors.
View our Tracer Wire products here