[TowerTalk] UV and WX deterioration of THHN insulation, and effects

[Rob Atkinson]

It's hardly a scientific rigorous investigation but I thought I'd
mention that a few nights ago after I got home from work, I went into
my garage and rummaged around and found a bundle of old no. 14
stranded copper wire with the green insulation on it, the stuff you
get in 500 foot rolls at Home Depot etc.  Back from around 2002 to
2009 it had been outside in the air as a horizontal loop antenna.  It
showed signs of exposure, with the clear plastic coating peeling off
it and so on.  I clipped and stripped it in a few random places and
always found bright shiny copper underneath.

If there's anything to get out of that it may be that results vary
with location, and/or some of that THHN wire is better than others.
Maybe by dumb luck I got some quality wire or, in recent years
manufacturers have switched to crummy insulation.

73

Rob
K5UJ