I am running a #12 cable. I don't have enough yellow staples for it, but have a big bag of orange staples I will probably never use. Can I use them with the yellow cable? They are identical except for color, but I don't want to run afoul of some obscure code, especially when the color contrast is so obvious. Thanks.
Does the color of electrical staples matter?
Jun 07, 2007
2 Replies
Wade, you really ought to wait to post until after you sober up.
It depends on how long you plan to live in the house. With #12 cable, the induction in the wire is high enough to eventually turn the orange staple yellow. It won't match exactly, but close enough to satisfy code needs.
I ran some wire in 2002 with orange staples, and they're a uniform yellow now. Depending on where you live, it might take less than five years. Do you have a surge suppressor? If you do, I suggest alternating white and orange staples.
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