Hook-up wires

Build stronger, more reliable electrical systems for your office or industrial installation with the RS wide range of hook-up wires.

Supplied by hook-up wire manufacturers with decades of experience in producing tough, dependable, and flexible electrical leads, you can choose from the likes of Alpha Wire, Belden, Lapp Group, and RS PRO.

We stock tens of thousands of lead wires in countless varieties of conductor material, wire size, stranding, and insulation material. Explore the range below using our Advanced Filtering options to narrow your selection and check out technical information using the PDF icons next to each product.

Read on to learn more about hook-up wires, how they are used and what their benefits are - then, if you have any questions, contact our knowledgeable team.

What are hook-up wires?

Hook-up wires are wires with a single conductor core insulated in plastic. They are often used within electrical equipment to connect different components and modules to one another - things like power systems, switchboards, transformers, and motors.

Hook-up electrical leads are typically employed to transport low voltages and currents, though wires with current ratings up to 405 A are available.

The insulation used on a hook-up wire can differ greatly depending on the application; however, the most common is polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Cables are often color-coded to simplify installation and repair, as well as coming in several American wire gauge (AWG) sizes to suit different components.

What are the benefits of hook-up wire?

If you need to connect components to one another within a piece of equipment, machinery, vehicle, or system, then hook-up wire is an excellent choice offering plenty of benefits:

• Flexible - Simple to install, lead wire can be used across a wide range of electronics, including audio, automotive repair, aviation, and much more.
• Malleable - Compared to wiring that has multiple threads of conductor within it, flexible hook up wires have a single conductor cable that can be easily shaped within a device; useful for small-form-factor applications.
• Durable - Hook-up wire is easy to bend without damaging the conductive core within, and each wire's tough exterior prevents damage from abrasion, chemicals, and high temperatures. That means fewer replacements and lower lifetime costs.
• Conductive - Lead wires are made using a range of highly conductive copper materials, including tinned, silver-plated, and annealed copper.

What to consider when buying hook-up wire

There are plenty of factors to consider when purchasing the right electrical leads for your project:

• Conductor material - Copper is commonly used in hook-up wire, thanks to its resistance and conductivity. The choice of which type of copper is dependent on your project specifications.
• Wire size - The width of your wire is measured in AWG. The higher the number, the thicker the wire, so a 22 AMG solid core wire will be a poor choice for small devices that call for 2 AWG.
• Stranding -If hook-up wires are stranded, they feature multiple cores within the wire. The stranding is the number of wires, plus their size.
• Insulation material - Your choice of insulation material will be largely down to your specifications. PTFE hook-up wire, for instance, is hydrophobic and temperature-resistant.
• Insulation color - Having multiple colors of lead wires available can make it easier to identify, repair, and replace electronics later down the line.
• Current rating - The current of the wire, measured in amps (A).
• Voltage rating - The voltage of the wire, typically measured in volts (V) or kilovolts (kV).
• Temperature rating - The minimum and maximum operating temperature of the electrical lead, measured in Celsius (C).

Why choose RS for hook-up wire leads?

Our wide range of hook up wire leads is tried and tested; used in countless electronics applications. With thousands of cables in our range, whatever the specifications of your project, we can help.

We only stock the best-quality products from hook-up wire manufacturers like Belden, NTE Electronics, and Southwire, so you can be certain that you are getting quality electrical leads from trusted manufacturers.

Products are available in bulk or individually - perfect for every stage of the design process, from prototyping to production. And the trusty RS PRO range is always on hand.

Explore our range of hook-up wire below and, if you have any questions, be sure to contact our expert team. While you wait for your order, check out our expert article hub to learn more about electronics and automation.