Description
Paige Electric’s P7183D is the cable irrigation contractors actually stock on the truck — UL / cETLus listed for direct burial, 18 AWG solid copper conductors, color-coded PVC insulation, PE jacket with a nylon rip cord, sequential footage printed every 2 feet for cut-to-length jobs. Order the 6-conductor for a typical 6-zone front yard, the 8-conductor when you’ve got a master valve and a pump start, or the 13-conductor when you need to wire a full property without pulling a second run.
Why Pros Buy P7183D
- Listed for direct burial — UL / cETLus rating; trench it in, no conduit required for low-voltage irrigation control runs
- Solid bare copper conductors, ASTM B-3 compliant, 18 AWG — correct gauge for 24 VAC solenoid runs up to ~800 ft per zone (longer with parallel commons)
- 0.015 in. color-coded PVC insulation — each conductor a distinct color so you can land valves without a multimeter
- 0.025 in. PE outer jacket with nylon rip cord — strip the jacket without nicking conductors; jacket is UV-stable for above-ground service drops
- 30 V rated, 80°C insulation temp — safe across the full 24 VAC irrigation duty + transient spikes
- Surface marked “Paige Electric P7183D, 18 AWG, <conductor count>, 30V, direct burial sprinkler low energy circuit cable, <listing file no.>, RoHS” — permanent ID on every 2 ft of jacket
- Sequential footage printed every 2 ft maximum — cut to length and know exactly how much you used on each lateral run
- 250 ft put-up on a wooden spool, plastic over-wrap — lasts through a wet trailer week
- RoHS compliant
Pick Your Conductor Count
- 18/6 (P/N 180040) — 6 conductors, 0.265 in. outside diameter, ~54 lbs/MFT. The standard run for residential 4–6 zone systems with one common; gives you headroom for a future master-valve or rain-sensor wire pull.
- 18/8 (P/N 180060) — 8 conductors, 0.290 in. outside diameter, ~66 lbs/MFT. Right when the system has 6 zones plus a master valve plus a pump-start relay plus a sensor return, or when you want a couple of spare conductors for a future expansion.
- 18/13 (P/N 180091) — 13 conductors, 0.355 in. outside diameter, ~104 lbs/MFT. The do-it-once cable for a large residential or light-commercial build — 10 zones plus master / pump / sensor / spare, all on a single trench pull.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Paige Electric
- Spec sheet: P7183D Rev 14
- Conductor: solid bare copper, 18 AWG, ASTM B-3
- Conductor insulation: 0.015 in. PVC, color-coded, 80°C rated
- Outer jacket: 0.025 in. PE with nylon rip cord, UV / sunlight resistant
- Voltage rating: 30 V (suitable for all 24 VAC irrigation control circuits)
- Listing: UL or ETL or CSA, file number printed on jacket
- Test standard: UL 1493
- Marking: surface-printed every 2 ft maximum with Paige ID, AWG, conductor count, 30V, direct burial sprinkler cable, listing file number, sequential footage, RoHS
- Put-up: 250 ft per wooden spool (500 / 1000 / 2500 ft also available from Paige — contact us if you need a different length)
- Recommended splice for direct burial: 3M DBR/Y-6 (waterproof gel-filled wire nut, Paige spec P7364D)
- Recommended splice for above-ground / valve box: 3M 316IR / 3M MGC, or IDEAL silicone-filled wire nuts (Paige spec P7365D / P7372D)
Splice It Right
Wire splices are the failure point of every irrigation control circuit — the joint sits in a wet, occasionally flooded valve box for years. Paige’s own recommendation:
- Direct burial, above ground, or in a valve box: 3M DBR/Y-6 (the yellow gel-filled wire nut). Spec P7364D.
- Above ground or in a valve box only: 3M 316IR or 3M MGC, or any silicone-filled wire nut from IDEAL Industries. Spec P7365D / P7372D.
Skipping the gel and using a plain wire nut underground is the #1 cause of dead zones we troubleshoot in the field. Spend the $0.80 per splice.
Sizing the Run
For 24 VAC solenoid runs, 18 AWG handles a single-station run up to about 800 ft (using one conductor for the station and one for the common). Beyond that, parallel commons or step up to 14 AWG. For pump-start or master-valve circuits with multiple solenoids energized simultaneously, derate by 30%. Pull the longest single run first when planning conductor count — you want the long zone on a dedicated conductor, not a shared one.
Compatible Accessories — Sold Separately
- 3M DBR/Y-6 direct-burial wire nuts — the only splice we recommend underground
- Hunter PGV / Rain Bird DV valve solenoids — standard 24 VAC, compatible with any 18 AWG run
- Hunter X-Core / Pro-C / HPC controllers — all controllers we stock land on 18 AWG cable; pair with a 6-conductor for a 4-station controller, 8-conductor for 6-station, 13-conductor for an HPC or P2C with expansion modules
Stop by Garoppo’s to pick one up, or schedule local delivery within our service area.