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Product

Control & signal cableIMSA 51-5 & 51-7600 V Wire-in-PE-Tube14 AWG & 12 AWG Saw-Cut Loop

IMSA 51-5 / 51-7 Traffic Loop Detector Wire with PE Tube JacketIMSA 51-5 (THHN) & 51-7 (XHHW-2) 600 V 14/12 AWG roadway loop wire in 6.35 mm PE tube

IMSA 51-5 / 51-7 traffic loop detector wire (600 V, -40 to +90 °C) featuring a 14 or 12 AWG 19-strand bare copper conductor insulated with THHN PVC/Nylon (51-5) or XHHW-2 XLPE (51-7) sliding freely inside a 6.35 mm (0.250 in) polyethylene outer duct tube.

Outdoor & humid

Water-resistant

Oil-resistant

Ozone, UV & moisture

Configuration

Order designation: IMSA 51-7 14AWG
Outer Ø ≈: 6.35 mm
Wall thickness: 1.21 mm
Total weight ≈: 43.0 kg/km
Min. bend R (fixed): 51 mm

All sizes (4)

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Engineering reply in 2 business hoursCut-to-length export drumsEN 10204 3.1 certificate per drum

Specifications: IMSA 51-5 / 51-7
Rated voltage: 600 V RMS
Conductor: 14 or 12 AWG Cu
Outer PE tube: 6.35 mm (0.25″)
Thermal rating: -40…+90 °C
Slot width: ≥ 8–10 mm (3/8″)

Typical values for this cable type, based on IMSA Specification 51-5 (THHN in PE Tube) & 51-7 (XHHW-2 in HDPE Tube) — confirmed in the datasheet and quotation for your order.

Application fit

Is IMSA 51-5 / 51-7 right for your machine?

Select IMSA 51-5 or IMSA 51-7 for inductive vehicle detection loops embedded directly in saw-cut asphalt or concrete roadway pavement at signalised intersections, toll booths, and parking gates.

Fixed installation

Suitable

Loose-tube PE duct (6.35 mm OD) lets the inner 14/12 AWG wire slide freely under truck loads and frost heave.

Immersion & wet locations

Suitable

IMSA 51-7 pairs 90 °C XHHW-2 XLPE wire with an HDPE duct tube resisting groundwater, salt, and hot sealants.

VFD inverter to AC motor screened feeder

Not suitable

Single-conductor loop wire is only for the 3–5 turn roadway loop itself; splice to shielded twisted-pair IMSA 50-2 for the cabinet home run.

Use IMSA 50-2 for the shielded cabinet lead-in

Energy chain / drag chain

Not suitable

Embedded pavement loop wire, not a flexing machine cable.

Use JZ-50440 CP for drag-chain control

Typical machinesAsphalt & Concrete Roadway Saw-Cut LoopsDOT Highway Intersection Presence DetectionHighway Speed, Count & Classification LoopsToll-Lane & Airport Ground Traffic LoopsCommercial Gate & Parking Garage Loops

Construction

Layer by layer

IMSA 51-5 / 51-7 wire-in-tube construction: 19-strand bare copper conductor (14 or 12 AWG), THHN PVC/Nylon (51-5) or XHHW-2 XLPE (51-7) primary insulation, loosely encased inside an extruded 6.35 mm (0.250 in) PE/HDPE tube.

Schematic, not to scale — generated from the layer data

#	Layer	Material & reference
1	19-strand bare copper conductor	Soft annealed stranded bare copper per ASTM B3 / B8 (14 AWG = 2.08 mm² or 12 AWG = 3.31 mm²)19-strand flexibility bends cleanly around 45° chamfered saw-cut pavement corners
2	Primary wire insulation (51-5 / 51-7)	IMSA 51-5: 90 °C PVC + clear Nylon jacket (UL 83 THHN/THWN-2) \| IMSA 51-7: 90 °C cross-linked PE (UL 44 XHHW-2)High dielectric and thermal resistance inside sealed pavement slots
3	Annular slip clearance	Unbonded air gap between the inner insulated wire (OD ~2.8–3.6 mm) and the inner wall of the PE tubeAllows the conductor to slip longitudinally without snapping when pavement cracks open
4	6.35 mm (0.250 in) PE duct tube	Extruded black or colour-coded LLDPE/HDPE tube (0.81 mm / 32 mil wall, 6.35 mm nominal OD)Acts as a permanent mini-conduit inside the epoxy/bitumen-sealed roadway saw-cut

IMSA 51-5 (14 AWG / 12 AWG THHN in PE Tube)

UL 83 THHN/THWN-2 PVC/Nylon inner wire loosely encased in a 6.35 mm (0.250 in) polyethylene tube

IMSA 51-7 (14 AWG / 12 AWG XHHW-2 in HDPE Tube)

UL 44 XHHW-2 cross-linked polyethylene inner wire in a 6.35 mm HDPE tube for hot-pour sealant and wet freeze-thaw pavements

Technical data

Ratings & operating limits

Typical values: Typical values for this cable type, based on IMSA Specification 51-5 (THHN in PE Tube) & 51-7 (XHHW-2 in HDPE Tube). Values for your order are confirmed in the datasheet and quotation.

Electrical

Rated voltage: 600 V RMS (UL 83 THHN / UL 44 XHHW-2)
Conductor DC resistance: 8.28 Ω/km (14 AWG) · 5.21 Ω/km (12 AWG) at +20 °C
Insulation resistance: ≥ 1,000 MΩ·km (51-7 XHHW-2 XLPE)

Thermal

Continuous temperature rating: -40 °C to +90 °C wet or dry
Hot-pour sealant compatibility: IMSA 51-7 XLPE/HDPE resists hot sealant

Mechanical

Conductor stranding: 19-strand concentric bare copper
Outer tube dimensions: 6.35 mm (0.250 in) OD · 0.81 mm (0.032 in) wall
Min. corner bend radius: 38 mm (1.5 in) chamfered saw-cut corner

Resistance

Pavement shift & shear protection: Free-sliding inner conductor in PE tube
De-icing salt, oil & gasoline: Nylon/XLPE inner + PE outer tube

Reference standards

Primary specifications: IMSA Specification 51-5 & IMSA 51-7
Inner conductor approvals: UL 83 THHN/THWN-2 (51-5) · UL 44 XHHW-2 (51-7)
RoHS & REACH: RoHS 3 & REACH compliant

Identification

Outer tube colours: Black, red, blue, orange, yellow, or green
Surface legend: TEBAOFLEX IMSA SPEC 51-5 [or 51-7] 14 AWG 600V
Customs tariff (HS): 8544.49

Sizes

4 standard configurations (IMSA 51-5 / 51-7)

Engineering dimensions, conductor stranding, mass and electrical ratings for IMSA 51-5 / 51-7 per IMSA Specification 51-5 (THHN in PE Tube) & 51-7 (XHHW-2 in HDPE Tube).

Dimensions & weights
Order designation	Cross-section / size	Conductor build	Wall ≈ mm	Outer Ø ≈ mm	Metal kg/km	Weight ≈ kg/km	Min. bend R fixed mm
Standard IMSA 51-5 / 51-7 configurations
IMSA 51-5 14AWG	14 AWG (2.08)	THHN / THWN-2 (PVC+Nylon)	0.98	6.35	18.5	42.0	51
IMSA 51-5 12AWG	12 AWG (3.31)	THHN / THWN-2 (PVC+Nylon)	1.15	6.35	24.2	55.0	51
IMSA 51-7 14AWG	14 AWG (2.08)	XHHW-2 (Cross-Linked PE)	1.21	6.35	18.9	43.0	51
IMSA 51-7 12AWG	12 AWG (3.31)	XHHW-2 (Cross-Linked PE)	1.38	6.35	24.6	56.0	51

Typical values for this cable type; dimensions and weights for your order are confirmed in the quotation.
Outer diameters and weights are nominal engineering values for IMSA 51-5 / 51-7 subject to standard manufacturing tolerances per IMSA Specification 51-5 (THHN in PE Tube) & 51-7 (XHHW-2 in HDPE Tube).

Electrical & rating data
Configuration	Max. DC R @ 20 °C Ω/km	Primary rating (A or nF/km)	Secondary rating	Dielectric test V AC rms
14 AWG (2.08)	8.28	18.0	15.3	2,000
12 AWG (3.31)	5.21	18.0	15.3	2,000
14 AWG (2.08)	8.28	18.0	15.3	2,000
12 AWG (3.31)	5.21	18.0	15.3	2,000

Electrical resistance at +20 °C and dielectric withstand voltages verified per IMSA Specification 51-5 (THHN in PE Tube) & 51-7 (XHHW-2 in HDPE Tube).

Quality & approvals

Testing & inspection

Routine tests on every production length, sample and type tests per batch — documented on an EN 10204 3.1 inspection certificate.

ConductorClass 5 stranding
Spark test100 % in-line
Lay-upCores, earth, fillers
SheathingInner, braid / screen, outer
Electrical testsAC voltage, resistance
DimensionsOD, wall thickness
Inspection documents & dispatchDrum & dispatch

Testing & inspection	Test value / reference	Frequency
Routine tests
Dielectric spark / high-voltage withstand test	100 % in-line spark and AC/DC dielectric withstand per IMSA Specification 51-5 (THHN in PE Tube) & 51-7 (XHHW-2 in HDPE Tube)	Every manufactured length
Conductor DC resistance & continuity check	Within maximum 20 °C resistance limit specified for IMSA 51-5 / 51-7	Every spool or drum length
Sample tests
Insulation resistance & dimensional verification	Wall thickness, concentricity and insulation resistance per IMSA Specification 51-5 (THHN in PE Tube) & 51-7 (XHHW-2 in HDPE Tube)	Per production batch
Environmental, mechanical & EMC qualification	Qualified to IMSA Specification 51-5 (THHN in PE Tube) & 51-7 (XHHW-2 in HDPE Tube) thermal, mechanical and environmental performance criteria	Type qualification

Inspection certificate

Issued with every drum, listing the routine test results for that length.

Product approvals

IMSA Specification 51-5 (THHN in PE Tube) & 51-7 (XHHW-2 in HDPE Tube)CE (2014/35/EU) & RoHS 3 (2015/863/EU) CompliantREACH SVHC Compliance Verified

Company certificates

ISO 9001ISO 14001ISO 45001VDE marks approvalUL / cULCE · LVD / EMC

Marking & supply

Ordering & delivery

Sheath marking

TEBAOFLEX IMSA SPEC 51-7 14AWG XHHW-2 IN HDPE TUBE 600V

Delivery form: Export wooden drums, tactical reels or coils
Standard lengths: 100 m · 500 m · 1000 m (or custom cut lengths)
MOQ: 100 m (stock sizes) · 300–500 m (custom build)
Lead time: 2–4 weeks ex-works
Incoterms: EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP

Technical documents

Downloads

PDFIMSA 51-5 / 51-7 Traffic Loop Detector Wire with PE Tube Jacket – technical datasheet4 sizes · construction, technical data, approvals XLSXIMSA 51-5 / 51-7 spec data (Excel)All 4 sizes with dimensions and data, for your BOM or quotation

Revision: 2026-10-20
Updated: 2026-10-20

FAQ

Questions engineers ask first

Not covered here? Send your drawing — an engineer replies within 2 business hours.

What is the difference between IMSA 51-5 and IMSA 51-7?

Both consist of a 19-strand 14 AWG or 12 AWG copper wire loosely encased inside a 6.35 mm (0.250 in) polyethylene duct tube. IMSA 51-5 uses a UL 83 THHN/THWN-2 (PVC insulation with a clear Nylon skin) inner wire inside a LLDPE tube, whereas IMSA 51-7 uses a thermoset UL 44 XHHW-2 (cross-linked polyethylene XLPE) inner wire inside an HDPE tube for superior thermal and moisture durability.

Why is the copper wire loosely enclosed in a tube instead of having a tightly extruded jacket?

Asphalt pavements constantly creep, rut under truck braking, and crack during winter freeze-thaw cycles. A tightly jacketed wire bonded into loop sealant experiences localized tensile shear across a pavement crack and snaps. In IMSA 51-5 / 51-7, the outer 6.35 mm PE tube is held by the sealant while the inner conductor slides freely inside the tube without breaking.

How are the two ends of an IMSA 51-5 / 51-7 roadway loop routed to the pull box?

After winding 3 to 5 turns in the roadway slot, the two wire-in-tube ends are twisted together (~6 turns/ft) through the curb saw-cut conduit into the roadside handhole, sealed at the tube ends to keep water out of the tube, and spliced to IMSA 50-2 shielded lead-in cable.

Why do state DOTs increasingly specify IMSA 51-7 over IMSA 51-5?

Thermoset XHHW-2 XLPE insulation in IMSA 51-7 will not soften or deform when hot-applied elastomeric asphalt loop sealants (poured at +175 °C to +200 °C) are injected into the saw-cut slot.

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IMSA 51-5 / 51-7 Traffic Loop Detector Wire with PE Tube Jacket

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