It’s time for selecting the whole wiring system for your home. And we know this is one of the most crucial decisions that you’ll make in life. Because one single mistake can burn the whole house, endangering your precious life.
It’s obvious you’re anxiously wondering which one to pick: Cerro Wire vs Romex?
If you’re concerned about safety then go for Cerro. If you’re in need of high ampacity then Cerro is the one for you. And if you’ve considering wire size, choose again Cerro. Lastly, considering the price, Cerro is cheaper.
So you think you know which one to go for, but wait! We haven’t enclosed all the details yet. For that, you have to scroll down.
Cerro Wire vs Romex: Quick Preview
So, if you’re in a rush for a quick decision then you’re in the right place. Because we’ve given you a quick preview. We’ve talked about the wire size and ampacity along with the resistance and safety of these two wires.
This will give an insight into the whole article. Let’s get to it!
| Wires | Safety | Resistance | Price | Features | Ampacity |
| Cerro wire | High safety ensured | Fire resistant | Comparatively low | Sizes starting from 12-2 to 14-3 | Comparatively high |
Romex | Medium safety ensured | Fire resistant | Comparatively higher | Sizes starting from 10-2 to 14-2 | Comparatively low |
Now you know the basics, but we suggest you read the whole article. So that, in the end, you finally choose the right wire.
Cerro Wire Vs Romex: Broad Overview
Well, you might have been able to pick between Porter Paint vs Sherwin Williams for your home’s interior. But still, you’re still struggling between Cerro wire and Romex.
And we know that the struggle is real as both of these are similar kinds of wires. But you can only choose one to be on the safe side.
Here, we presented a broad overview based on their purpose, features, safety measures, price, and ampacity. So just give it a shot.
Purpose
You probably know that both Cerro Wire and Romex are wires that are commonly used by homeowners for their internal wiring. They might look the same from an overall aspect. But both are different when it comes to the nitty-gritty.
Let’s see how different they really are.
Cerro Wire
Cerro Wire mainly supplies electricity to the internal housing lines. It is meant to be used in the conductor and passes through other electrical devices.
But it is only made for internal wiring and discouraged to use outside.
The wire is mainly made for a dry environment. But with special measures, it can be used in a damp environment. But that’s also not encouraged.
Romex
To be honest, the purpose of Romex matches with Cerro wire a lot. But you’ll be surprised to know that in spite of having similarities, Cerro is the most common and popular wire. And this popularity comes because of the wide range of areas it covers.
You can use Romex wires on the terrace and garage. Moreover, with Romex wires you can even make wire cages that can ensure an ideal tomato to cage ratio.
That does not mean that you’ll have to put it in a place where it’s vulnerable and there’s frequent water flow.
Also if you’re living in an apartment at a skyscraper then we suggest you not to use Romex. Because they can support up to three-storied buildings.
Safety Measures
While talking about wires and electrical stuff, safety is the main concern unless you want to burn your house down. The main concern here is that both wires need proper care.
For Cerro, there are some factors that need to be taken care of. The wire should be well protected against any damage to prevent leaks or water contact. You’ll need to protect the wire by clamping it to the device box.
And we advise you to not expose the wires to water and wet surfaces to ensure maximum safety.
On the other hand, Romex requires the same safety measures. As we already mentioned that this wire can survive a damp environment. So it does not require much protection against water and heat. And these qualities let you use the wire in the basement also.
But if your furnace keeps overheating, then do not put the wire near it. Because that would simply be melting the poor wire.
Considering all the safety measures, Cerro will be the safest for your home if you live in a duplex or triplex house.
Features
Now comes the most important part where we’ll talk about the detailed features of both competitors.
The outer layer of Cerro is non-metallic. Cerro is a wire that comes with a variation of sizes starting from 2-3 to 14-3 the range keeps on moving forward as new sizes are being introduced to the market. But among them, the 12-2 wire is used for lights and quite popular.
Romex has collection of wire sizes starting from 10-2 to 14-2. This lower size range compared to Cerro gives it flexibility. That helps to use it in various electric points and gains customer satisfaction.
Here again, Cerro wins the game.
Price
The price of these two is quite close. But still, if you want to go for the cheapest one then just go for Cerro. Because Cerro provides the best deal since one-foot will cost you $2.41 – $2.50.
Whereas, the Romex wire price is about $2.50 – $3.00 per foot.
But the prices for both items depends on the stock availability and purchase measure. So if you buy in bulk, you might even get a discount.
Ampacity
While we’re discussing wires, we certainly can’t forget their ampacity. If you don’t know what ampacity is, it’s just the electricity carrying capacity of the wire. So in terms of ampacity, both wires differ a lot.
The ampacity calculation is done by measuring the number of electric connections attached to one circuit. If you look into your circuit capacity you’ll see it’s generally 20 amps and for lighting, it’s 15 amps.
But if you’re not sure about how many gauzes (size) you’10-2 to 14-2ll need for what ampacity for both the alternatives, then the answer is just below-
| Measures | Cerro wire | Romex |
| Gauze | 2-3, 14-3 | 10-2, 14-2 |
| Amps | 20-30, 15-25 A | 30, 15 A |
This table shows that comparatively, Cerro has the highest ampacity between the two.
So you can just go for Cerro if high ampacity is what you seek.
The Final Outcome
As you can see, Cerro ticks all the boxes if you’re considering safety and price.
However, Romex isn’t far behind and it even has a higher current capacity.
Whichever you choose, keep in mind that when it comes to wiring you mustn’t compromise. Although, both choices are fairly similar. You’re responsible for picking the best one for your situation.
FAQs
What type of wiring is Romex?
Romex is the most common type of wiring. It connects with an electric conductor and is used as a branch wire.
Are Cerro wire and Romex the same?
Well not totally. Though their manufacturing purpose is more or less the same still they have some distinction which varies both of them.
Can Romex be exposed in the garage?
Well, Romex has a non-metal sheathing. So there’s no way you can expose it in the garage or any other place, but with fixtures, you can set it in the garage.
Bottom-line
That’s all from us for today. And we pretty much shared everything that we knew about the competitors Cerro Wire vs Romex.
Hope you found it useful. Now just choose the perfect wiring system for you.
Good luck and thank you.