BX cable

[shockingthemonkey]

Tring to win a bet at work. Does anyone know what 'BX' stands for?

 

[peter d]

I've read in David Shapiro's book "Old Electrical Wiring" that it stood for "Bronx" where the original GE manufactured cable was made.

 

[infinity]

I've heard the "Bronx" thing too over the years but I'm unsure if it's actually true.

 

[BryanMD]

Basic armored cable was developed in the early 1900s by Edwin Greenfield and Gus Johnson, who called their product BX cable. It has become a generic term for all armored cable.

Per Jim Dollins, VP of Product Development for AFC Cable Systems, the term "BX" stands for "Product "B" - Experimental."

Apparently, back when the product was first developed, the first manufacturer of this product had only one product at the time: "Product "A"". So when they developed this product they didn't know what to call it. Somebody suggested "Product "B" with the suffix "X" added as the product was at that time experimental.

google... it's a GoodThing

 

[M. D.]

I heard that it stood for prototype b experimental

http://www.seatekco.com/bx.htm

 

[M. D.]

yup ,...just what Bryan posted

 

[infinity]

Basic armored cable was developed in the early 1900s by Edwin Greenfield and Gus Johnson, who called their product BX cable. It has become a generic term for all armored cable.

Per Jim Dollins, VP of Product Development for AFC Cable Systems, the term "BX" stands for "Product "B" - Experimental."

Apparently, back when the product was first developed, the first manufacturer of this product had only one product at the time: "Product "A"". So when they developed this product they didn't know what to call it. Somebody suggested "Product "B" with the suffix "X" added as the product was at that time experimental.

google... it's a GoodThing

I kind of knew that the old "Bronx" thing was an urban legend but couldn't substantiate it. Thanks for the info. :smile:

 

[mdshunk]

only know it as type B, experimental.

 

[tonyou812]

I beileve that a company that manufacued it was called "The Bronx Cable Company" and the name just stuck.

 

[tonyou812]

Sort of like Romex. Romex is a brand name but many ec's use it to describe NM cable.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Basic armored cable was developed in the early 1900s by Edwin Greenfield and Gus Johnson, who called their product BX cable. It has become a generic term for all armored cable.

Per Jim Dollins, VP of Product Development for AFC Cable Systems, the term "BX" stands for "Product "B" - Experimental."

Apparently, back when the product was first developed, the first manufacturer of this product had only one product at the time: "Product "A"". So when they developed this product they didn't know what to call it. Somebody suggested "Product "B" with the suffix "X" added as the product was at that time experimental.

google... it's a GoodThing

Both this story, and the Bronx tale have substantiation. Remember that back in the "old days", news did not travel as fast and far as it does today. When the Bronx Cable company started to manufacture the product, the BX name stuck and quickly became popular. The above story is how it actually started.