Application & Capillary Wicking Prevention
SAE J1128 TXL anti-capillary water-blocked automotive wire is a single-core thin-wall XLPE primary harness wire whose inter-strand voids are sealed with a silica/silicone blocking elastomer to stop longitudinal wicking of water, saltwater spray, engine oil, ATF, and coolant into ECUs, sensors, and sealed connectors from -40 °C to +125 °C.
Engine-Bay ECU, O2 & Gearbox Leads
When hot ECUs or transmission solenoids cool rapidly during washdown or rain, internal vacuum sucks water or ATF along standard unblocked wire strands. Inter-strand blocking stops fluid migration completely.
Marine, Personal Watercraft & Bilge
Rated for SAE J1128 (60V DC) and SAE J378C marine engine harnesses (300V RMS), fine-stranded ASTM B174 tinned copper resists salt-fog corrosion on jet skis (PWC), outboard engines, and bilge circuits.
Off-Highway, Oilfield & Defense Gear
Thin-wall electron-beam XLPE cuts harness bundle diameter and weight compared with GXL/SXL or PVC wire while surviving pressure washing, mud immersion, and hydraulic-fluid splash on mobile machinery.
Automated Harness Stripping & Crimp Compatibility: Unlike messy grease-filled cables that contaminate crimp barrels, TEBAOFLEX dry-cured silica/silicone strand blocking stays localized within the strand interstices (15 N nominal strip force) and displaces cleanly under high-pressure F-crimp or ultrasonic splice tooling without elevating millivolt contact drop.
Wire Construction & Anti-Capillary Anatomy
Standard multi-strand conductors contain approximately 22% open interstitial air volume between round wires. TEBAOFLEX seals both the internal strand bundle and the conductor-to-insulation boundary during extrusion.
| Layer / Component | Material & SAE J1128 Engineering Specification |
|---|---|
| Layer 01: Conductor | Fine concentric stranded tinned annealed copper per ASTM B174 / ASTM B33 (7-strand in 22–20 AWG, 16-strand in 18 AWG, 19-strand in 16–10 AWG) for maximum corrosion and solder/crimp reliability. Soft bare copper (ASTM B3) available on request. |
| Layer 02: Water-Block Agent | Continuous longitudinal silica / silicone anti-capillary blocking compound pressure-applied throughout all inter-strand valleys and over the outer strand perimeter to eliminate axial moisture, fuel, and oil wicking paths. |
| Layer 03: TXL Insulation | Thin-wall electron-beam cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) per SAE J1128 (0.016"–0.020" / 0.41–0.51 mm nominal wall). Thermoset cross-linking prevents melt-back or solder-iron shrink and resists engine fluids, ozone, and pinch abrasion. |
| Color & Stripe Options | Standard Black, Red, White, Yellow, Blue, Green, Brown, Orange, Violet, Grey, plus dual helical or longitudinal tracer stripes for OEM harness circuit coding. |
19-Strand Anti-Capillary Section (16–10 AWG): Concentric tinned copper strands fully encapsulated in silica/silicone blocking sealant inside thin-wall E-beam XLPE.
Technical & SAE J1128 Qualification Characteristics
Electrical, thermal, mechanical, and fluid-immersion qualification benchmarks verified to SAE J1128, SAE J378C, and ASTM B174 test protocols.
| Test Property / Parameter | Rated Value & Standard Requirement |
|---|---|
| Reference Standards | SAE J1128 (TXL Thin-Wall Primary Wire); SAE J378C (Marine Engine Wiring); ASTM B174 / B33 / B3 |
| Rated Working Voltage | 60 V DC / 25 V AC (SAE J1128 Road Vehicle Nominal) | 300 V RMS (SAE J378C Marine & Industrial Harness Rating) |
| Dielectric & Spark Test | 3,000 V AC Dielectric Withstand | 5.0 kV In-Line Dry Spark Test (SAE J1128) |
| Continuous Temperature Range | -40 °C to +125 °C (ISO 6722 Class C Thermal Equivalent) |
| Insulation Volume Resistivity | > 109 Ω·cm (SAE J1128) |
| XLPE Tensile & Elongation | Unaged: ≥ 10 MPa Tensile, ≥ 150% Elongation | Aged Retention: ≥ 80% Tensile, ≥ 50% Elongation |
| Flame Propagation (SAE J1128) | Self-extinguishing within ≤ 9 seconds (exceeds SAE J1128 ≤ 70 s maximum burn limit) |
| Cold Bend & Ozone Resistance | -40 °C for 3 hours without cracking | Ozone 65 ± 3 °C for 192 hours with zero surface crazing |
| Fluid & Fuel Swell Resistance | Engine Oil (50 °C × 20 h) & Gasoline (23 °C × 20 h): ≤ 15% max OD change; resistant to ATF, methanol, power steering fluid & coolant |
| Abrasion, Strip Force & Cycling | Passes SAE J1128 sandpaper abrasion (220 g, 1,500 mm/min) | 15 N nominal strip force | 40 environmental cycles (8 h each) |
TXL Anti-Capillary Wire Specifications (22 AWG to 10 AWG, Imperial & Metric)
Complete dimensional, stranding, conductor resistance, and weight data in both North American SAE imperial units (inches, lbs/1000 ft) and international metric units (mm², mm, kg/km) for harness engineering.
1. Standard SAE J1128 TXL Thin-Wall Anti-Capillary Series (Tinned Copper, 22 AWG to 10 AWG)
| Wire Size (AWG) | Metric Area (mm²) | Stranding (AWG / mm) | Cond. Dia. (mm) | Nom. XLPE Wall (in / mm) | Nominal OD (in / mm) | Max. DC Res. @ 20°C (Ω/km) | Weight (lbs/Mft) | Weight (kg/km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TXL 22 AWG | 0.35 | 7/30 (7×0.254) | 0.76 | 0.016 / 0.41 | 0.062 / 1.57 | 54.30 | 5.25 | 7.8 |
| TXL 20 AWG | 0.56 | 7/28 (7×0.320) | 0.97 | 0.016 / 0.41 | 0.070 / 1.78 | 34.60 | 6.10 | 9.1 |
| TXL 18 AWG | 0.81 | 16/30 (16×0.254) | 1.19 | 0.016 / 0.41 | 0.078 / 1.98 | 23.20 | 7.50 | 11.2 |
| TXL 16 AWG | 1.23 | 19/29 (19×0.287) | 1.43 | 0.016 / 0.41 | 0.088 / 2.24 | 14.60 | 11.00 | 16.4 |
| TXL 14 AWG | 1.94 | 19/27 (19×0.361) | 1.80 | 0.016 / 0.41 | 0.103 / 2.62 | 9.32 | 16.00 | 23.8 |
| TXL 12 AWG | 3.09 | 19/25 (19×0.455) | 2.28 | 0.018 / 0.46 | 0.126 / 3.20 | 5.84 | 24.00 | 35.7 |
| TXL 10 AWG | 4.92 | 19/23 (19×0.574) | 2.87 | 0.020 / 0.51 | 0.153 / 3.89 | 3.69 | 37.00 | 55.1 |
2. Optional GXL Standard-Wall & Metric XLPO/XLPE Anti-Capillary Builds (Custom Factory Runs)
| Custom Series & Size | Wall Profile | Conductor Stranding (mm) | Cond. Dia. (mm) | XLPE Wall (mm) | Overall Dia. (mm) | Max. DC Res. @ 20°C (Ω/km) | Approx. Mass (kg/km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GXL 16 AWG Anti-Capillary | SAE J1128 Standard Wall | 19 × 0.287 | 1.43 | 0.58 | 2.59 | 14.03 (Bare) / 14.60 (TC) | 19.5 |
| GXL 12 AWG Anti-Capillary | SAE J1128 Standard Wall | 19 × 0.440 | 2.20 | 0.66 | 3.52 | 5.97 (Bare) / 6.25 (TC) | 42.1 |
| Metric 1.0 mm² Anti-Capillary | Thin-Wall +125°C XLPO/XLPE | 7 × 0.430 | 1.29 | 0.40 | 2.10 | 18.50 (Bare) / 19.10 (TC) | 14.2 |
lbs/1000 ft (lbs/Mft) and kg/km (1 lbs/1000 ft = 1.488 kg/km; exact finished mass varies slightly by conductor lay and sealant fill ratio). Also manufacturable in heavy-wall SXL, metric ISO 6722-1 (0.35–6.0 mm²), or multi-core jacketed water-blocked sensor harnesses.Automotive, Powertrain & Water-Blocked Wire Selection Matrix
Compare SAE J1128 TXL anti-capillary wire with higher-temperature ISO 6722 Class D/E powertrain leads and multi-core waterproof industrial cables in the TEBAOFLEX portfolio.
| Model & Standard | Temperature, Insulation & Target Vehicle / Wet-Zone Duty |
|---|---|
| SAE J1128 TXL Anti-Capillary (This Product) | -40 °C to +125 °C, 60V DC / 300V RMS, 22–10 AWG tinned copper with longitudinal silica/silicone strand blocking and thin-wall E-beam XLPE for ECU, sensor, marine/PWC, and engine-bay harnesses. |
| 180B ISO 6722-1 Class D (60V) | 180B ISO 6722-1 Class D Automotive Transmission Wire: -40 °C to +150 °C metric thin-wall automotive wire engineered for hot ATF immersion and internal gearbox/transmission valve-body harnesses. |
| FHL2G Unshielded EV Silicone | FHL2G Silicone Cable for Automotive Powertrain: -40 °C to +180 °C / +200 °C high-flexibility ISO 6722 Class E silicone single-core power cable for EV battery packs, inverters, and traction motors. |
| FHLR2GCB2G Shielded EV Silicone | FHLR2GCB2G Shielded Silicone EV Powertrain Cable: 600V–1500V DC EMC-braid-screened high-voltage silicone cable for electric commercial vehicles and hybrid drive interconnections. |
| 4-Core 11Y PUR Waterproof Cable | 4-Core PUR Waterproof Flexible Cable (300/500V & 450/750V): Multi-core polyether polyurethane (11Y) power and sensor cable for wet mobile machinery, washdown actuators, and outdoor pumps. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Common engineering, crimping, and procurement questions for SAE J1128 TXL water-blocked harness wires.
Does the inter-strand silica/silicone blocking agent interfere with terminal crimping or ultrasonic welding?
For standard open-barrel F-crimp automotive terminals (e.g., sealed weather-pack or ECU micro-terminals), high mechanical crimp compression punches directly through the microscopic sealant film to establish gas-tight metal-to-metal contact on the tinned copper strands. If your line uses ultrasonic wire-to-wire splicing, inform TEBAOFLEX engineering before production so sealant fill tolerance can be tuned or validated on your splice horn.
Why is TXL Anti-Capillary Wire dual-referenced at 60V DC (SAE J1128) and 300V RMS?
SAE J1128 classifies TXL for nominal 60 V DC (25 V AC) road-vehicle low-tension systems, while its 0.016"–0.020" E-beam XLPE dielectric easily passes a 3,000 V AC dielectric test and 5 kV spark test, qualifying the same construction for 300 V RMS marine engine harnesses (SAE J378C), off-highway control cabinets, and oilfield instrumentation.
What is the difference between TXL, GXL, and SXL anti-capillary automotive wires?
All three use -40 °C to +125 °C cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) per SAE J1128 and differed strictly by insulation wall thickness: TXL (Thin-Wall, 0.016" at 14 AWG, 2.62 mm OD) minimizes weight and connector-seal diameter; GXL (General-Purpose Thin-Wall, ~0.023" / 0.58 mm) adds mechanical robustness; and SXL (Standard-Wall, ~0.029"+) maximizes cut-through protection.
What insulation colors, tracer stripes, and spool packaging are available for OEM harness plants?
TEBAOFLEX supplies solid SAE harness colors and custom helical/longitudinal stripe combinations on high-speed payoff plastic spools (e.g., 500 m, 1,000 m, or 2,500 ft barrels) compatible with Komax and Schleuniger automated cut-strip-terminate machines.
Specify Your SAE J1128 TXL Anti-Capillary Harness Wire
Share your required AWG or mm² size, tinned or bare copper stranding, insulation color/stripe schedule, and annual spool volume for direct TEBAOFLEX factory pricing and sample reels.
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