Underwriter Laboratories has set the standards for product safety and has a through certification process. Mueller Electric is proud to provide UL Listed items and this blog post will provide some insight into what it means for something to be UL listed.

Underwriter Laboratories (UL) is the best known, largest and oldest independent testing laboratory in the United States and a world leader in product safety testing and certification. They set safety standards for different product categories and test products to make sure they meet those standards.

UL tests over 19,000 different products annually, ranging from consumer electronics, alarms and security equipment, to lasers, medical devices and robotics. 

There are two types of UL products that Mueller has. One is a listed product that is sold to an end consumer, and the other is a UL listed component that is meant to be used as part of other UL listed products.

A product that is UL listed has been thoroughly tested for safety and sometimes includes features that make it safer than similar products. For example, the Mueller BU-65 alligator clip is fully insulated and includes a guard near the teeth to prevent fingers from accidentally touching the teeth and has a fully shrouded connection. 

Mueller’s UL listed test probes and banana connecters also have a finger guards for safety, while the BU-6161-M-@ test lead has shrouded banana plugs at each end. These fully shrouded plugs ensure there is no exposed metal.

UL inspects Mueller's facilities on a quarterly basis to ensure the products continue to be manufactured to the high safety standards that they were originally reviewed under. 

Check out our high voltage test & measurement page.

For a general overview of clips, check out our guide to clips.

 Learn more about banana connectors here. 

There are many varieties of wire and cable insulation suited to a variety of needs.  Insulation is made of a non-conductive material that surrounds the wire and will resist an electric current.  Keep in mind that The thickness of the insulation determines the voltage rating. You can get high voltage from any kind of insulation depending on the thickness.

PVC is the most common type of insulation and the least expensive and has a wide ranges of uses. It’s very resistant to chemicals, corrosion, impact, abrasion, and weathering. The temperature range is -40°F to 221°F.  The wire is generally hard to the touch and doesn’t provide as much flexibility as other types of wire.

Silicone is highly flexible and heat resistant and is preferable to use for extreme temperature environments from -103°F to 482°F. It is soft to the touch. A downside of silicone is that it is generally more expensive and also attracts static so it has a tendency to get dirtier than other wires, as the dirt is attracted to the outside of the wire.

Natural rubber can be thought of as a cross between silicone and PVC in terms of some of its advantages and disadvantages. It has better abrasion resistance than silicone but not always as chemically resistant as PVC. It’s better suited to outdoor and industrial environments. Its temperature range is -13°F to 140°F which is less than the other two kinds of insulation.