Southwire 12/2 NM-B Romex SIMpull 250 ft Solid Copper Wire with Ground Indoor Electrical Cable

The Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft Romex SIMpull is the residential branch circuit cable American electricians have been pulling for decades. As 12 gauge solid copper wire with ground, the Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft handles 20-amp circuits across general household outlets, lighting runs, kitchen counter receptacles, and most workshop branch wiring. The 12/2 Romex SIMpull jacket is the SIMpull friction-reducing version of standard NM-B, which cuts pull effort by roughly 50 percent compared to legacy Romex and meaningfully speeds up rough-in work in long runs through bored studs and joists. As an NM-B 250 ft yellow cable, the yellow PVC jacket is the universal industry color code identifying 12 gauge wire on the jobsite, making sizing instantly verifiable during inspections. As 12/2 indoor electrical wire, every Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft spool ships nationwide from IB Lighting with free freight and contractor volume pricing. Manufacturer specifications are available at the official Southwire website.

Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft Key Highlights

12/2 Romex SIMpull: Why the SIMpull Jacket Matters

The defining feature of the Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft Romex SIMpull is the SIMpull jacket itself. Standard NM-B jackets have always been a friction surface, especially when pulled through bored holes in framing studs or stacked through multiple knockouts in a panel. SIMpull is Southwire’s friction-reducing surface treatment that turns a sticky pull into something closer to a pipe slide. Independent contractor testing puts the friction reduction at roughly 50 percent compared to legacy non-SIMpull NM-B, which translates directly into faster rough-in and less crew exhaustion at the end of a long day.

For a 250 foot spool of 12/2 Romex SIMpull, the practical impact is most noticeable on long horizontal runs through ceiling joists, where standard cable would bind and require a second person to feed while the first pulls. With SIMpull, one electrician can typically handle a 30 to 40 foot run solo without binding. That is meaningful labor savings on a residential rewire job or a new construction rough-in, which is why most professional electricians have switched to SIMpull as their default Romex spec since the technology launched.

12 Gauge Solid Copper Wire with Ground: What It Means

The “12/2 with ground” specification on the Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft tells you everything you need about the conductor configuration. The “12” is the AWG gauge, which determines the current-carrying capacity of the wire. 12 AWG copper is rated for 20 amps in the National Electrical Code residential branch circuit table, which is exactly what most household receptacle circuits and 20-amp lighting branches require. The “2” means two insulated current-carrying conductors: a hot (typically black) and a neutral (typically white). The “with ground” portion is the bare copper equipment grounding conductor that runs alongside the insulated pair inside the jacket.

“Solid” copper means the conductor is a single solid strand of copper wire rather than multiple thinner stranded wires twisted together. Solid conductors are the residential standard for NM-B because they hold their shape inside electrical box terminations and back-stab receptacles, which makes splicing and termination faster. Stranded copper is used in commercial and high-flex applications, but for typical residential branch wiring, solid is the right choice and what every code inspector expects to see during rough-in inspection.

Common Applications for the Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft

The Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft Romex SIMpull is the workhorse cable for the bulk of residential electrical installations. The most common applications include:

• General household receptacle circuits. Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, hallways, any 20-amp outlet branch.
• Kitchen counter receptacles. Code requires 20-amp small-appliance branch circuits in kitchens, served by 12/2 NM-B.
• Bathroom GFCI circuits. 20-amp dedicated branch for bathroom receptacles, typically GFCI-protected at the first device.
• Garage and workshop branch wiring. Garage outlets, workshop tool receptacles, basement utility outlets.
• Lighting circuits. 20-amp lighting branches for areas with heavier load, like kitchens, garages, and exterior lighting runs.
• Switch runs. Two-conductor switch loops for single-pole and three-way switching.

For lighter loads like simple bedroom lighting circuits or low-load receptacle branches, 14/2 NM-B at 15 amps is also valid and often less expensive. But the moment a circuit is intended for 20-amp service or any kitchen, bathroom, or workshop application, 12/2 is the correct choice.

Code Compliance and Ratings

The Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft Romex SIMpull is UL Listed and meets every requirement of the National Electrical Code (NEC) for residential branch circuit wiring. The cable carries a 600-volt insulation rating with a 90-degree Celsius temperature rating in dry locations. NM-B specifically means “Non-Metallic, B-rated,” which is the code designation for the residential branch circuit cable approved for installation in dry, indoor locations protected from physical damage by the building structure.

NM-B is not approved for wet locations, direct burial, conduit fill in damp environments, or exterior installations where the cable would be exposed to weather. For those applications, UF (Underground Feeder) cable, THHN/THWN conductors in conduit, or Type SE service entrance cable are the correct alternatives. The yellow jacket color of the 12/2 NM-B is part of the industry-standard color coding system: yellow for 12 AWG, white for 14 AWG, orange for 10 AWG, and black for larger feeder cables. This makes visual sizing verification fast for both inspectors and crew during rough-in.

Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft Specifications

Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft FAQs

Who the Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft Is Built For

The Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft Romex SIMpull is built for two clear buyer types. The first is licensed electrical contractors running residential rough-ins, additions, kitchen and bath remodels, basement finishing projects, and garage upgrades. For these buyers, the SIMpull jacket pays for itself in labor savings on every long pull, the 250 foot spool is the right length to handle a single room or a small branch, and bulk orders ship with contractor volume pricing applied automatically.

The second buyer is the serious DIY homeowner or experienced handyman doing their own permitted electrical work under code. For these buyers, the Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft is the same wire your electrician would pull through your walls, with no compromise on quality. The yellow industry-standard jacket makes inspector approval straightforward, and the SIMpull surface makes long DIY pulls through bored studs achievable without a second person feeding the cable. If you are unsure whether your project requires a permit or what gauge wire fits your specific circuit, IB Lighting can connect you with our Master Electrician-led team for guidance before you order.

12/2 vs 14/2 Wire: Which Should You Buy?

The Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft and Southwire 14/2 NM-B 250 ft are the two most common residential branch circuit cables in American homes. The choice between them is determined entirely by the amperage of the circuit you are wiring.

Choose 12/2 NM-B if your circuit is 20 amps. This includes any kitchen counter receptacle, any bathroom GFCI branch, any garage or workshop outlet, any 20-amp lighting branch, and any general receptacle circuit you want to install at 20 amps for future-proofing. The 12 AWG copper handles the load with code-compliant headroom, and 12 AWG is the minimum allowed wire size for a 20-amp branch circuit.

Choose 14/2 NM-B if your circuit is 15 amps. This includes most bedroom lighting circuits, basic receptacle branches in lighter-load rooms, and replacement wiring in older homes that are already wired with 15-amp circuits throughout. 14 AWG copper is thinner, lighter to pull, and less expensive per foot, which makes it the right pick when 15 amps genuinely matches the circuit design. You cannot use 14/2 on a 20-amp circuit, ever.

If you are unsure, defaulting to 12/2 gives you future flexibility because the wire is rated for 20 amps even if you install it on a 15-amp breaker today. Many electricians overspec to 12/2 throughout a home for exactly this reason. Browse our complete Southwire wire collection to compare 14/2, 10/2, and other gauges if your bill of materials covers multiple sizes.

Installation Tips for the Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft

Pulling 12/2 Romex SIMpull through a residential framing rough-in is straightforward, but a few practices make the work faster and the inspection cleaner. First, drill all your stud and joist holes before starting any pulls. Holes should be at least 1.25 inches from the nearest stud edge to satisfy the NEC nail-plate requirement, and centered through the structural member when possible. Drill consistently sized holes in a straight line across multiple studs so the cable runs cleanly without dipping or rising between bays.

Use cable staples to secure the Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft within 12 inches of every box and at intervals not exceeding 4.5 feet along the run, per NEC code. Do not over-tighten staples or you will crush the cable jacket and risk a code violation. Maintain at least 6 inches of free cable inside every electrical box to give yourself room to work during termination. When pulling long runs, feed the cable from the spool end rather than pulling from the middle to avoid kinking.

For terminations, strip about 8 inches of jacket back at each box, leaving 6 inches of free conductor for splicing and termination. Use linesman pliers to make clean wire nut connections, and torque receptacle and switch terminals to manufacturer spec. Code requires nail plates over any cable run within 1.25 inches of the stud edge to protect against drywall screws and nails. Inspector pass rates on Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft installs are generally excellent because the cable is UL Listed and the SIMpull jacket holds up well to handling.

Bulk and Contractor Pricing

The Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft is one of IB Lighting’s most-stocked wire SKUs because contractors buy it in volume. We offer automatic volume pricing on multi-spool orders, with deeper savings on larger bills of materials. For a typical residential rough-in covering multiple rooms, a 5 to 10 spool order is common and triggers our standard contractor pricing tier. For larger development projects or commercial branch wiring buys, our team works with you on a custom quote that combines wire, panels, devices, and accessories under one project number.

Free freight applies to every Southwire 12/2 NM-B 250 ft order regardless of quantity. Most orders ship within 1 to 2 business days and arrive within 5 to 6 business days. If you need a bill of materials priced and quoted before you order, the IB Lighting team can turn around a quote inside of a business day for most projects. You can also browse our complete electrical wire collection for THHN, UF, SE, and feeder cables to round out your project.

Browse the complete IB Lighting electrical wire collection, explore other Southwire products, or visit our customer FAQ hub for more buying guidance. Manufacturer technical sheets are available at the official Southwire website.