UL-listed coiled cords, sold across the industry as coil cords, with self-retracting helical geometry. From miniature signal cords for instrumentation to shielded multi-conductor cable for industrial control. Engineered and manufactured in Branford, CT since 1947.
Autac coiled cords deliver signal integrity and compact flexibility where it matters most. From EMI-protected shielded lines to ultra-compact miniature cords, every product is built to perform. If you are sourcing a coil cord by wire gauge, conductor count, or shield type, this is the range to work from.
Spiral-wrap and foil shielding options provide 90%+ coverage for electromagnetic interference protection. Available in PVC and Auta-Prene jacketing with individually served shielded conductors for maximum noise rejection in sensitive signal and data applications.
Ultra-compact coiled cords with small OD profiles for instruments, medical devices, and electronics where space is at a premium. Available with optional foil shield and drain wire for applications requiring both compact size and EMI protection.
These three names describe the same helical geometry, and the industry uses them interchangeably. Autac splits them by application so you land on the right stock range. Retractile is the term UL uses for the category as a whole.
Industrial and signal coil cords: shielded multi-conductor cable, miniature cords for instrumentation, and heavy-gauge coiled power cable. Start here for any coil cord specified by gauge, conductor count, or shielding.
You are hereCurly cords for telephone handsets, dispatch radios, headsets, control panels, and Auta-Prene test leads. Start here when the cord attaches to a handset, a headset, or a meter.
See curly cords → The UL term for the whole familyUL-listed retractile power cords in TPE, TPR, and PVC, 2 to 10 conductors, with 12 to 48 inch retracted lengths. Start here for the full stock range and custom retractile builds.
See retractile cords →A coiled cord is an electrical cable wound into a helical spring shape that extends under tension and retracts to its compact resting length when released. The helical geometry is permanently heat-set into the jacket material during manufacturing, giving the cord elastic spring memory without any moving parts. A typical coiled cord extends to roughly five times its retracted length and returns automatically when the load is removed.
The product spans an enormous range of applications. The same coiled-cord geometry that carries milliamps on 26 AWG signal lines is also used for 600-volt, 30-amp portable power on 10 AWG conductors. What unifies them is the self-retracting behavior the helical construction produces — the cord stays out of the way when it isn't needed and reaches when it is.
A regular cable has to be coiled and uncoiled by hand and stays where you leave it. A coiled cord retracts on its own, eliminating tangles and trip hazards at the workbench, on a vehicle dash, or alongside a piece of moving equipment. Beyond convenience, coiled cords also handle repeated flex cycles better than straight cable. The helical geometry distributes mechanical stress along the entire coil rather than concentrating it at fixed bend points, which is why coiled cords are specified for portable equipment, robotic arms, retracting tool stations, and medical devices that move thousands of times over their service life.
Every Autac coiled cord is built up from four engineered layers:
The cord is then heat-cured around a mandrel to set the helix geometry permanently. The result is a cable that retracts to a defined length and returns to that length cycle after cycle, for the life of the cord.
Autac coiled cords appear in environments where standard cable would tangle, snag, or fail prematurely under repeated flex. The categories below cover the bulk of OEM and industrial demand we see.
Portable test instruments, hand-held controllers, retractable tool stations, and pendant cables on manufacturing equipment.
Hospital cart cabling, patient monitor leads, and shielded signal lines for diagnostic imaging and instrumentation.
Dispatch radio handset cords, headset cables, and shielded data lines in EMI-heavy operations centers.
Vehicle-mounted communications, shielded sensor lines, and retractile power cables for mobile platforms.
Probe cables, instrument interconnects, and signal-grade shielded lines where induced noise corrupts readings.
Built-to-spec cords with custom terminations, jacket colors, conductor counts, and lengths — no minimum order quantity.
Tinned-copper coiled cables with a shield for signal and data runs where EMI would otherwise couple into the conductors. TPE insulation and jacket.
| Cat. No. | Cond. | AWG | UL Type | Voltage | Amps | Retracted Lengths | Listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7701 | 3 | 18 | SJTO | 300V | 5A | 2", 4", 6", 8", 10" | UL Listed |
| 7710 | 4 | 16 | SJT | 300V | 8A | 2", 4", 6", 8", 10", 15" | UL Listed |
Shielded PVC coiled cables for instrumentation and control circuits in electrically noisy environments.
| Cat. No. | Cond. | AWG | UL Type | Voltage | Amps | Retracted Lengths | Listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8801 | 2 | 18 | SVT | 300V | 5A | 2", 4", 6", 8" | UL Listed |
Small-diameter coiled cords for handheld devices, panel wiring, and any assembly where a standard power cord will not fit.
| Cat. No. | Cond. | AWG | UL Type | Voltage | Amps | Retracted Lengths | Listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9901 | 2 | 18 | SVT | 300V | 5A | 2", 4", 6" | UL Recognized |
| 9910 | 3 | 18 | SVT | 300V | 5A | 2", 4", 6", 8" | UL Recognized |
Miniature coiled cords with foil shielding, for low-level signal runs inside tight enclosures.
| Cat. No. | Cond. | AWG | UL Type | Voltage | Amps | Retracted Lengths | Listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9950 | 3 | 18 | SVT | 300V | 5A | 2", 4", 6" | UL Recognized |
We build custom coiled cords to order — any gauge, conductor count, length, shielding, and color.
Most coiled cord inquiries stall in the same place: the application is clear but the cord is not described in terms a manufacturer can quote from. Six values cover almost every build. Send those and we can price a stock catalog number or a custom run without a round of questions first.
The resting length of the coiled section, measured from the end of one lead to the start of the other. This is the number that determines how much cord is out of the way when the equipment is idle. Autac stocks retracted lengths of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, and 20 inches, and cuts custom lengths outside that range.
How far the cord actually has to reach in service. A heat-set coil extends to roughly five times its retracted length, so a 10 inch coil gives about 50 inches of working reach. Specify the reach you need rather than the coil you think you need, and we will work backwards to the retracted length. Sizing a coil to its absolute limit shortens its life; the cord should reach its working distance with tension left in it.
The stock catalog runs 2 to 4 conductors in 10 through 18 AWG, which covers most portable power and control applications. Custom builds run from 26 AWG signal conductors up to 10 AWG for heavy power, in counts to 25. Conductors are bare copper on power cords and tinned copper on communications, control, test lead, and shielded constructions.
Stock cords are rated 300V or 600V, carrying 5A to 30A depending on gauge and construction. UL types in the catalog include SVT, SVTO, SJT, SJTO, SO, SOW, and CMG. If you are working to a specific UL type, name it; that single value often settles the jacket, insulation, and voltage rating at once.
TPE, TPR, or PVC, covered in detail below. If the cord will see oil, solvents, sustained cold, or heavy abrasion, say so here rather than leaving it to be discovered in the field.
Shielding is specified when the cord carries signal alongside anything electrically noisy. Autac stocks both braided and foil shielded constructions with a drain wire. Terminations are the last question: molded plug, bare leads for OEM assembly, or a connector you supply or name.
Both appear in the catalog and the difference matters at approval time. A UL Listed cord is certified as a finished product and can stand alone in the field. A UL Recognized cord is a component certified for building into a larger assembly that carries its own approval. Bare-end power cords, test leads, and the miniature constructions are Recognized; most finished power cords are Listed.
The jacket compound does more than protect the conductors. It is the material the helix is heat-set into, so it governs how well the cord holds its coil over thousands of cycles, how it behaves in cold, and what it survives being dragged across. Autac builds coiled cords in three stock families plus its own thermoset compound.
A thermoplastic elastomer, and the default for flexible-duty coiled cords. TPE stays supple at low temperature, recovers its coil well, and takes repeated flexing without the jacket work-hardening. Autac stocks TPE in power cords, bare-end power cords, and shielded communications constructions, rated 300V.
A thermoplastic rubber, tougher than TPE and the choice where the cord is dragged, pinched, or exposed to oils. Autac stocks TPR power cords in 12 to 16 AWG, 3 conductor, at both 300V and 600V, carrying 13A to 20A. If a cord is failing on abrasion rather than on conductor fatigue, this is usually the move.
The general-purpose and most economical option, and the broadest part of the catalog. PVC covers stock power cords from 10 to 18 AWG at 300V and 600V up to 30A, communications and control cables, test leads, shielded cables, and the miniature constructions. PVC is the right answer for indoor equipment in a controlled environment; it stiffens in cold more than TPE does, so it is the wrong answer for outdoor or refrigerated service.
Autac's proprietary thermoset compound, developed for coil memory first. It holds its retracted length over a longer service life than a thermoplastic jacket, resists chemicals, and has a low coefficient of friction so the cord slides through fixtures and guides instead of snagging on them. It is specified where the cord is a wear part on equipment that has to keep running.
In practice the decision follows the environment, not the electrical spec. Controlled indoor use goes to PVC. Cold, constant motion, or a cord that must recover its coil precisely goes to TPE. Oil, abrasion, and rough handling go to TPR. Long-service applications where the coil itself is the critical feature go to Auta-Prene. If you are unsure, describe where the cord lives and how often it moves, and we will specify the compound.
Tell us about your application and we'll recommend the right cord — or build one from scratch.