I'm not sure who I'm suppose to up-vote as the 'correct answer' here. Several people had various good answers... others gave additional info that was also very helpful (for things I didn't even think about). And I assume I can't up-vote a "comment", only an "answer".
Aloysius Defenestrate wins it for his suggestion (but in a comment). It does indeed look like the lower price was due to higher copper prices (Home Depot even had a makeshift sign taped to their shelf). Perhaps the lesser used "outdoor cable" was store inventory from months before the price increases. While the much used "indoor cable" was newer stock, at its newer higher prices.
And a thank you to George Anderson for the stripping suggestion. Outdoor may be harder to strip. I've never tried it... but it looks like part of the difference between the 2 cables are:
- Indoor has its white outer insulation bundled loosely around all 3 conductors.
- Outdoor has its gray outer insulation bundled tightly around EACH of the 3 conductors, individually. (Probably to avoid an airspace where water could gather.)
Wrong answers: It's not "an extension cord". It's not due to being the wrong gauge, nor aluminum wire, nor the wrong amp rating. It wasn't a pricing error, not a huge sale.
100' copper 14/2 indoor white: $86
100' copper 14/2 outdoor gray: $56
