The Detex FC3W is the OEM Weatherized Armored Cable (Flex Conduit) Kit for the Detex Value Series EB, EA, EX, EBxW, and EXxW exit device family, documented in the Detex Value Series Electrical Instructions (doc 104947) and the Advantex Electrical Instructions (doc 104873). The kit includes 3 feet of flexible conduit, the conduit end fittings required for connection at both ends, and waterproof wire nuts for weatherized wire terminations. Electrical wires are not supplied - the installer runs their own conductors through the conduit after installation.

The FC3W mounts directly to the end cap of the Detex exit device, which is the exit point for all wiring from the device body to the electrical system.

Detex FC3W vs FC3: Weatherized vs Standard Armored Cable

The Detex armored cable kit family covers both indoor and outdoor applications with four products:

FC3 = Armored Cable (Flex Conduit) Kit, 3ft - standard, non-weatherized. For interior applications where the conduit and wire connections are not exposed to moisture or outdoor conditions.

FC10 = Armored Cable Kit, 10ft - standard, non-weatherized, for longer interior runs.

FC3W (this product) = Weatherized Armored Cable Kit, 3ft - includes waterproof wire nuts and weatherized conduit fittings for exterior and wet-location applications.

FC10W = Weatherized Armored Cable Kit, 10ft - same weatherized construction as FC3W for longer outdoor runs.

The distinction is the waterproof wire nuts. The FC3W adds weatherized wire termination hardware that seals the electrical connections inside the conduit from moisture intrusion. In an exterior installation - outdoor gate, loading dock exit, exterior stairwell door - moisture contact with standard wire nuts would eventually cause corrosion at the termination point and electrical failure. The FC3W waterproof wire nuts prevent that.

Detex Weatherized Armored Cable: Why the Flex Conduit Format

The FC3W is not a fixed rigid conduit - it is flexible conduit, specifically chosen for exit device wiring applications. Exit devices are mounted on doors. Doors move every time they open and close. A rigid conduit connecting the device body to the fixed wall electrical system would either bind the door travel or crack at its connection points over time from the repeated flex stress.

The flexible conduit absorbs the door movement. Each time the door opens, the flex conduit accommodates the changing geometry between the device (moving with the door) and the fixed wall conduit entry point. This is why Detex uses the flex conduit format rather than rigid conduit for this application.

Per the official Detex Value Series Electrical Instructions, for high-traffic doors this approach has a practical limit: "For high traffic areas an electric through-wire hinge or power transfer is recommended." On a door that cycles hundreds of times per day, the flex conduit loop stress accumulates faster than on a low-traffic installation. The electric hinge solution moves the flex point to the hinge, which is engineered for that movement. The FC3W covers standard to moderate-traffic applications.

Detex Alarm Parts: FC3W in the Value Series Electrical Accessory Catalog

The FC3W is one of several electrical accessories in the Detex Value Series parts catalog for the EB/EA/EX/EBxW/EXxW device family. The complete conduit and power transfer accessory list includes:

FC3 (3ft armored cable, non-weatherized), FC10 (10ft armored cable, non-weatherized), FC3W (3ft weatherized, this product), FC10W (10ft weatherized), AL18 (surface mount flex armor loop, 18", aluminum), JB-R (junction box with relay), PT-5 (power transfer), EWH8-626 (electric hinge).

For exit alarm installations on exterior weatherized doors, the FC3W is paired with the EA, EBxW, or V40xW device series - all of which are the weatherized device configurations in the Detex Value Series catalog.

SecurityParts stocks OEM Detex Value Series exit device electrical accessories. Free shipping on orders over $450.