What kind of wire do you use for pigtails? You can make a pigtail with either thermoplastic high-heat-resistant nylon-coated (THHN) wire or non-metallic (NM) cable, often referred to as “Romex. ” Each pigtail requires a neutral wire, a ground wire, and a live wire. This gap in awareness matters because these connections ensure energy flows safely, even when devices malfunction. Pigtails serve. An electrical pigtail is a short piece of wire used to connect an electrical device, such as a switch or receptacle, to the main circuit conductors within a junction box.