An electric cable has the purpose of transporting electrical energy from one point to another. Depending on their final application, cables can have different configurations, always basing their design on national and international regulations.
Low voltage cables (up to 750 V): in a variety of applications, and with thermoplastic and thermoset coatings. They are designed and built according to harmonized standards.
Low Voltage cables (up to 1,000 V): (also called (0,6/1 kV) The cables in this section are used for industrial power installations in various fields (general industry, public installations, infrastructures, etc.). They are designed according to international standards (UNE, IEC, BS, UL).
Medium Voltage cables: from 1 kV to 36 kV. They are used to distribute electricity from electrical substations to transformer stations.
High Voltage cables: from 36 kV. They are used to transport electricity from the generating plants to the electrical substations.
Types of electric cable by their use
Low voltage cables
Cables for electric panels
Flexible cables for wiring electric cabinets. These electric cables are especially suitable for domestic use, for installation in public places and for internal wiring of electrical cabinets, switch boxes and small electrical appliances.
Power cables
Energy cables for industrial facilities and public places. It is common to find power cable in applications for power transmission in all types of low voltage connections, for industrial use and for variable frequency drive (VFD).
Armoured cables
Cables with aluminium or steel reinforcement for installations with risk of mechanical aggression. It is also common to find armoured cables in places where rodents are present, as well as in installations in premises with a risk of fire and explosion (ATEX).
Rubber cables
The use of extra flexible rubber cable is very varied. We can find rubber cables in fixed industrial installations as well as in mobile service. Welding cables should have a rubber sheath, which allows high currents to be transmitted between the welding generator and the electrode.
Halogen-free cables
High Security Halogen Free (LSZH) Cables with low smoke and corrosive gas emission in case of fire are suitable for use in wiring of electrical panels and public places, installations of all kinds in public places, individual derivations, emergency circuits, public distribution networks and also for mobile service.
Fire resistant cables
These cables are specially designed to transmit electrical energy in the extreme conditions that occur during a prolonged fire, guaranteeing supply to emergency equipment such as signalling, smoke extractors, acoustic alarms, water pumps, etc. Their use is recommended in emergency circuits in places with public concurrence.
Control cables
Control cable for fixed or mobile installations should be extremely flexible, as they are mainly designed for small household appliances, for the interconnection of machine parts used for manufacturing, for signalling and control systems, for the connection of motors or frequency converters, for signal transmission where the voltage induced by an external electromagnetic field may affect the transmitted signal or for power supply connections to avoid generating electromagnetic fields.
Instrumentation cables
These are flexible and shielded cables for the transmission of signals between equipment in industrial installations. Especially suitable for optimum data transmission in environments with a high level of electromagnetic interference.
Solar cables
These cables are particularly suitable for connecting photovoltaic panels, and from the panels to the DC to AC inverter. Thanks to the design of their materials and their cover, which is especially resistant to solar radiation and extreme temperatures, they can be installed outdoors with full guarantees.
Special cables
There is a wide variety of electric cables for special installations such as: temporary light garland installations at trade fairs; connections for overhead cranes, hoists and lifts; applications in submerged pumps and drinking water areas such as aquariums, purification systems, drinking water fountains or in swimming pools for lighting, purification and cleaning systems.
PVC Cables or PUR Cables: How to Choose the Right Cable
Cables are an essential part of any industrial application. It is important to make sure that you choose the appropriate cable material for the environment, especially where chemical cleaning solutions, cutting fluids, and other caustic liquids are present. The two main types of cables used in industrial applications are either PVC or PUR, and they are each suited to different types of environments. This article describes the difference between PVC and PUR cables and when to use each type of cable.
PVC Cables and When to Use Them
PVC cable is Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) cables that is sheathed and insulated. PVC cables are an excellent choice for most chemical washdown applications in the food industry and beverage industry. They have good-to-excellent resistance to common cleaning solvents including, but not limited to:
Sodium Hypochlorite
Sodium Hydroxide
Potassium Hydroxide
Peracetic Acid
Hydrogen Peroxide
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
It is also important to take into consideration the concentration of chemicals, temperatature of the process, and the duration and frequency of exposure since these factors can impact the suitability of PVC for these applications. Furthermore, PVC has limited resistance to oils, making it less suited for automotive and machine tool industries.
In addition to being resistant to common cleaning chemicals, PVC cables are generally more rigid than other types of cables. This makes them suitable for use in applications where they will be exposed to high temperature, high pressure washdown. The rigidity of the PVC sheathing protects the cable from damage and extends the life of the cable.
A PVC cable with IP69K rating means it is sealed against the ingress of water even during washdown. However, the rigidity of PVC cables can be a disadvantage in freezer applications, where low temperatures can cause the material to crack if the cables are being flexed. Discuss your specific application with an expert to determine the best cable material in these circumstances.
PUR Cables and When to Use Them
PUR (or polyurethane) is a thermoplastic material used for cable jackets. Because PUR cables are resistant to cutting fluids, oils, and other harsh chemicals, they are a good choice for many automotive manufacturing, stamping and machining applications.
PUR cables also have high tensile strength, tear resistance, and abrasion resistance. They are also extremely flexible, with a small bend radius. This makes them ideal for applications where connections move or bend frequently, such as robotic applications.
What do you mean by XLPE cable and what are its advantages over conventional cables ?
XLPE cable means cross linked polyethylene insulated aluminium conductor armoured cable. In XLPE cable stranded aluminium conductor is first screened in the form of a semi conducting extrusion which provides a smooth conductor surface and prevents formation of cavities at the surface of the conductor when the cable is subjected to bending. The screened conductor is insulated with extruded XLPE compound. The insulation is further screened with layer of nonmetallic semiconducting material and over that a non magnetic metallic screen in the form of copper or aluminium tape is applied. In case of multicore cables cores are laid together with suitable filler in the interstices and wrapped with PVC tapes or extruded PVC. For mechanical protection non magnetic aluminium wire/ strip/tape armour for single core cables and steel wire armour for multicore cables are provided over the inner sheath. A layer of PVC/PE is extruded as outer sheath usually in back colour to prevent ingress of moisture.
The space feature of the XLPE insulation is that long molecular chains of polyethylene are cross linked to each other by means of a process similar to vulcanisation of rubber and thus forming a three dimensional network structure with strong bond. Pure polyethylene is a thermoplastic material i.e. it becomes soft and plastic on heating and hard on cooling. Pure polyethylene is converted into thermosetting XLPE i.e. it sets permanently when heated. By cross linking process the polyethylene insulation of the cable is made thermally stable and also the melting point is greatly increased. So XLPE insulated cable has better resistivity to thermal deformation for its higher thermal tolerance property. Due to excellent thermal properties the current carrying capacity of XLPE cable is higher than that of conventional cable. XLPE insulation has higher dielectric strength compared to other conventional dielectrics used for cables resulting low dielectric loss.
XLPE cable is made suitable for high voltage and extra high voltage application puto 132 kV. This cable can be used for long cable routes in high voltage transmission where the dielectric losses play a major role. This cable can easily be hadled due to lighter in weight than any other high voltage cable. As there is no case of oil migration from insulation it can be installed for inclined or vertical runs without any hesitation. XLPE insulation is highly resistant to moisture for which no special precaution is needed at the time of jointing & termination. The joining of XLPE cable needs less time than that of any other conventional cable of similar grade. These cables can safely be used on any vibrating layouts like bridges. These cable have the better resistance to salinity of water in the ground, chemicals, oils and corrosive furnes. These are free from fire risk. These cables are not prone to failure due to ageing characteristics and have longer life.
Advantages of Using ABC Cables:
ABC Cable Network introduced a number of benefits that you get to avail when you use ABC cables instead of conventional ones. Here are some of them:
¡¤Increased Safety:ABC cables are more safe, secure, and reliable than any conventional transmission lines.
¡¤Low Maintenance Costs:These cables have low power costs, low installation costs, and, most importantly, low maintenance. It has all of it. This is why aerial bundle cable has started to replace the obsolete bare copper and aluminum conductor worldwide.
¡¤Wide Area Coverage:Unlike traditional uninsulated transmission cables, you can use ABC cables in all areas. Knowing about ABC cable specifications, it is perfect for areas where the installation is quite a task.These cables are the best choice for installation in congested urban areas,where it is very difficult to lay the lines in between the narrow gaps of buildings. It is totally not possible to install bare conductors there.They are also quite ideal for places such as hilly areas or dense forest.ABC Cable Company ensures that they lay power lines there without trimming any trees.
Common Types of Electrical Wire Used in the Home
Knowing the basic wire types is essential to almost any electrical project around the house. When you're installing new wiring, for example, choosing the right wire or cable is half the battle. And when you¡¯re examining existing wiring in your home, identifying the wire type can tell you a lot about the circuit the wiring belongs to¡ªfor example, when you open a junction box and need to determine which wires go where. Wiring for modern homes is quite standard, and most homes built after the mid-1960s have similar types of wiring. Any new electrical installation requires new wiring that conforms to local building codes.
Here are some common types of home electrical wire.
It helps to understand a few basic terms used to describe wiring. An electric wire is a type of -conductor, which is a material that conducts electricity. In the case of household wiring, the conductor itself is usually copper or aluminum (or copper-sheathed aluminum) and is either a solid metal conductor or stranded wire. Most wires in a home are insulated, meaning they are wrapped in a nonconductive plastic coating. One notable exception is ground wires, which are typically solid copper and are either insulated with green sheathing or uninsulated (bare).
The most common type of wiring in modern homes is in the form of nonmetallic (NM) cable, which consists of two or more individual wires wrapped inside a protective plastic sheathing. NM cable usually contains one or more ¡°hot¡± (current-carrying) wires, a neutral wire, and a ground wire.
As an alternative to NM cable, individual wires can be installed inside of a rigid or flexible metal or plastic tubing called conduit. Conduit is typically used where the wiring will be exposed and not hidden inside walls, floors, or ceilings.
These larger wires in your home are carrying circuit voltage, and they can be very dangerous to touch. There are also several wires in your home that carry much lesser amounts of "low-voltage" current. These are less dangerous, and with some, the voltage carried is so low that there is virtually no chance of shock. However, until you know exactly what kind of wires you are dealing with, it's best to treat them all as dangerous.