About 2 miles of electrical wiring run through the average home, powering appliances and lights, and connecting electronics. We don’t usually think about these wires, but they’re vital to our daily lives, so it’s important to understand what each one does and how they work together.
The progression of electrical wire technology has made them more useful in various applications. Advancements in materials and manufacturing have led to slimmer, lighter cables with more sophisticated features, such as shielding and robust or armored structures. Electrical cable types are tailored to meet specific power, temperature and environmental requirements.
Electric cables consist of a copper conductor and an insulating material that safeguards the electric current from interference. The insulating material is usually polyethylene, polyurethane or PVC. It may also be a thermoplastic or thermoset elastomer. A protective outer sheath covers all these components and provides protection against damage, moisture, abrasion and chemicals.
Conductors are often made of solid copper, but they can also be plated with another metal like tin or silver in order to extend the life of the wire. Plating can also make soldering easier and offer between-strand lubrication.
The type of electrical cable you need depends on the type of project you’re working on and whether it will be used indoors, outdoors or underground. For instance, NM-B cables are great for many household projects, but if you’re planning to use them outside or in a harsh environment, you will need a more rugged cable, such as MC wires.
These cables are designed for signal transmission between machines in industrial installations. They’re especially suitable for optimum data transmission in environments with high levels of electromagnetic interference. Shielded cables feature a conductive material like aluminum or braided copper that shields the insulation from extraneous impulses. They are also grounded or insulated to ground or absorb interference and prevent it from interfering with the transmitted data.
Ribbon cables have a high conductor density and come in a variety of pitches to suit different applications. They’re also incredibly flexible and can house several wires in a very small space. They’re often used to connect computer components and audio-visual devices to each other, but they can be found in a variety of other electronic applications, too.
Low-voltage cables are used for connecting lighting, switches and other home electrical accessories. These are also commonly used to connect air conditioning units and electrical cabinets, and they can be buried in conduits for added safety. Medium-voltage cables, on the other hand, are used to distribute electricity from generating plants to electrical substations and transformer stations. They range in voltage from 1 kV to 36 kV. These cables are also typically buried in conduits to ensure their longevity. They are also protected against mechanical shocks, thermal effects and vibrations.