Cables, Wires & More

Wires

A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads or electricity and ... as in "multistranded wire", which is more correctly termed a wire rope in mechanics, or a cable in electricity.

The two most common types of single conductor wires are THW and THWN/THHN, which are protected by metal or plastic sheathing. The wires themselves can be either solid or stranded. Solid-core wire produces the best connections, but its stiffness makes it more difficult than stranded wire to route through conduit.

Make sure to check the rating for indoor or outdoor application as well as for temperature tolerance.

The mostly commonly used metal for wires is copper, due to its efficiency as a conductor. Wire also comes in aluminum and aluminum clad with copper, but, because these are not as efficient in conducting current, the wires need to be larger to achieve the same capacity.

Braided wires do not break easily when flexed. Braided wires are often suitable as an electromagnetic shield in noise-reduction cables. The Wire is a single electrical conductor, whereas a cable is a group of wires swathed in sheathing. The term cable originally referred to a nautical line of multiple ropes used to anchor ships, and in an electrical context, cables (like wires) are used to carry electrical currents.

Cables

The most common multiconductor cable is made from metal or plastic and contains a neutral wire, a “hot” wire (or two), and a grounding wire. The neutral and hot wires are insulated by a thermoplastic material; the grounding wire may or may not be insulated. The wires are color-coded to guard against connection errors. Neutral wires are white or gray, grounding wires are green, and hot wires are any other color.

The various types of cable are also designated by how many conductors they contain and their size. For example, a cable identified as “14-2” with ground has one neutral and one hot wire as well as a grounding wire. The #14, designated by the American Wire Gauge, stands for the diameter of the wires alone, without insulation. The larger the diameter, the greater the wire’s capacity is to carry current.
A conductor’s designation is stamped on the cable sheathing as well as on each wire.

Electrical cables may be made more flexible by stranding the wires. Copper wires in a cable may be bare or they may be plated.

A power cable is an assembly of one or more electrical conductors, usually held together with an overall sheath. The assembly is used for transmission of electrical power. Power cables may be installed as permanent wiring within buildings, buried in the ground, run overhead, or exposed.

Flexible power cables are used for portable devices, mobile tools and machinery.

Team Tron Services specializes in supplying all types of cables, wires, connectors and cables assemblies (customizable) with certificate of compliance.