How to Identify Wires
1. Wire: A conductive metal wire consisting of one or more flexible conductors, covered in a light, soft sheath, used to carry current. It can be solid, stranded, or braided. Based on the insulation, it is categorized into bare wire and insulated wire.
2. Bare wire: Wire without any insulation or protective layer. Besides being used as a conductor for transmitting electrical energy and information, it can also be used in the manufacture of components and connecting wires for motors and electrical appliances. It is generally made of composite metal materials such as copper, aluminum, copper alloys, aluminum alloys, and copper-clad steel and aluminum-clad steel. In addition to excellent electrical conductivity, bare wire also possesses certain mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, elongation, bending and torsion characteristics, creep resistance, and wear resistance.
3. Insulated wire: Based on its application, it is categorized into magnet wire and general-purpose insulated wire. General-purpose insulated wire includes various connecting wires and mounting wires. Magnet wire specifically refers to insulated wire used in coils or windings.
How to Identify Cables
1. Cable: An insulated wire consisting of one or more mutually insulated conductive wires enclosed in a sealed sheath. A protective covering may be added to transmit and distribute electrical energy or transmit electrical signals. The main difference between cables and ordinary wires is their larger size and more complex structure.
2. Cables are primarily composed of the following four components:
Conductive core: Made of a high-conductivity material (copper or aluminum). Depending on the flexibility requirements of the cable under installation and use, each core may consist of a single conductor or multiple strands of conductors.
Insulation: The insulation material used in cables should have high insulation resistance, high breakdown electric field strength, low dielectric loss, and a low dielectric constant. Commonly used insulating materials in cables include oil-impregnated paper, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, cross-linked polyethylene, and rubber. Cables are often categorized by their insulation material, such as oil-impregnated paper insulated cable, polyvinyl chloride cable, and cross-linked polyethylene cable.
Sealing sheath: Protects the insulating core from mechanical damage, moisture, humidity, chemicals, and light. For moisture-sensitive insulation, a lead or aluminum extruded sealing sheath is generally used.
Protective covering: Protects the sealing sheath from mechanical damage. Galvanized steel strips, steel wires, or copper strips and wires are typically used as armor wrapped around the outer sheath (called armored cable). The armor layer also shields the electric field and prevents external electromagnetic interference. To protect the steel strips and wires from corrosion by the surrounding medium, they are typically coated with asphalt or wrapped with impregnated jute or extruded polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride sheaths.
