Every product has a shelf life, and wires and cables also have a lifespan. Wires and cables are a broad category of electrical products used to transmit power, information, and convert electromagnetic energy. They play a crucial role in our lives, so what precautions should be taken when using wires? Substandard products can pose numerous risks to the normal operation of power systems. So, what harm do substandard wires and cables pose?
Precautions for Using Wires
1. Protect wires from moisture, heat, corrosion, or damage.
2. Inspect wires after a certain period of use and replace any problems promptly.
3. Avoid overloading wires.
4. For wires prone to flooding, have an electrician relocate them and implement cost-effective moisture-proofing measures.
5. Regularly check your home's electrical and wiring conditions and perform timely maintenance and repairs.
6. When maintaining wires, be especially careful not to wipe live wires directly with a wet cloth or spray them with cleaning agents. Always unplug the power cord first to avoid electrical leakage or electric shock.
Hazards of Substandard Wire and Cable
1. Wire and cable with substandard markings. Marking is the primary means of identifying basic product information for wires and cables. According to standards, markings must include the following: product model, specification, standard number, manufacturer name, and place of origin, within a specified spacing. Substandard markings can cause construction workers to misidentify the product, leading to serious electrical accidents.
2. Wire and cable with substandard structural dimensions. The main structural dimension issues are the sheath thickness and insulation thickness. Substandard sheath and insulation thickness can significantly reduce the electrical strength of the wire and cable, shortening its service life. In severe cases, it can lead to breakdown, rendering the insulation (sheath) ineffective and potentially causing electrical short circuits and fires.
3. Wire and cable with qualified tensile strength and elongation before sheath insulation aging. Unqualified tensile strength and elongation of the insulation sheath before aging significantly shorten the service life of wires and cables. Furthermore, during construction or in environments with prolonged power flow and high temperatures, insulation breakage is highly likely, exposing live conductors and creating a risk of electric shock. The main reasons for this failure are the use of recycled materials to reduce product costs and the lack of production qualifications by small enterprises.
4. Wires with substandard conductor resistance. Conductor resistance is a key indicator for assessing the suitability of the conductor material and cross-section of wires and cables. Exceeding the specified conductor resistance increases current loss and exacerbates heat generation. This failure is primarily due to manufacturers reducing copper, which accounts for 80% of the raw material cost, by either reducing the conductor's cross-sectional area or using recycled copper with excessive impurities to reduce costs. This results in significantly higher conductor resistance than specified, posing a fire hazard during use and accelerating the aging of the insulation covering the wires.
Everyone should be aware of the importance of precautions and hazards associated with the use of wires and cables. This high-demand product occupies a large part of our lives. At the same time, due to its special nature, special care should be taken in its use. Whether it is for household use or industrial use, etc., choose products that have passed inspection and certification before using them with confidence.
