Wires/Cables & Accessories

Although the phrases "wire" and "cable" are sometimes used synonymously, a cable is actually a collection of wires that have been bundled together and sheathed. Copper or aluminium are commonly used to make electrical cables. They are normally coated with a thin coating of thermoplastic and can be either bare or insulated. If the wires are covered with thermoplastic, the thermoplastic's colour designates if the wire is a ground, live/hot wire or neutral in your power circuit. Wire colour discussion is covered separately in this guide. A hot wire, earth, and neutral wire —all of which are twisted or joined together—are at least present in cables. The number of wires in the cable will vary depending on its intended use. 

What Is The Importance of Wires/Cables & Accessories?
 

Let’s take the example of an iron. An electric iron requires a single-phase electric supply to operate. This mean, there must be a hot wire, also called as a Live wire. The hot wire supplies electricity to the iron board. For the circuit to operate, there must be a closed path for the circuit. This mean, a path where the current can flow from live to load, and load to neutral. Thus, the other wire we need is a neutral wire. To provide safety against electric shocks, a ground wire is also needed. A live wire is always represented as Red in a single-phase circuit, and Red, Yellow and Blue in three phase circuit. A neutral wire is coloured as black and an earth wire or ground wire is coloured as Green. But these three wires are wound to create a single entity called as a power cable. It makes it easier to use, and less complications are there due to multiple exposed wires. But, there are other important electric accessories that are necessary for safe operation of any electric appliance. These include power sockets, circuit breakers for over current and earth current, and other protective equipment such as switches, plugs, controllers, regulators etc. 

Things You Should Know About Wires/Cables & Accessories
 

Every electrical system's fundamental component, wires and cables allow for the efficient supply and transport of power. Additionally, wires and cables are crucial for protecting your house and place of business from mishaps brought on by electrical system failure. Here are five things you should understand about wires and cables since selecting the appropriate wiring system may guarantee your safety and peace of mind:

Current Handling Capacity: The amount of load that a conductor can support in amperes before melting either the insulation or the conductor is known as the wire's current capacity. The maximum amount of current that a wire may carry is determined by the amount of heat produced by the electrical current passing through the conductor.

Insulation: Electrical insulators, which are formed of non-conducting materials, are used to insulate wires and cables. These insulators provide the maximum level of safety by serving as a barrier between the cable and anything it may come into touch with. Since people are excellent electrical conductors, the insulation shields against any installation-related mishaps. Numerous insulating materials, including rubber and plastic, are available; nevertheless, a suitable wire should be made of flame-retardant grade PVC (poly vinyl chloride).

Conductor Used: Copper and aluminium are the two kinds of conducting materials utilised in wires. Copper is better suited for carrying electricity since it is a highly conductive element. Due to its high ductility and low resistance, copper of the electrolytic grade offers complete conductivity. Aluminium is far more cost-effective and has a conductivity of 61 percent of copper's while weighing just 30 percent as much. Aluminium is often utilised in the creation of electrical lines because these characteristics make it simpler to spread throughout. 

Protection Ratings of the wire: The protective barrier that shields the wire or cable from any physical harm is called the amour. The armour is often constructed of steel wires or tapes to assure the cable's strength and durability. Although the armour is designed to keep the wire safe, it does not keep the cable dry. Armoured cables must thus never be exposed to water since doing so might result in physical strain and cable/wire breakage.

Superiority, Sturdiness, And Effectiveness of The Wire/Cable: Once installed, wires and cables should be resistant to physical damage, liquids, severe weather, and atmospheric ozone.

Explain The Different Types of Wires & Cables.
 

There are many kinds of wires and cables. Wires can be categorised as solid or braided. When we want higher conductivity and rigidity, we can select solid wires, but they are more expensive. Braided wires offer less conductance and are plaited or wound smaller wires.  A cable is just a collection of insulated wires that have been sheathed together, as was previously stated. A cable typically contains at least one hot/live wire, one earth wire and one neutral wire, to transport current. The discretely protected conducting wires have scope of connection or already have connections on either or both the ends of it. These wires are offered more protection by enclosing them in a toughened exterior jacket like covering. There is information regarding the thickness of the conductor size, the count of wires, ratings such as those of power handling capacity, voltage or current as well as temperature ratings at which the cables can be operated, clearly printed on the outside of this protective jacket. More importantly, these cables will also have a mark of the approvals and certification agencies such as ISI. 

Another important cable is the coaxial cable. A wire is said to be coaxial when two or more than two wires are arranged along the same axis. Coaxial cable is created with a central wire, which has insulation all around it, followed by an interwoven protection layer and a tough jacket on top. Other components of a coaxial cable include the core made up of copper, the protective layers, insulators and other shielding layers. The benefit of a coaxial cable is that it allows for very minimal loss of power, therefore, coaxial cables are the preferred choice of cable for transmission applications. One can see the usage of these wires in antennas, broadband networks and transmitters are examples of the use of such cables. 

How To Choose The Right Wires/Cables & Accessories?
 

To guarantee safety and longevity, you must use the proper kind of wire or cables whether laying cables or electrical system for a new designed house or upgrading an existing one. By choosing the proper sort of wiring or cables, you may make your house secure and resistant to electrical shock. There are many different kinds of cables available on the market and selecting the proper wire might be challenging at times.

1. Wire insulation must be checked: Select a three-layered electric wire. The first layer of the three layers provides water resistance, the second layer provides heat or high temperature resistance, and the third layer provides fire retardant properties.

2. Choose the material of high quality: In general, copper and aluminium are used to make electrical lines and cables. However, you should only use copper cables when choosing wiring for your property. Additionally, choose multi-stranded wires rather than single-stranded wires. Additionally, the ISI mark, which denotes excellent quality, must be present on the electrical wire.

3. Select the correct cable size: The decision of cable size is influenced by three variables -Voltage, current carrying capability and short circuit rating. Voltage control and short circuit rating are often ignored. This oversight may put your property in risk and harm the cable itself.

Conclusion:

Every household requires wires, cables and associated components to run electrical appliances. It is necessary to know a few important things regarding this topic. The article discusses the difference between a wire and cable, and explain important things to bear in mind while selecting a wire or cable. The article also throws light on various kinds of wires and cable, to enable right selection of them. There are several companies that produce wires and cables, but only a small number of them maintain the necessary requirements. It is imperative that you get your wires and cables from reputable, legitimate manufacturers that place a premium on quality and safety.

FAQs: Wires/Cables & Accessories

What are some common types of wires/cables used in the home?

Common wires used in households include 2mm wire, 5 mm wires, 10 mm wires. Thicker wires have low current carrying capacity. Always select wires from branded companies with the right safety schemes. 

What is the cost of replacing wires/cables?

This depends on what replacement you are looking for. You can contact electrical contractors in your area to get the best price offer for you.

Who are the best wire & cable manufacturers in India?

There are many top quality wire and cable manufacturers in India. Prominent names that come to mind are Havells, Century, Anchor, Polycab, Sterlite, Finolex etc.

Where can I get the cheapest wires/cables & accessories?

Selection of wire or cable depends on the application. Do not compromise on the safety features of the cables. You can always compare the best prices by contacting manufacturers through sites such as www.tradeindia.com.