What is the difference between cables and wires?

Introduction: Wires and cables may be confused by many people. The same is the conductor of transmission. What is the difference between the two? This article will take everyone into the wires and cables.

What is a cable?

The cable consists of one or more electrically insulated conductors insulated from one another and placed in insulated conductors in a sealed jacket. Outside it can be added to protect the overlay for the distribution of electrical energy or the transmission of electrical signals. The difference between it and ordinary wires is mainly that the larger size of the cable is more complicated.

The cable is mainly composed of the following four parts.

Conductive cores are made of high-conductivity material (copper or aluminum). According to the laying conditions of use of the cable softness requirements of each core may be a single wire or multiple wires twisted together.

The insulating layer used as the insulating material of the cable should have a high insulation resistance, a low breakdown field strength dielectric loss, and a low dielectric constant. Insulating materials commonly used in cables are oil-impregnated papers, polyvinyl chloride cross-linked polyethylene rubber, and the like. Cables are often classified by insulating materials such as oil-impregnated paper-insulated cables, polyvinyl chloride cables, and cross-linked polyethylene cables.

The sealed jacket protects the insulated core from mechanical moisture, moisture, and chemicals. For damp-proof insulation, lead or aluminum extrusion seals are generally used.

The protective cover protects the hermetic sheath from mechanical damage. General use of galvanized steel wire or copper wire as the armor wrapped around the jacket (called armored cable) armored layer at the same time as the electric field shielding and prevent external electromagnetic interference. In order to avoid the corrosion of the surrounding medium by the steel wire, it is usually coated with asphalt or wrapped in a layer of impregnated jute or extruded polyethylene sheath.

Cables can be divided into power cable communication cables and control cables according to their use. Compared with overhead lines, the advantages of cables are that the insulation distance between the lines occupies a small space and the underground installation does not occupy the space above the ground and is not affected by the pollution of the surrounding environment. The reliability of power transmission is high and there is little interference with personal safety and the surrounding environment. However, the high cost of construction and maintenance is more troublesome to manufacture and also more complicated.

Therefore, the use of cables in densely populated areas and densely populated areas and in busy traffic areas can avoid the use of large-span overhead lines when laying across the river. Cables can also be used wherever it is necessary to avoid interference with overhead transmission lines and where aesthetics or exposure targets need to be considered.

What is a wire?

First of all, the wire is composed of one or more soft wires, and the outer bread is made of a light and soft sheath, which is used for the conductive metal wire that carries the current. There are solid twisted or foil braided and other forms. Divided into two categories according to the insulation status of bare wires and insulated wires.

Bare wires do not contain any insulated or protective wire. In addition to being a wire for transmitting electrical energy and information, it can also be used for making components and connecting wires for electrical appliances. General use of copper aluminum alloy aluminum alloy and copper clad steel aluminum clad steel and other composite metal materials. In addition to good electrical conductivity, bare wires have certain mechanical properties such as tensile strength elongation, bending torsion properties, creep resistance, and wear resistance.

Insulated wires are divided into electromagnetic wires and general insulated wires according to their purposes. Universal insulated wires include various cable mounting lines. Electromagnetic wire refers specifically to making insulated wires for coils or windings.