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Wires and Cables

1. Aluminum is cheaper and lighter than copper but has only 60% the conductivity. 2. PVC wire is widely used, durable against water, heat, oil and UV light, and has a long life. 3. 'Bad' conductors like tungsten and nichrome are used to convert electrical energy into heat, light and sound. 4. Supplying a cable with more current than its rated current carrying capacity can cause overheating, damage insulation, and result in a short circuit.

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Ophir Maverick
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71 views14 pages

Wires and Cables

1. Aluminum is cheaper and lighter than copper but has only 60% the conductivity. 2. PVC wire is widely used, durable against water, heat, oil and UV light, and has a long life. 3. 'Bad' conductors like tungsten and nichrome are used to convert electrical energy into heat, light and sound. 4. Supplying a cable with more current than its rated current carrying capacity can cause overheating, damage insulation, and result in a short circuit.

Uploaded by

Ophir Maverick
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Wires & Cables

Energy & Environment


Conductors
A conductor has many free electrons so is good at transferring electrical
current

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Low Resistance High Resistance

Good Conductor Bad Conductor

Conductance is the opposite of resistance

It is measured in ‘Mho’s (ohm backwards) ℧


Different types of conductors
Material Used
Aluminum
Copper
High conductivity
60%
Easily soldered
conductivity of
Heavier & more expensive copper
than aluminum
Cheap &
Copper used in house lighter than
wiring copper

1mm2, 1.5mm2
Galvanized Iron (GI)
4mm2 , 6mm2
Heavier than
aluminum
Lowest Used in
conductivity overhead lines
Different types of conductors
Respective of their property

Good Conductors Bad Conductors


Low resistance
Medium
Carry current resistance

Used for
converting
Copper & Aluminum
electrical
energy into
Tungsten & Nichrome
heat, light &
Non Conductors sound
Wires & cables
High use conductors &
resistance non conductors
Insulators to their
PVC, glass advantage
Different types of conductors
Physical Appearance
Solid Conductor Stranded Conductor

Used in cables. Flexible


e.g. copper,
aluminum, steel
1, 7, 19, 37 stands

1.13 to 3.73 mm diameter

Multi stranded Conductor Flexible Conductor


0.2 or 0.3 mm diameter
14, 23, 40 strands

<0.2 mm diameter
14, 22, 24,84 strands
Wires & Cables
Wires & Cables are purpose built conductors

The size & type of wire/cable must suit the power rating required for their
use. The higher the power the thicker the wire/cable

Wires

Domestic & small industry wiring


In appliances

Cables
Small & big industries
Distribution Lines
Transmission lines
Types of wires
Vulcanized India Rubber (VIR) To protect against corrosion
from the VIR
Cotton tape & cotton
braiding tinned copper/ aluminum

suitable for: low &


medium voltage supply
only
Bitumen
Vulcanized India Rubber (VIR)

Old type: not


readily available to
purchase
Types of Wires
Cabe Tyre Sheath wire (CTS)
tinned copper

Thicker
Rubber/plastic

Old type: not


readily available to
purchase

Rubber/plastic
Don’t absorb moisture

Available in 250/440V only


Types of Wire
PVC Wire
copper/ aluminum

Widely used
Long life
Durable against
water, heat, oil,
UV light

Available in 600, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)


660, 1100 Voltage
Wiring Appliances Returns current to
power source
What do each of these
Neutral
wires do?
Live
Provides current to
appliance

Earth
Takes current to ground if
appliance has fault

What wire is missing and


why?
Standard Wire Gauge & Current Carrying
Capacity
Maximum safe
Each number current that can flow
represents a size of through a cable
wire

Higher current will heat the


cable and damage the
insulation and may result in
short circuit
Cables
Larger sized conductors

Types of cable are sorted by:

Type of insulation Type of conducting material


Cotton covered Copper
Silk coated Aluminum
Asbestos covered
Rubber coated
PVC coated

Their shape Mechanical protection Voltage Grade

Flat Unarmored Low


Round Armored High
Splices & Terminals
When a cable enters into an accessory its called a termination.

Splices or terminals must be used at termination points

These must be as mechanically & electrically strong as the conductor or device


which it is used.

Types
Pillar terminals

Screw heads & nuts

Washers
Summary Questions
1. Why might you use aluminum in wire instead of
copper?
2. What are some advantages of PVC wire?
3. Why might you use ‘bad’ conductors in a circuit?
4. Why is it important not to supply a cable with more
current than its current carrying capacity?

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