Previously, we published a series of interesting facts about electrical wire and cable that you can view at the previous link. 

Now we’re back with a new set. Test your knowledge against this list and see if you learn anything new.

The Copper Used in Electrical Wire and Cable Must Be Very Pure

The chemical constituency of copper impacts not only its electrical but also its physical properties. Therefore the copper used in electrical conductors must be very pure, typically as pure as 99.98%.

Copper Wire Is Not Always a Better Alternative to Aluminum Wire 

It’s well known that copper wire is an excellent conductor and therefore it is widely used in residential, commercial and industrial wiring applications, as well as in data transmission and communications. But copper does not always have the edge over aluminum wire. 

In fact, there are some situations in which aluminum wire is actually preferred, such as in triplex and quadruplex wire, used for power service entry, as well as for high-tension aerial wires. 

This is because aluminum is more affordable and lighter than copper. On top of that, aluminum offers a better conductivity to weight ratio compared to copper. 

As a result, there are some situations in which aluminum is not only preferable to copper because of its lower price, but because of some other characteristics that means it outperforms copper overall.

Environmental Factors Impact the Performance of Electric Wire and Cable 

It’s not just the technical specifications of the electrical wire in question that impact its performance. 

Electric wire and cable have certain performance characteristics (such as maximum voltage and resistance ratings) based on wire gauge, what they are made of, and where and how they are installed. 

But other environmental factors also influence the performance of electric wire and cable and these can shift considerably over time. Some factors that influence wire and cable performance include exposure to sunlight, weather, and corrosive elements, as well as air and ground temperature, and where the cable has been installed. For instance, the height or depth of cable installation (as well as whether or not it was installed in tray or conduit) can also impact the performance of an electrical conductor over its lifetime.

Cable Armor Protects Against Physical Damage, Not Against Moisture

Some cables are armored cables, which typically connotes that they are protected by a series of interlocking steel rings constituting a common sheath.

Armored cable is commonly used in agriculture, mining and other heavy industrial applications in which case the cable must be protected against the risk of severe and debilitating damage.

However, armored cable only protects against this, and is not effective at protecting against moisture intrusion or chemical attack.

Therefore, armored cable also often has other attributes that make it effective against these environmental stressors, especially when it is employed in locations that are inhospitable.

For instance, armored cable might be further protected by moisture, chemical attack or electromagnetic interference (EMI) by another inner sheath that confers those protective benefits.

Copper Nanowires Play a Big Role in Robotics and Animatronics

Due to advances in engineering and manufacturing technology, it is now possible to infuse materials like paper and aerogel with copper nanowires. This makes it possible to create electrically conductive media that are extremely thin and flexible.

This has massive potential impacts on industries like robotics, as the “skin” of animatronics and other robotic devices can be monitored and controlled electronically in ways that were never before possible.

These advances may also have implications in medicine as this technology may affect implantology and other medical disciplines.

Marine Battery Wire Is Not Silver

If you’ve ever wired a boat battery or used marine electrical wire in any other capacity, you are probably familiar with the fact that when you strip away the insulation, the wire looks silver. But it is not silver, despite the fact that silver is an excellent electrical conductor. In fact, it is not even aluminum. 

It is copper, but it is tinned copper, and as a matter of course the many thin, flexible conductors are actually individually, and not commonly, tinned. This protects each conductor from the ravages of saltwater exposure that could compromise the wire’s functionality. 

The process of individually tinning marine battery wire adds a secondary, redundant failsafe against corrosion that otherwise wouldn’t exist. 

This is also one of the reasons that marine battery wire should not be used interchangeably with automotive electrical wire, and why marine grade wire should exclusively be used on vessels.

Flexible Welding Cable Is Called That for a Reason

Welding cable for sale is often marketed as flexible welding cable, and there is a good reason for this.

The main reason is that welding cable tends to be thick and very heavy, by comparison to other grades of specialty electrical wire and cable.

This is understandable given that welding cable has to carry a high current load in order to accomplish its purpose.

Unfortunately, the thicker a cable becomes, the stiffer it becomes, and welding must be done in place. Therefore the cables are rarely if ever stationary. They must be flexible enough for the welder to move them into place where they can be used.

Hence the moniker “flexible welding cable.”

To accomplish this objective, manufacturers of welding cable make it with many fine stranded conductors (as in the case of marine battery wire) in order to deliver and uphold a high degree of flexibility. 

And that in a nutshell is why it is often referred to (and searched for as) flexible welding cable. 

Want to Learn More About High-Quality, Specialty Electric Wire and Cable? 

Hopefully you found these facts and unique information about electrical wire and cable to be interesting. If you’re curious about the specifications or practical applications of any of the grades of specialized electrical wire and cable we sell, feel free to get in touch with us. 

You can reach us by phone at 800-262-1598 or reach out to us via email at Sales@EWCSWire.com.