Consider any institution; a plant, a datacenter, really anywhere that has any need for a large supply of power, and you’ll soon realize how important the distribution of power is to the basic function of any operation. To be useful and valuable, large volumes and charges of power need to be safely and effectively transported from place to place. Think of how vastly large networks and areas would be affected if the power supply were interrupted. If you’ve ever seen the massive bundles of electrical cables that traverse the confines of buildings and plants you’ll quickly gain an appreciation for the vastness of energy that needs to get from place to place effectively while at the same time minimizing interference, allowing for service and retrofitting, and other matters.

If you’ve ever seen the massive bundles of cables snaking their way through any setting, you’ve probably noticed that they’re either completely shielded by a metal housing or they are categorized into open pathways. Each of these has its distinct advantages and disadvantages and both are still used widely in the United States wherever extensive wiring is present. If you’ve ever seen the networks of pipe-like lines running from place to place, these are called conduits and by far have been the predominant method for wiring due to a certain number of attributes.

Take a moment to appreciate the size and scope of a system of conduits or cable trays and you will be able to see how much effectively relies on their effective operations. Interrupting the power supply to any organization or any service is crippling and can be costly and time consuming to diagnose and remedy. For these reasons and others tied to the need for effective and accessible power, it is in the best interest of all organizations and infrastructure to ensure that they are providing the safest and most efficient methods of distributing the power critical to their affairs. Two of the most common methods are outlined herein, and those are conduits, which have traditionally been the main method for transporting cables, and cable trays which have been growing in popularity in large part to a few advantages and some cost saving measures.

Conduits
By and large, the main method for transporting electrical wiring has been to use conduits. Simply, conduits are hollow pipelines used to route and protect electrical cables. Conduits are typically metal, but they can be made from many other materials including but not limited to plastic and fibers among others. There are also many ratings of conduits as well as various grades that take into account various attributes, each of which in some way affects the support or the degree of protection the conduit offers. For example, some conduits are made from cast iron or aluminum for durability and longevity. Then again, some are made from flexible iron to ensure traits like shock resistance, but these are only a few of the many attributes that might be possessed by any given conduit. The basic process by which conduits are used and have been used is to lay the conduit and then pull the wires or cables through them. This is a labor-intensive and highly costly process and is one of the things that make conduits particularly expensive to employ. 

Advantages of Conduits
Conduits have been laid in the past as they continue to be used because they offer certain advantages regarding the routing and protection of the wires they contain. Conduits offer the highest degree of protection for the cables within, whether that be in the shock or corrosion resistance already mentioned or another. Additionally, certain conduits offer the most protection against electromagnetic interference which is crucial to the protection of any sensitive electronic connections. Steel conduit in particular offers excellent corrosion resistance and is offers laborers the least challenge when removing old wires or pulling new ones through. Conduits also protect the cables within from water and chemicals to increase their lifespan. There is also the fact that conduits are resistant to or impervious to fire which protects both the wires and anything on the outside of the conduit. For these reasons, electrical conduits are a very safe and effective method for the distribution of power.

Disadvantages of Conduit
There are, however, several pronounced disadvantages to conduits which have led to an increase in the prevalence of an alternative for distributing power. The first is that passing wiring through conduits is very expensive as well as a very difficult task. It takes a lot of time and skill and once the wires are sent through the conduit it can be equally difficult and expensive to service them or even to identify a point of concern. Though more could be said on the matter, it basically all boils down to the cost, and conduits are simply expensive to implement and service despite their inherent strengths. In general, most of the advantages of conduit are counterbalanced by disadvantages linked to cost and time.

Cable Trays
Primarily as a result of their cost, the use of cable trays to organize and transport cables has been on the rise. There are a few other benefits that cable trays offer as well. First off, cable trays are an alternative to conduits that are rigid systems that secure and support cables. Basically, cable trays are an open or partially opened form of support for cables as an alternative to conduits.

There are several types of cable trays, including but not limited to ladder trays, solid bottom cable trays, trough, channel and wire mesh cable trays.

Ladder trays resemble exactly that - a ladder - and are used to support and transport bundles of cables across long distances. Because of its partially open design it allows for good dispersal of heat to protect the wires (and the environment) from the risk of fire.

Solid bottom cable trays are exactly what they sound like, offering continuous support for the cables they contain. Because they don’t allow for the same heat distribution as ladder trays, they are best for the support of cables that don’t present an elevated risk of overheated. Trough trays are similar to solid bottom trays and offer a fair ability to release heat but not the best.

Whatever the design, cable trays have their own distinct requirements for effective operation and therefore necessitate the use of tray cable that has its own attributes and requirements.

Tray Cable
With the rise of cable trays to transport cables as an effective alternative to conduits and with their own advantages and disadvantages to be considered, cable trays require the use of tray cable. Tray cable comes in a variety of configurations that must consider the environment before being utilized. Right here at EWCSWire.com you can see some of the different offerings we have in Tray Cable.

EWCS Wire offers tray cable and shielded tray cable for use in cable trays. They offer jacketed tray cable rated at 600 volts that are UL approved and approved for use in trays and for direct burial. The cables also have THHN (thermoplastic high heat resistant nylon) conductors in many gauges.

At EWCS Wire you can also find 300 volt rated shielded tray cables. They are also rated for use in cable trays and for direct burial as well as being sunlight resistant. These shielded cables offer superior protection against electrostatic interference. They can be used in wet or dry applications indoors or outdoors. Regardless of the type of tray cable you need for your job, the cable you will find at EWCS Wire will be of the highest quality - but more on that shortly.

Advantages of Cable Trays
Now that you’re familiar with cable trays and tray cable, it’s time to investigate some of the advantages that cable trays have over the alternative conduits.

The first advantage that cable trays have over conduits is the fact that they take significantly less time to install and set up with wires. Especially if a conduit is being replaced, it takes much less time to get them up and running. Since it takes much less time to lay the set up the tray and cables this will translate into cost savings.

One of the greatest drawbacks of conduits is the amount of training it takes to be able to effectively run wires through them. You’re largely free of that impediment when you’re setting up cable trays. It takes much less specialty training and knowledge to be able to effectively and safely lay cable trays and cable. It also takes workers less time to gain experience working with the products central to cable trays and tray cables than it would otherwise.

Another huge advantage of cable trays is that they potentially require significantly less maintenance, and even then are easier to service than conduits. It’s also potentially easier to identify an issue in a cable tray.

Cable trays are often sold in sections, and while one of the strengths of many conduits is their rugged and rigid nature, that comes at the cost of flexibility and adaptability. Because they are frequently sold in sections, they can be rearranged or reconfigured unlike conduits. It’s also much easier to add new cables to an existing cable tray and because of the fact that many are superior at releasing heat they can accommodate more cables.

All of these things are distinct in their own right, but they ultimate translate to pecuniary efficiency. All of that time saved in labor and maintenance equals money saved, and when implemented effectively cable trays can realize significant savings over their lifetime as compared to conduits with a minimal or no loss of advantage.

Disadvantages of Cable Trays

Just as there are disadvantages to conduits, so are there disadvantages to cable trays. Depending on the situation, there are times when cable trays would not be as effective in minimizing electrical interference to the cables they carried. Since cable trays are partially exposed, they will not as effectively protect the cables as conduits, but this can be potentially remedied with the use of the right cables. Moreover, since they are exposed, they don’t necessarily protect the environment from the cables either. One has to carefully examine the technical and specifics of their application before deciding on the advantages of cable trays or the advantages of conduits. Considering their advantages and disadvantages, you will also have to take into account the environment wherein you might be installing and any technical requirements that would be needed to fall into compliance with any laws or codes.

Regardless of the types of wire or cable you decide are the optimum choice with respect to any projects you are undertaking while accounting for the regulation and practicality of the situation, one thing is certain. EWCS Wire is your premier choice for cables and wires of all specifications and approval.

Choose EWCS Wire
Regardless of the application and the need for cables, the stock at EWCS Wire is peerless and the service is second to none. When you need tray cable for any application, you won’t be disappointed in the performance of the cables at EWCS Wire. Whatever options you have decided are best for a job, you can let the specialists at EWCS Wire help to set you up for success.

Not only can EWCS set you up for success with the wide array of the stock they have, not limited to tray cable but spanning a wide stretch of applications. You can come to EWCS Wire to outfit you with aluminum cables, electronic cables, copper cables and even marine and welding cables. Moreover, you can rely on their expertise to set you up with the right equipment for the job. With more than 20 years experience in the business, EWCS Wire sets the standard for quality of products and superiority of service. They offer fast order processing and excellent customer service. If you have any questions or concerns for them you can easily reach their team at 800.262.1598 or via email at sales@ewcswire.com.

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