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As a wire and cable products company, we have to know what kind of wire and cable exists before choosing to make wire harnesses.
Here we collect 16 types of electric wires, not all are used to make custom wire harnesses, but it has to be known.
Coaxial cable, also known as coax, is an electrical cable consisting of an inner conductor surrounded by a concentric conducting shield separated by a dielectric; many coaxial cables also have a protective outer sheath or jacket. The term "coaxial" refers to the shared geometric axis between the inner conductor and outer shield.
Different types of power cables include:
Common Materials of Power Cables
Non-metallic sheathed cables, like Romex, are essential for residential wiring. These cables efficiently bundle parallel copper wires to power GFCI outlets, lights, and wall outlets. The organized and separated wire circuits ensure a reliable and safe electrical system in homes, enhancing the efficiency of household devices.
UF cable, also known as underground feeder cable, is a type of electrical wiring that's designed for use in underground applications. It consists of two or more insulated conductors and a bare ground wire wrapped in a moisture-resistant sheathing. UF cable is perfect for outdoor lighting, landscape lighting, and other outdoor electrical stuff.
The Ethernet cables are used to connect devices to the internet. The Ethernet cable facilitates the transmission of broadband signals among your modem, router, computer, and other wired internet-capable devices. These cables have twisted pairs of wires covered with insulation and a protective jacket. You can find different categories of Ethernet cables, from Category 1 to Category 8. The category you choose will depend on how fast and far you want your network to be.
Type of ethernet cables:
| Category | Max. Data Rate | Bandwidth | Max. Distance | Usage |
| Category 1 | 1 Mbps | 0.4 MHz | Telephone and modem lines | |
| Category 2 | 4 Mbps | 4 MHz | LocalTalk & Telephone | |
| Category 3 | 10 Mbps | 16 MHz | 100 m (328 ft.) | 10BaseT Ethernet |
| Category 4 | 16 Mbps | 20 MHz | 100 m (328 ft.) | Token Ring |
| Category 5 | 100 Mbps | 100 MHz | 100 m (328 ft.) | 100BaseT Ethernet |
| Category 5e | 1 Gbps | 100 MHz | 100 m (328 ft.) | 100BaseT Ethernet, residential homes |
| Category 6 | 1 Gbps | 250 MHz | 100 m (328 ft.) 10Gb at 37 m (121 ft.) |
Gigabit Ethernet, commercial buildings |
| Category 6a | 10 Gbps | 500 MHz | 100 m (328 ft.) | Gigabit Ethernet in data centers and commercial buildings |
| Category 7 | 10 Gbps | 600 MHz | 100 m (328 ft.) | 10 Gbps Core Infrastructure |
| Category 7a | 10 Gbps | 1000 MHz | 100 m (328 ft.) 40Gb at 50 m (164 ft.) |
10 Gbps Core Infrastructure |
| Category 8 | 25 Gbps (Cat8.1) 40 Gbps (Cat8.2) |
2000 MHz | 30 m (98 ft.) | 25 Gbps/40 Gbps Core Infrastructure |
It has two or more insulated copper wires which are twisted with each other and are colour-coded. These types of wires are usually used in telephone cables and the resistance to external interference can be measured by the number of wires.
The telephone and internet wiring, usually made of copper, are super important for landline phones and internet connections. Category 5 (Cat 5) cable, which is a common type of wiring in households, combines eight wires into four pairs. This awesome cable can be used for both phone calls and data transmission, providing better capacity and quality compared to regular phone wires. Although the voltage carried by data wiring is low, it's still important to be careful not to touch any household wiring.
The wires used in buildings are like the lifelines of every home, factory, and office around the world. They're also called branch circuit wiring and they carry electricity to power everything inside a building or house.
Currently, common PVC-insulated wires still dominate the market, while some new kinds are developed suitable for construction projects. The main building wire types are as follows:
A fiber-optic cable, also called an optical-fiber cable, is like an electrical cable but with one or more optical fibers that carry light. The optical fiber elements are usually coated with plastic layers and placed in a protective tube suitable for the environment where the cable is used. Different types of cables are used for fiber-optic communication in different situations, such as long-distance telecommunication or providing a high-speed data connection between different parts of a building.
There are three types of fiber optic cable: single mode, multimode, and plastic optical fiber (POF).
Single Mode cable is a single stand of glass fiber with a diameter of 8.3 to 10 microns. (One micron is 1/250th the width of a human hair.)
Multimode cable is made of multiple strands of glass fibers, with a combined diameter in the 50-to-100-micron range. Each fiber in a multimode cable is capable of carrying a different signal independent from those on the other fibers in the cable bundle.
POF is a newer plastic-based cable that promises performance similar to single-mode cable but at a lower cost.
A solar cable comprises several insulated wires. They are also used to interconnect the several components in a photovoltaic system. Solar cables or solar wires are also designed with the same aim to reduce harming the environment as much as possible. The solar cable is used for connecting the solar panel, the inverter for converting the DC power supply to AC, the charging controller, and the batteries.
Differences between Solar Cables and Regular Cables
The insulation sheathing of electric cable is also called a jacket. The normal electrical cables would ideally be installed concealed inside walls or in a closed space.This reduces the possibility of normal cables directly coming into contact with extreme weather conditions. This is not the case with solar cables. The solar cable would be installed in open spaces. Therefore, those would be subjected to adverse weather scenarios including wind, rain, and sun. The sheathing has to be strong and weather-proof to sustain the loads due to these conditions. A special material designed for solar cables is used for manufacturing the jackets or sheathing of the cables.
Solar cables have more longevity than normal electric cables. The prime reason is the sturdy and reliable cable jackets. The solar cable may last up to around 25 years without much reduction in performance. On the other hand, a normal electric cable may require replacement in nearly 10 years. Else, the electric supply would be hampered or diminished.
Solar cables and regular wires are different in the case of electrical conductors. Normally a single conducting material would be used in solar cable. Whereas, the regular electric cable will have multiple conductors installed together, for carrying electricity.
Armored cable, also known as metal-clad cable, is a type of electrical wiring that's covered with a protective metal armor. It's made up of two or more insulated wires and a bare ground wire wrapped in a metal sheath. Armored cable is tougher and more resistant to damage than NM cable and can be used in dry or wet areas.
The thing about armored cables is that they go above and beyond to provide extra protection, especially in tough conditions. Underneath the outer layer, the armor made of aluminum wires not only shields the conductor from any mechanical damage but also acts as insulation. These cables are a must for burying directly or installing outdoors when you need something tough and long-lasting.
THHN and THWN wires are like all-purpose building wiring. They can be used for conduits, raceways, machine tools, control circuits, and appliances. These cables are tough against stuff like gasoline and oil and have flame-retardant qualities because of their nylon jackets and PVC insulation. But the cool thing about THWN is that it's water-resistant, so you can use it in all sorts of different environments. Understanding these little differences will help you get the best performance in specific situations.
The solid wire is a type of electrical wire that has only one conductor, which makes it super strong and conductive. It's commonly used in industrial and commercial electrical systems where high conductivity and durability are needed. However, it's not recommended for residential buildings because it's inflexible and difficult to install.
The AV cables, also known as audio-video cables, play a crucial role in transmitting audio and video signals between different devices. These cables come in various forms such as HDMI, RCA, and optical cables, each designed for specific applications.
Types of AV Cables:
The control cables are multi-conductor cables that find applications in automation and instrumentation. They play a crucial role in measuring and regulating transmissions of automated processes. Control cables often possess UL or CSA ratings. The control cable is the most common component you'll come across when setting up an electrical, electronic, or automated system at your entity. The main part of the system, the control cables, should be chosen after careful analysis and thorough consideration.
The applications where the control cables can be used include:
Home electrical wiring is the electrical installation of cabling and associated devices such as switches, distribution boards/electric panels/breaker panels, outlets/sockets, and light fittings in a structure.
Household wiring connects different accessories to efficiently distribute electrical energy. Cleat wiring, which is a temporary solution, is in contrast with casing and capping wiring that became popular but lost out to the dominance of conduit and sheathed wiring systems. Batten wiring offers a simple approach, while lead-sheathed wiring provides strong protection. Conduit wiring, whether surface-mounted or concealed, emerges as a modern and visually appealing choice, reflecting the changing landscape of domestic electrical installations.
For wire harness processing, the wire must have sufficient strength. If the strength is not enough, it is easy to break due to some external force factors, such as strong wind, icing, or improper handling during repair; if you choose a wire with a thin section, It is easy to overheat when the overload current is used, so that the protective insulation layer is damaged, which may cause fire of the circuit; and the selected wire cannot be excessively lost.
According to the different use environment, choose the corresponding wire material (for example: if the ambient temperature of the car engine is high, there are many corrosive gases and liquids. Therefore, it is necessary to use high-temperature, oil, vibration, and friction-resistant wires; on the automatic transmission The wire must be resistant to high temperature and hydraulic oil, and its temperature stability should be good; the wire on the trunk lid should maintain its elasticity at low temperature, so use cold elastic wire to ensure its normal operation; weak signal sensor should use shielded wire, for example Crankshaft position sensor and knock sensor, ABS wheel speed sensor, etc.; the inner wire has high bending resistance requirements. There are medical equipment or other wire harnesses with special requirements, and the wires should be reasonably selected according to the requirements of the design drawings.
Therefore, when we select the wire for wire processing, we need to choose according to your circuit. If the low-voltage harness is selected, the thickness of the wire is selected according to the heat generation, and then the voltage loss and strength are tested. If it is a high-voltage harness, then you need to select the wire according to its current condition, and then measure its heat and voltage loss.
