Difference Between Wire and Cable

"Wire and cable" means materials used for electrical and related transmission purposes.

There are no strict boundaries, precise and fixed conceptual distinctions between "wires" and "cables", and they are generally only distinguished by everyday experience. Usually, products with a small number of cores, a small product diameter and a simple structure are called wires, those without insulation are called bare wires, and the others are called cables; conductors with a cross-sectional area greater than 6 square millimeters are called large cables, and conductors with a cross-sectional area less than or equal to 6 square millimeters are called small wires and also called cloth wires.

Wires are generally used as conductive metal wires that carry current and come in various forms such as solid, stranded, or foil braided. According to the insulation status, it is divided into two categories: bare wire and insulated wire.

A cable is an insulated wire composed of one or more mutually insulated conductive cores placed in a sealed sheath. A protective cover can be added to it for transmission, distribution of electrical energy, or transmission of electrical signals. The main difference between it and ordinary wires is that the cable size is larger, and the structure is more complicated.

Difference Between Wire and Cable

What exactly is the difference between wire and cable?

The generalized wire and cable are also referred to as the cable, and the narrow-sense cable refers to the insulated cable, which can be defined as: an aggregate composed of the following parts; one or more insulated cores and their respective possible coverings, the total protective layer and outer sheath, the cable may also have additional uninsulated conductors. Wire products are used to transmit electrical (magnetic) energy, information and realize electromagnetic energy conversion. To put it simply, a wire is composed of one or several soft conductors, which are covered with a light and soft sheath; a cable is composed of one or several insulated conductors, which are then covered with a tough outer layer made of metal or rubber.

Cables and wires are generally composed of three components: core wire, insulating sheath and protective sheath. Each conductor of a cable can be counted as a strand of wire. This is the most straightforward difference between wire and cable.

1. The difference in materials

Wires are conductive metal wires used to carry electrical current. Available in solid, stranded, or foil braided forms. According to the insulation status, it is divided into two categories: bare wire and insulated wire. A cable consists of one or more insulated conductors with mutually insulated conductive cores placed in a sealed sheath.

2. The difference in structure

The main difference between power cables and ordinary wires is that the cable size is larger, and the structure is more complicated.

The cable mainly consists of the following part groups.

Conductive core: Made of high conductivity material.

Insulation layer: The insulating material used for cables should have high insulation resistance and high breakdown electric field strength. Cables are often classified by insulating material.

3, the difference in application

Bare wires are wires that are not covered with any insulation or protection. In addition to being used as a wire for transmitting electrical energy and information, it can also be used to manufacture components and connecting wires of motors and electrical appliances. Generally, copper, aluminum, copper alloy, and aluminum alloy are used.

In addition, there are all kinds of insulated wires suitable for special requirements, such as low-voltage wires for automobiles, high-voltage ignition wires for automobiles, electrical lead wires for motors, aviation wires, compensation wires, etc.

Cables are used to transmit, distribute electrical energy or transmit electrical signals.

Cables can be divided into power cables, communication cables, and control cables according to their uses.

In addition to the above differences, cables have distinct advantages. Compared with overhead lines, the advantages of the cable are that the insulation distance between the lines is small, the floor space is small, the underground laying does not occupy the space above the ground, it is not affected by the pollution of the surrounding environment, the reliability of power transmission is high, and it interferes with personal safety and the surrounding environment.

Therefore, cables are mostly used in densely populated and grid-dense areas and places with heavy traffic. It plays an important role in modernization construction.

Professional Wires and Cables Manufacturer

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