Electrical Wire & Cable

In general terms, electrical wire cable or wiring involves insulated conductors and other associated devices that carry electricity from one point to the other.

Methods of wiring

The materials used for the wires of electrical systems installed in any building depend upon the following factors:

• The size and type of occupancy of the building

• The kind of environment provided for the wiring

• The amount of power demand and its use on the circuit

• Local and national wiring regulations

For instance, if the wire cable system is intended for a nuclear family home, it will have lower power requirements and will be relatively simpler. Also, there will be fewer or maybe no changes in the structure and layout of the building; moderate or dry temperature and a non-corrosive environment.

A normal commercial environment will have frequent changes in the wire cable system because of the presence of large apparatus and there may be special moisture or heat conditions. The wiring requirements of heavy industries are usually highly demanding. There will be high voltages, large currents, lots of changes in the equipment layout and maybe even explosive or wet environments. There are special rules for the wiring and installation of electric wire cable systems in hazardous locations.

Cables and wires are generally rated by the environmental conditions (such as sunlight, moisture, oil or chemicals), temperature rating and circuit voltage that they require. Each kind of wire cable has a maximum conductor surface temperature rating and a voltage rating to which it must adhere. It is the installation conditions that determine the amount of electric current that a cable can safely carry.

Contemporary wire cable methods involve Non-metallic Sheathed Cables (NMC) that consist of two to four cables that are insulated with a bare wire and thermoplastic and are covered by a flexible jacket made of plastic.