Cables vs. Wires

[ThePunisher]

This may sound stupid but I have recently having some discussions with my boss about defining conductors insulated with THHN, PVC against the ones insulated with PVC, XLPE, EPR etc.

I normally call the single core, 1kV, PVC jacketed conductors, not listed for cable tray or direct burial use as "wires" or "building wires" and the ones insulated with PVC,XLPE,EPR etc. listed for cable tray and direct burial as "cables".

He claims that we should call them the same. Is there any code reference for this descriptions?

 

[waross]

A wire is usually one conductor. A cable is an assembly of one or more wires. Usage in conversation is flexible and often but not always interchangeable.
There is a well known maxim which may be applicable:

This may sound stupid but I have recently having some discussions with my boss ........He claims that we should call them the same......
RULE ONE: The boss may not always be right but he is always the boss.
RULE TWO: When in doubt, see rule one!
note: The Canadian Electrical Code does not list either "wire" or "cable" in the definitions.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[jraef]

Cables are messages sent by telegraph, Wires are listening devices worn by stool pigeons.

Seriously though, I was taught, at substantial risk of being slapped on the back of the hand with a yard stick, to use "wire" when discussing a single strand of something and "cable" when discussing anything with multiple strands, individually insulated or not. So if I am using #12 solid single conductor copper, that is "wire" but if I am using #6 conductor that is made up of 7 strands, that is "cable".

I questioned the teacher about the use of the term "guy wire" to hold up masts and the use of the term "cable" when referring to coax, which has a solid core conductor. After he smacked me on the knuckles for mouthing off, he informed me that the entire world was using "guy wire" incorrectly in most cases (it should be "guy cable" if it's stranded) and the use of "cable" when discussing coax was just plain stupid. Take it for what it's worth.

"Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum."
— Kilgore Trout (via Kurt Vonnegut)
For the best use of Eng-Tips, please click here -> faq731-376

 

[rbulsara]

Now a days you can "Wire" money too!

This brings up a bad memory for me as this was the very topic of a discussion in the only meeting in my life, that I ever stormed out of. That was some 18 years ago, when I miserably failed to convince a project manager, who was a structural engineer and a spec reviewer, who at best had architectural background but more of a CAD manager. They were "looking over or proofing" my electrical spec section titled "Wire and Cables", which was in use by AIA Masterpecs at that time. (It was later changed to 'Conductors and Cables' and I think it still may be in use).

My take on it then(and still is) that it is just semantics as for as electrical wire, conductors and cables go, since no official definition exist. I had just chosen to stay with what Mastespec was using, and gotten into an argument.

The definition of Jeff (jraef) above is consistent with wire (single strand) and cables (multi-strand) used for structural or non-electrical purposes. Those terms would have been in use even before electrical wires/cables came into existence.

One other non-official differentiation is that the conductors that has single layer of insulation or no insulation are more likely to get referred to as "wires" and those with multilayer insulation, whether single or multiple conductors, are more likely to be called cables. (a variance of what Bill suggested above).

This is one the gray items in my book and not worth losing sleep over but that is just me.

Rafiq Bulsara

http://www.srengineersct.com

 

[itsmoked]

It can't be summed up for all of the electrical realm.

If you're in the "electronics arena" referring to multi-stranded single conductors as 'cable' will confuse everyone in the conversation with you. We reserve 'cable' to mean multi-conductor assemblies. Therefore 'coax cable' is the appropriate term.

As for wire types its "solid" or "stranded".

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[jraef]

I probably should have noted that my experience was in a high school drafting class and was not specific to electrical issues. In fact the teacher was an ME, so it's likely his point of reference was only from that perspective.


"Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum."
— Kilgore Trout (via Kurt Vonnegut)
For the best use of Eng-Tips, please click here -> faq731-376

 

[7anoter4]

All the above answer was correct.
The insulated wire is destined for indoor installation drawn into conduits on walls or under mortar. The conduit has to be insulated in order to avoid the contact between bare wire and metallic conduit.
No jacket - since the conduit serve as protection-so is more flexible.
The cable is provided with a jacket which adds protection and reduces flexibility. The cable may be drawn through duct or straight conduit with large angle [if it is required] and laid directly on tray or underground [if it is approved for tray or directly underground].

 

[ThePunisher]

Thanks guys for the technical idea. Guess, whatever my boss would call it, it will be fine wiht me as long as we have sized them and installed them correctly.

 

[dbaird]

For what its worth:
From Anixter Glossary "Wire and Cable Technical Information Handbook"

CABLE - A cable may be a samall number of large conductors or a large number of small conductors, cabled together, usually color coded and with a protective jacket overall.

WIRE - A rod or filament of drawn or rolled metal whose length is great in comparison with the major axis of its cross section.

http://www.anixter.com/AXECOM/US.NS...dbook_WIRECABLE?OpenDocument&Division=DivTab5

David Baird

Sr Controls Designer
EET degree.
Journeyman Electrician.