weight of a cable

[landbattery]

Does anyone know how to calculate weight of a cable assuming two conductors at 18Awg with polyurethane jacket??

 

[itsmoked]

You just look up the dia of 18AWG and its weight.
Then you need the diameter of the finished product.

Figure the volume of that diameter after subtracting out the copper fill.


Much better is to look up the cable. The maker lists that info.

Second better is to measure a few exact feet and divide by the number of feet.

Third and the worst is to try to calculate it like you desire.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[landbattery]

Thanks ITsmoked! Do't I need to look up the specific gravity of the material? Also i want to include the volume of the copper fill also right? I might have misunderstood when you said subtract out the copper fill

 

[itsmoked]

Copper fill volume.

That's out of an otherwise solid cylinder of polyurethane.

Yes you will need specific gravity of your polyurethane.

I would expect to find the weight of the copper conductor/foot in a table already calculated.

Tell me you're not a copper thief, (that deserves death), trying to calculate your booty?

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[waross]

I'm with itsmoked.
First choice, published data.
Second choice, weigh a sample. The produce scale at the local market will work well. (Been there, done that).
We did a lot of small jobs for a supermarket. A continuing problem was estimating the quantity of wire use for each small project. Then we weighed samples of #12 and #14 building wire. At the start and end of each day, the electricians weighed their wire reels on one of the produce scales.


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

 

[7anoter4]

Hi landbattery
There are many types of PUR [Polyurethane] cables. I think you mean PUR insulated–PUR jacketed 2*18 AWG cable [500/300 V] no shield, no other beddings or servings. A cable manufacturer appreciates 46 kg/km [approxim.31 lbs/1000 ft] for such a cable.
Regards

 

[landbattery]

Yes I was trying to derive the formula for the outer jacket material based on the SG of pu and then trying to figure out weight in air & weight in water

 

[7anoter4]

PUR density is 1.21 g/cm^3[0.0437 lb/inch^3]
But as in this case copper is only 30% and PUR is 70% so the accuracy of geometric appreciation is approximately +10-15%-there is a non-controlled gap [air] between cores and core and jacket.