English Cable 3/29

• 99% Copper
• Non-Metallic Sheathed Cable : These cables are also known as non-metallic building wire or NM cables. They feature a flexible plastic jacket with two to four wires (TECK cables are covered with thermoplastic insulation) and a bare wire for grounding. Special varieties of this cable are used for underground or outdoor use, but NM-B and NM-C non-metallic sheathed cables are the most common form of indoor residential cabling.
• Underground Feeder Cable : These cables are quite similar to NM cables, but instead of each wire being individually wrapped in thermoplastic, wires are grouped together and embedded in the flexible material. Available in a variety of gauge sizes, UF cables are often used for outdoor lighting and in-ground applications. Their high water-resistance makes them ideal for damp areas like gardens as well as open-to-air lamps, pumps, etc.
• Metallic Sheathed Cable : Also known as armored or BX cables, metal-sheathed cables are often used to supply mains electricity or for large appliances. They feature three plain stranded copper wires (one wire for the current, one grounding wire and one neutral wire) that are insulated with cross-linked polyethylene, PVC bedding and a black PVC sheathing. BX cables with steel wire sheathing are often used for outdoor applications and high-stress installations.
• Multi-Conductor Cable : This is a cable type that is commonly used in homes, since it is simple to use and well-insulated. Multi-conductor or multi-core (MC) cables feature more than one conductor, each of which is insulated individually. In addition, an outer insulation layer is added for extra security. Different varieties are used in industries, like the audio multicore ‘snake cable’ used in the music industry.
• Coaxial Cable : A coaxial (sometimes heliax) cable features a tubular insulating layer that protects an inner conductor which is further surrounded by a tubular conducting shield, and might also feature an outer sheath for extra insulation. Called ‘coaxial’ since the two inner shields share the same geometric axis, these cables are normally used for carrying television signals and connecting video equipment.
• Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable : Like the name suggests, this type consists of two wires that are twisted together. The individual wires are not insulated, which makes this cable perfect for signal transmission and video applications. Since they are more affordable than coaxial or optical fiber cables, UTP cables are often used in telephones, security cameras and data networks. For indoor use, UTP cables with copper wires or solid copper cores are a popular choice, since they are flexible and can be easily bent for in-wall installation.
• Ribbon Cable : Ribbon cables are often used in computers and peripherals, with various conducting wires that run parallel to each other on a flat plane, leading to a visual resemblance to flat ribbons. These cables are quite flexible and can only handle low voltage applications.
• Direct-Buried Cable : Also known as DBCs, these cables are specially-designed coaxial or bundled fiber-optic cables, which do not require any added sheathing, insulation or piping before being buried underground. They feature a heavy metal core with many layers of banded metal sheathing, heavy rubber coverings, shock-absorbing gel and waterproof wrapped thread-fortified tape. High tolerance to temperature changes, moisture and other environmental factors makes them a popular choice for transmission or communication requirements.
• Twin-Lead Cable : These are flat two-wire cables that are used for transmission between an antenna and receiver, like TV and radio.
• Twinaxial Cable : This is a variant of coaxial cables, which features two inner conductors instead of one and is used for very-short-range high-speed signals.
• Paired Cable : With two individually insulated conductors, this cable is normally used in DC or low-frequency AC applications.
• Twisted Pair : This cable is similar to paired cables, but the inner insulated wires are twisted or intertwined.

Sizes & Colour Codes of Electrical Cables;

Cable Color Code – Color coding of cable insulation is done to determine active, neutral and earth conductors. The NEC has not prescribed any color for phase/active conductors. Different countries/regions have different cable color coding, and it is essential to know what is applicable in your region. However, active conductors cannot be green/yellow, green, yellow, light blue or black.

Cable Size – Cable size is the gauge of individual wires within the cable, such as 14, 12, 10 etc. – again, the bigger the number, the smaller the size. The number of wires follows the wire-gauge on a cable. So, 10/3 would indicate the presence of 3 wires of 10-gauge within the cable. Ground wire, if present, is not indicated by this number, and is represented by the letter ‘G’.

Safety is very important, and if your installation of wires and cables is not proper, it could lead to accidents. Before you start any electrical project that includes wiring and cabling, you need to obtain permission from your local building inspector. Once the job is done, get the installation inspected for compliance with local codes and regulations.