Choosing the Best Electric Wires and Cables for Your Home

Choosing the Best Electric Wires and Cables for Your Home

Test and measuring equipments do not find their application in the laboratories only. One such counterparts of them is the Electric and electronic test accessories. This segments includes Connectors, cables, and accessories for electrical and electronic testing are included in the electrical and electronic test accessories. Following are some of the basic types and tips that one should remember while purchasing these wires and cables for their homes or any other purpose.

If one is planning to indulge in the electrical work at home, he or she should be very clear regarding the types of conductors to be installed. Options of combination of single conductors or a multi conductor cable are available. Today the trend of using cable has become a rage as wires and wiring technique have their applications restricted to single conductors only. Single conductors come in two variants - THW and type THWN/THHN which are suitable for both dry as well as wet locations for temperatures up to 75 degrees Centigrade. Most of these wires and cables come inside protective metal or plastic conduit and one can buy either solid-core or stranded wire. While solid core wires are stiffer and thus difficult to snake through, they have the advantage of having better connectivity.

The variety of cables present in the test and measurement equipments industry is also wide. Cables are are typically referred to the combination of neutral wire, one or two hot wires, and a grounding wire inside a plastic or metal covering. Lest have a brief look on some of the types of cable available in the measurement and test equipments market.

Non Metallic Sheath Cables – These are widely used for interior projects and is sold by the foot or in boxes that house from 25 to 250 feet of coiled cable. They are suited only for dry locations and can withstand temperature up to 60 degree Centigrade.

Armoured Cables – These power cables are designed for the supply of mains electricity. They are mostly found in underground systems, power networks and cable ducting and can be used only on multicore versions of the cable.

Besides the above mentioned there is MC types of cables that too are used for indoor applications but are relatively more expensive.
In addition to the types, cables are bifurcated as per their sizes and the number of containers they contain. For example, any cable that contains one neutral and one hot wire is referred as two wire cable. The diameter of the cables is also considered. The larger the wire's diameter, the larger its current carrying capacity, or ampacity, and the lower its gauge number. One can find these numbers on the cable sheathings. The most important tip however is that if you're considering one of these wires, first check your local electrical codes.