GLOSSARY AND USEFUL CHARTS

In this section you will find several segments of helpful information, including:

 

GLOSSARY

A list of cable and wire industry terms and definitions.
 

- A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N -
- O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W -X - Y - Z -

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- A -

ACSR. Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced. Bare aluminum conductors stranded around an inner core of galvanized steel wire(s). Overhead power distribution and transmission lines.

Aerial Cable. A cable suspended in the air on poles or other overhead structures.

Air Core Cable. A telephone cable in which the interstices (crevices) in the cable core are not filled with a moisture barrier (as they are in filled cable).

Alternating Current (AC). Electric current that continually reverses its direction. It is expressed in cycles per second (hertz or Hz).

Ampacity. The maximum current an insulated wire or cable can safely carry without exceeding either the insulation or jacket material limitations. (Same as Current Carrying Ampacity.)

Ampere. The unit of current. One ampere is the current flowing through one ohm of resistance at one volt potential.

Anneal. Relief of mechanical stress through heat and gradual cooling. Annealing copper renders it less brittle.

ANSI. American National Standards Institute.

APPA. American Public Power Association.

ASTM. American Society of Testing and Materials.

Attenuation. Power loss in an electrical system. In cables, generally expressed in dB per unit length, usually 1000 ft.

AWG. Abbreviation for American Wire Gauge. Based on a circular mil system. 1 mil equals .001 inch. Used to determine the size of conductors.

AWM. Designation for Appliance Wiring Material.

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- B -

Band Marking. A continuous circumferential band applied to a conductor at regular intervals for identification.

Balun. An adapter for connecting an unbalanced coaxial transmission line to a balanced two-wire system.

Building Wire. Insulated single conductors, 600 volts, used for supplying power for lighting, operating machinery, controls, etc. Usually installed through conduits/trays inside buildings.

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- C -

Cable. A group of individually insulated conductors in twisted or parallel configuration, with an overall outer jacket.

CATV. An acronym for Community Antenna Television.

CCTV. Closed Circuit Television.

CEA. Canadian Electrical Association.

Certificate of Compliance (C of C). A certificate showing that the product being shipped meets customer's specifications.

Certified Test Report (CTR). A report providing actual test data on a cable. Tests are normally run by a Quality Control Department, which shows that the product being shipped conforms to test specifications.

Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE). A rubbery polymer made by treating polyethylene with chlorine and sulfur dioxide. (Hypalon is a DuPont trademark.)

Circuit Integrity (CI). Two hour fire rated cable to provide protection against fire and water for critical fire alarm systems and emergency circuits.

Circular Mil. Area of a circle whose diameter is one mil (one one-thousandth of an inch). Unit is so small that the prefix “k” is normally used in denoting wire sizes larger than those covered by the American Wire Gage System.

Coaxial Cable. A cable consisting of two conductors with a common axis, separated by a dielectric.

Color Code. A system for circuit identifications through use of solid color insulations and/or contrasting tracers.

Composite Cable. A cable containing more than one gauge size or a variety of circuit types, e.g., pairs, triples, quads, coaxials, etc.

Conduit. A tube through which insulated wires and cables are run.

Control Cable. A multiconductor cable made for operation of control or signal circuits.

Cord. A small, flexible insulated cable.

Core. In cables, a component or assembly of components over which additional components (shield, sheath, etc.) are applied.

CPE. Jacketing compound based on chlorinated polyethylene.

Cross-Linked. Intermolecular bonds between long chain thermoplastic polymers are changed by chemical or electron bombardment means. The properties of the resulting thermosetting material are usually improved.

Crosstalk. Signal interference between nearby conductors caused by pickup of stray energy. It is also called induced interference.

CSA Canadian Standards Association; counterpart of the Underwriters Laboratories.

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- D -

Decibel (dB). A unit to express differences of power level. Used to express power gain in amplifiers or power loss in passive circuits or cables.

Dielectric Strength. The voltage which an insulation can withstand before breakdown occurs. Usually expressed as a voltage gradient (such as volts per mil).

Direct Burial Cable. A cable installed directly in the earth.

Direct Current (DC). An electric current which flows in only one direction.

Drain Wire. In a cable, the uninsulated wire in intimate contact with a shield to provide for easier termination of such a shield to a ground point.

Duct. An underground or overhead tube through which electrical conductors are pulled. Gives mechanical protection.

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- E -

EIA. Electronic Industries Association.

Electricity. The energy produced by the flow of ''free'' or valance electrons moving from one atom to another in a conductor.

ETFE. Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (Teflon).

Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPR). An ozone resistant rubber consisting primarily of ethylene propylene copolymer (EPM) or ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EDPM).

Extrusion. The process of continuously forcing both a plastic or elastomer and a conductor core through a die, thereby applying a continuous coating of insulation or jacket to the core or conductor.

F.D.D.I. Fiber Distributed Data Interface.

FEP. Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene is a ''Teflon'' fluorocarbon resin and is a registered trademark of the DuPont Company. This is a melt extrudable fluorocarbon resin.

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- F -

Fiber Optics. A lightwave or optical communications system in which electrical information is converted to light energy, transmitted to another location through optical fibers, and is there converted back into electrical information.

Figure 8 Cable. An aerial cable configuration in which the conductors and the steel strand which supports the cable are integrally jacketed. A cross section of the finished cable approximates the figure 8.

Filled Cable. A cable construction in which the cable core is filled with a gel material that will prevent moisture from entering or passing through the cable.

Foamed Plastics. Insulations having a cellular structure. As in foam-skin telephone cable.

FR-1. A flammability rating established by Underwriters Laboratories for wires and cables that pass a specially designed vertical flame test. This designation has been replaced by VW-1.

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- G -

G. Type G Rubber-insulated, neoprene, Hypalon or CPE jacketed, portable power cable with two to five 8AWG or larger conductors with ground wires.

Gauge. A term used to denote the physical size of a wire.

Ground. A conducting connection between an electrical circuit and the earth or other large conducting body to serve as an earth thus making a complete electrical circuit.

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- H -

Halar. A trade name of Allied Chemical for copolymer or ethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene. Abbreviation ECTFE.

Hard Drawn Copper Wire. Copper wire that has not been annealed after drawing.

Hook-Up Wire. A single insulated conductor used for low current, low voltage (usually under 600 volts) applications within enclosed electronic equipment.

Hygroscopic. Capable of absorbing and retaining moisture.

Hypalon. DuPont's trade name for chlorosulfonated polyethylene, an ozone resistant synthetic rubber.

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- I -

IAEI. International Association of Electrical Inspectors.

IBEW. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

ICEA. Insulated Cable Engineers Association (Formerly IPCEA).

IEC. Independent Electrical Contractors association.

IEEE. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

IMSA. International Municipal Signal Association. Publishes specifications for cables and wires used in municipal, county, and state Traffic Signal, Communication and Fire Alarm systems.
Insulation. A material having high resistance to the flow of electric current. Often called a dielectric.
Interstices. Voids, valleys or crevices between individual strands in a conductor or between insulated conductors in a multiconductor cable.

ISA. Instrument Society of America.

ISO. International Standards Organization.

ITE. Institute of Transportation Engineers

IUEW. International Union of Electrical Workers.

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- J -

Jacket. An outer covering, usually nonmetallic, mainly used for protection against the environment.

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- K -

Kynar. Pennwalt trade name for polyvinylidene fluoride.

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- L -

LAN. Local Area Network. Integration of computer and communication systems that wire computers, peripheral equipment and telephones together so they can all ''talk'' to each other.
Longitudinal Shield. A tape shield, flat or corrugated, applied lengthwise with the axis of the core being shielded.

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- M -

MATV. Master Antenna TV

MC. Metal-Clad Cable. NEC¬ type designation for power and control cables enclosed in a smooth metallic sheath, welded and corrugated metallic sheath, or an interlocking tape armor.

MCM. One thousand circular mils.

Messenger. The linear supporting member, usually a high strength steel wire, used as the supporting element of a suspended aerial cable. The messenger may be an integral part of the cable, or exterior to it.

Mil. A unit used in measuring the diameter of a wire or thickness of insulation over a conductor. One one-thousandth of an inch. (.001")

Modem. A device used to convert signals in one form to another form compatible with another kind of equipment.

MSHA. Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Dept of Labor.

MTW. Thermoplastic-insulated machine tool wire. 90¼C to 105¼C, 600 volt.

Mylar. DuPont trademark for a polyester material used in the form of a tape.

Mylar/Aluminum. A thin polyester/mylar tape which has a thin aluminum coating on one side, commonly used in electronic wires and cables.

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- N -

NAED. National Association of Electrical Distributors.

NAPE. National Association of Power Engineers.

NEC. National Electric Code. A standard published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and incorporated in OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act) regulations.

NECA. National Electrical Contractors Association.

NEMA. National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

NEMRA. National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Assoc.
Neoprene. Trade name for polychloroprene synthetic rubber, used for jacketing when suitably compounded.

NETA. National Electrical Testing Association.

NFPA. National Fire Protection Association.

NRECA. National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Nylon. A strong polyamide polymer used for wire, cable jacketing, fillers or rope.

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- O -

O.D. Outside diameter.

Ohm. Unit of resistance such that a constant current of one ampere produces a force of one volt.

OSHA. Occupational Safety and Health Act. Specifically, the Williams-Steiger law passed in 1970 covering all factors relating to safety in places of employment.

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- P -

PE. Polyethylene.

Plenum. The air return path of a central air handling system, either ductwork or open space over a dropped ceiling.

Plenum Cable. Cable approved by Underwriters Laboratories for installation in plenums without the need for conduit because the insulation and jacket compounds used have low flame-spread and low smoke characteristics.

PLTC. NEC¬ type designation for Power-Limited Tray Cable for use in Class 2 or 3 Power-Limited circuits; instrumentation supervisory control, and thermocouple extension.

Polyethylene. A thermoplastic material having the chemical identity of polymerized ethylene.

Polypropylene. A thermoplastic polymer of propylene.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). A thermoplastic material composed of polymers of vinyl chloride which may be rigid or flexible depending on specific formulation.

Pulling Eye. A device fastened to a cable to which a hook may be attached in order to pull the cable through a duct.

PVC. Polyvinyl chloride.

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- Q -

Quik-Pull¨. Clifford of Vermont trademark for wire assemblies fabricated to individual customer specifications.

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- R -

REA. Rural Electrification Administration of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Publishes telephone cable and wire specifications and a list of approved manufacturers of cable, wire and related installation supplies.

Resistance. In DC circuits, the opposition a material offers to current, measured in ohms. In AC circuits, resistance is the real component of impedance, and may be higher than the value measured at DC.

RG/U. Abbreviation for Radio Grade, Universal. RG is the military designation for coaxial cable and U stands for ''general utility''.

Ringing Out. The process of locating or identifying specific conductors by means of passing current through selected conductors.

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- S -

S. Heavy duty, flexible, rubber-insulated and jacketed portable cord. 600 volt.

SDN. Royal Electric trademark for a small diameter Neoprene jacketed control and power cable, the conductors having a double insulation: PVC inner, Nylon outer. 600 volt

Self-Extinguishing. The characteristic of a material in which flame is extinguished after the igniting flame is removed.

SHD-GC. Portable mine power cable, three or four individually shielded conductors, with grounding conductors. 5000 volt.

Shield. A metallic layer placed around a conductor or group of conductors to prevent electrostatic interference between the enclosed wires and external fields.

SO. Heavy duty cord, same construction as type S except oil-resistant neoprene jacket. 600 volt, 60¼C to 90¼C.

Spark Test. A test designed to locate imperfections (usually pin-holes) in the insulation of a wire or cable by application of a voltage for a very short period of time while the wire is being drawn through the electrode field.

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- T -

TC. Tray Cable. A factory-assembled multiconductor or multipair control, signal or power cable specifically approved under the National Electrical Code Article 340 for installation in trays. 600 volt. 90¼C. Several manufacturers also list approvals for direct burial installation.

Teflon. A DuPont Company trademark for fluorocarbon resins. FEP, PFA and TFE are typical materials.

Telemetering Cable. Cable used for transmission of information from instruments to the peripheral recording equipment.

Temperature Rating. The maximum temperature at which an insulating material may be used in continuous operation without loss of its basic properties.

Tensile Strength. The pull stress required to break a given specimen.

TFFN. 600 volt, 90¼C flexible fixture wire with PVC insulation and outer nylon covering.

Thermocouple. A device consisting of two metals, usually in wire form, joined in two places. If a temperature difference exists between the junctions, a voltage is generated which can be calibrated to indicate temperature.

Thermoplastic. A material which softens/melts when heated and becomes firm on cooling.

Thermoset. A material which hardens or sets by heat, chemical or radiation cross-linking techniques and which, once set, cannot be resoftened/melted by heating.

THHN. 600 volt, 90¼C dry, 75¼C wet PVC/nylon insulated Building Wire. Multi-rated as THWN. Also as AWM (Appliance Wiring Material) at 105¼ C dry.

THW. 600 volt, 75¼C dry, 60¼C wet PVC insulated Building Wire.

Tinned Copper. Tin coating added to copper to aid in soldering and inhibit corrosion.

Tray. A unit or assembly of units or sections, and associated fittings, made of metal or other noncombustible materials forming a rigid structural system used to support cables. Includes ladders, troughs, channels, solid bottom trays, and similar structures.

Tray Cable. A factory-assembled multiconductor or multipair control, signal or power cable specifically approved under NEC Article 340 for installation in trays. 600 volt. 90¼C. Several manufacturers also list approvals for direct burial installation.

TW. 600 volt, 60¼C dry or wet, PVC insulated Building Wire.

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- U -

UL. Abbreviation for Underwriters Laboratories, a nonprofit independent organization, which operates a testing and listing service for electrical and electronic materials and equipment.

USE. Underground service entrance cable, rubber-insulated, neoprene or XLP jacketed.
Volt. A unit of electrical pressure. One volt is the amount of pressure that will cause one ampere of current in one ohm of resistance.

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- V -

Voltage Rating. The highest voltage that may be continuously applied to a wire in conformance with standards of specifications.

Vulcanization. An irreversible process during which a rubber or polymeric compound, through a change in its chemical structure becomes thermoset.

VW-1. A flammability rating established by Underwriters Laboratories for wires and cables that pass a specially designated vertical flame test, formerly designated FR-1.

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- W -

W. Multi-conductor flat or round portable power cables without grounding conductor.

Watt. A unit of electrical power. One watt is equivalent to the power represented by one ampere of current under a pressure of one volt in a DC circuit.

Wicking. The flow of a liquid in a wire or cable due to capillary action.

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- X -

XHHW. 600 volt, 90¼C dry, 75¼C wet, cross-linked polyethylene insulated Building Wire.

XLP. Cross-linked polyethylene.

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FIBER OPTIC GLOSSARY

Physical Characteristics

Bend Radius: 2 guidelines offered:

Buffer: is applied directly over core and cladding for strength. Most fibers are buffered to 250 microns before going to cabling.

Central Member: an anti-bucking element in the cable for mechanical stability; can be steel, fiberglass or glass reinforced plastic

Cladding: applied directly over the core to maintain the integrity of the core. Cladding is of a different index of refraction than the core. The cladding for single-mode 8 micron, multi-mode 50micron and multi-mode 62.5 micron is generally 125 micron. The cladding formulti-mode 100 micron is 140 micron. The numbers are represented like this:50/125, 62.5/125, 100/140.

Core: the transmission medium where the light travels. Typical sizes are: