TECHNICAL GLOSSARY

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This glossary contains information pertaining to the Wire & Cable industry
and other relative technical terms.

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A

AAR. American Association of Railroads

Abrasion Resistance. Ability of a wire,cable or material to resist surface wear.

Accelerated Life Test. An accelerated lifetest is a test in which certain factors such as voltage, temperature, etc, to which a cable is subjected are increased in magnitude above normal operating values to obtain observable deterioration in a reasonable period of time and thereby afford some measure of the probable cable life under operating voltage, temperature, etc.

Accelerator. A chemical additive which hastens a chemical reaction under specific conditions.

A.C. Resistance. The total resistance offered by a device in an alternating current circuit due to inductive and capacitive effects, as well as the direct current resistance.

ACSR. Steel-reinforced aluminum cable.

Activator. A chemical additive used to initiate the chemical reaction in a specific chemical mixture.

Active Current. In an alternating current, a component in phase with the voltage; the working component as distinguished from the idle or wattless component.

Active Pressure. In an A.C. circuit, the pressure which produces a current, as distinguished from the voltage impressed upon the circuit.

Admittance. The measure of the ease with which an alternating current flows in a circuit. The reciprocal of impedance.

Adhesion. The state in which two surfaces are held together by interfacial forces which may be chemical or mechanical in nature.

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

Aging. The irreversible change in properties or appearance of a material with time and under specific conditions (usually accelerated representations of environmental states, such as high temperature, oxygen or other various conditions).

Air Core Cable. A telephone cable in which the interstices in the cable core are not filled with a moisture barrier.

Air Spaced Coaxial Cable. On in which air is the essential dielectric material. A spirally wound synthetic filament or spacer may be used to center the conductor.

Alloy. A metal formed by combining two or more different metals to obtain desirable properties.

Alpeth. An aerial telephone cable having an aluminum shield.

ALS. A type of cable consisting of insulated conductors enclosed in a continuous closely fitting aluminum tube.

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

Alternating Voltage. The voltage developed across a resistance or impedance through which alternating current is flowing.

Ambient Temperature. Any all encompassing temperature within a given area.

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.

Ampere’s Law. The magnetic intensity at any point near a current carrying conductor can be computed on the assumption that each infinitesimal length of the conductor produces at the point of an infinitesimal magnetic density. The resulting magnetic intensity at the point is the vector sum of the contributions of all the elements of the conductor.

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

Annular Conductor. A number of wires stranded in three reversed concentric layers around a core.

Anode. The electrode through which a direct current enters the liquid, gas or other discrete part of an electrical circuit; the positively charged pole of an electrochemical cell.

ANSI. The American National Standards Institute.

Anti-Oxidant. A substance which prevents or slows down oxygen decomposition (oxidation) or a material exposed to air.

Anti-Ozonant. A substance which prevents or slows down material degeneration due to ozone reaction.

Arc. 1) A Luminous glow formed by the flow of electric current through ionized air, gas or vapor between separated electrodes or contacts. 2) A portion of the circumference of a circle.

Arc Over Voltage. The minimum voltage required to create an arc between electrodes separated by a gas or liquid insulation under specified conditions.

Arc Resistance. The time required for an arc to establish a conductive path in a material.

Area of Conductor. The size of a conductor cross-section, measured in circular mils, square inches, etc.

Armor. A braid or wrapping of metal, usually steel, used for mechanical protection. Generally placed over the outer sheath.

Armored Cable. A cable having a metallic covering for protection against mechanical injury.

ASA. The American Standards Association. Former name of ANSI.

ASME. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

ASP. A filled direct burial telephone cable used in areas subject to rodent attack. It consists of a filled cable core, corrugated aluminum shield, corrugated steel tape, flooding compound and polyethylene jacket.

ASTA. United Kingdom approval agency.

ASTM. The American Society for Testing and Materials.

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

Audio Frequency. The range of frequencies audible to the human ear. Usually 20-20,000 Hz.

AWG. Abbreviation for American Wire Gauge. Based on a circular mil system. 1 mil equals .001 inch.

AWM. Designation for appliance wiring material.

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B

Balanced Circuit. A circuit so arranged that the impressed voltages on each conductor of the pair are equal in magnitude but opposite in polarity with respect to ground.

Balun. A device for matching an unbalanced coaxial transmission line to a balanced two-wire system.

• Special thanks to J. McKenna for notifying the Webmaster on the misspelling (BALIUM instead of BALUN).

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

Band Width. The frequency range of transmitted electrical signals, expressed in Hertz.

Bare Conductor. A conductor having no covering. A conductor with no coating or cladding on the copper.

Barrel-Packed. Method of coiling into a fiber drum for shipment.

BCF. Abbreviation for billion conductor feet. A quantity derived by multiplying the number of conductors in a cable by the amount of the cable. Usually used to indicate plant capacity or an annual requirement.

Binder. A spirally served tape or thread used for holding assembled cable components in place awaiting subsequent manufacturing operations.

Blown Jacket. Outer cable covering applied by controlled inflation of the cured jacket tube then pulling the cable through it.

Bond. The attachment at an interface between an adhesive and an adherent or between materials attached together by adhesive.

Bond Strength. Amount of adhesion between surfaces, e.g., in bonded ribbon cable.

Booster. A device inserted into a line (or cable) to increase the voltage.

Boot. A protective covering over any portion of a cable or conductor in addition to its jacket or insulation.

Braid. A fibrous or metallic group of filaments interwoven in cylindrical form to form a covering over on or more wires.

Braid Angle. The smaller of the two angles formed by the shielding strand and the axis of the cable being shielded.

Braid Carrier. A spool or bobbin on a braider which holds on group or strands or filaments consisting of a specific number of ends. The carrier revolves during braiding operations.

Braid Ends. The number of strands used to make up one carrier. The strands are wound side by side on the carrier bobbin and lie parallel in the finished braid.

Brazing. The joining of ends of two wires, rods or groups of wires with a nonferrous filler metal at temperatures above 800F (427C).

Breakdown (Puncture). A disruptive discharge through the insulation.

Breakdown of Insulation. Failure of an insulation resulting in a flow of current through the insulation. It may be caused by the application of too high voltage or by defects or decay.

Breakdown Voltage. The voltage at which the insulation between two conductors breaks down.

Breakout. The point at which a conductor or group of conductors breaks out from a multiconductor cable to complete circuits at various points along the main cable.

British Standard Wire Gauge. A modification of the Birmingham Wire Gauge and the legal standard of Great Britain for all wires. Also known as Standard Wire Gauge (SWG), New British Standard (NBS), English Legal Standard and Imperial Wire Guide.

B. & S. Abbreviation for "Brown & Sharpe Wire Gauge: - same as American Wire Gauge.

Buffer. (fiber optic). A soft material which mechanically isolates individual fibers in a fiber optic cable or bundle from a small geometrical irregularities, distortions, or roughness of adjacent surfaces.

Building Wire. Wire used for light and power, 600 volts or less, usually not exposed to outdoor environment.

Bunch Stranding. A group of wires of the same diameter twisted together without a predetermined pattern.

Bundle. (fiber optic). A number of fibers grouped together, usually carrying a common signal.

Buried Cable. A cable installed directly in the earth without us of underground conduit. Also called "direct burial cable."

Bus. Wire used to connect two terminals inside of an electrical unit.

Butt. Joining of two conductors end-to end, with no overlap and with the axes in line.

Butt Splice. A splice wherein two wires from opposite ends butt against each other, or against a stop, in the center of a splice.

Butt Wrap. Tape wrapped around an object or conductor in a edge-to-edge condition.

Byte. Typically a group of eight binary digits.
 

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C

Cable. A group of individually insulated conductors in twisted or parallel configuration, with or without an overall covering.

Cable Assembly. A completed cable and its associated hardware ready to install.

Cable Filler. The material used in multiple conductor cables to occupy the spaces formed by the assembly of components, thus forming a core of the desired shape (normally cylindrical.)

Cabling. The twisting together of two or more insulated conductors to form a cable.

Cabling Factor. Used in the formula for calculating the diameter of an unshielded, unjacketed cable. D=Kd, where D is the cable diameter, K is the factor and d is the diameter of one insulated conductor.

Caged Armor. A construction using wires within a jacket to increase mechanical protection and tensile strength. This construction is sometimes used in submarine cables.

Capacitance. Storage of electrically separated charges between two plates having different potentials. The value depends largely on the surface area of the plates and the distance between them.

Capacitance, Direct. The capacitance measured directly from conductor to conductor through a single insulating layer.

Capacitance, Mutual. The capacitance between two conductors with all other conductors, including shield, sort circuited to ground.

Capacitance, Unbalance. An inequality of capacitance between the wires of two or more pairs which result in a transfer of unwanted signal from one pair to others.

Capacitance, Unbalance To Ground. An inequality of capacitance between the ground capacitance of the conductors of a pair which results in a pickup of external source of energy, usually from power transmission lines.

Capacitive Coupling. Electrical interaction between two conductors caused by the capacitance between them.

Carrier. The basic woven grouping of a braided shield, consisting of one or several parallel ends.

Cathode. Negative pole of an electric source.

Cathodic Protection. The control of the electroytic corrosion of an underground or underwater metallic structure by the application of an electric current through a sacrificial anode in such a way that the structure is made to act as a cathode of an electrolytic cell.

CATV. An acronym for Community Antenna Television.

CCTV. Closed Circuit Television.

CEBEC. Belgium approval agency; Comite Electrotechnique Beige Service de la Marque.

Cellular Polyethylene. Expanded or "foam" polyethylene consisting of individual closed cells suspended in a polyethylene medium.

CENELEC. European standards agency; European Committee for Electrotechnical Norms.

Center-to-Center Distance. See Pitch.

Certificate of Compliance (C of C). A certificate which shows 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.

Characteristic Impedance. The impedance that, when connected to the output terminals of a transmission line of any length, makes the line appear infinitely long. The ratio of voltage to current at every point along a transmission line on which there are no stranding waves.

Charge. The quantity of electricity held statically in a condenser or on an insulated conductor.

Charging Current. The current produced when a DC voltage is first applied to conductors of an unterminated cable. It is caused by the capacitive reactance of the cable, and decreases exponentially with time.

Charging Time. The time required for the voltage between two conductors of a cable to acquire a value equal to 98.2% of the magnitude of an instantaneously applied DC voltage change.

Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE). A rubbery polymer made by treating polyethylene with chlorine and sulfur dioxide. It is suitable compounded and cross-linked for application as jacket or as insulation. Manufactured by E.I. DuPont under trade name of Hypalon.

Circuit. The complete path through which a current flows or part of the complete path, such as one conductor. Circuit Sizes. A popular term for building wire sizes 14 through 10 AWG.

Circular Mil. The area of a circle one mil (.001") in diameter, 7.845 x 10-7 sq. in. Used in expressing wire cross sectional area.

Cladding. A method of applying a layer of metal over another metal whereby the junction of the two metals in continuously welded.

Coat. To cover with a continuous layer of compound (such as varnish) for purposes of finishing, protecting or enclosing. Usually comprises variable degrees of impregnation depending on the nature of the substance.

Coating. A material applied to the surface of a conductor to prevent environmental deterioration, facilitate soldering or improve electrical performance.

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

Cold Flow. Permanent deformation of the insulation due to mechanical force or pressure (not due to heat softening.)

Cold Test. Any test to determine the performance of cables during or after subjection to a specified low temperature for a specified time.

Color Code. A system for circuit identification through use of solid colors and contrasting tracers.

Common Axis Cabling. In multiple cable constructions, a twisting of all conductors about a "common axis" with two conductor groups then selected as pairs. This practice yields smaller diameter constructions that does a separate axis construction, but tends to yield greater susceptance to EMI and ESI.

Common Mode. (Noise), caused by a difference in "ground potential." By grounding at either end rather than both ends (usually grounded at source) on can reduce this interference.

Compact Stranded Conductor. A unidirectional or conventional conductor manufactured to a specified diameter, approximately 8 to 10% below the nominal diameter of a noncompact conductor of the same cross sectional area.

Compatibility. The ability of dissimilar materials to exist in mutual proximity or contact without changing their physical or electrical properties.

Composite Cable. A cable consisting of two or more different types or sizes of wires.

Compound. An insulating or jacketing materials made by mixing two or more ingredients.

Concentric Stranding. A central wire surrounded by one or more layers of helically wound strands in a fixed round geometric arrangement.

Concentricity. In a wire or cable, the measurement of the location of the center of the conductor with respect to the geometric center of the surrounding insulation.

Conductance. The ability of a conductor to carry electric current. It is the reciprocal of resistance and is measured in ohms.

Conductivity. The capability of a material to carry electrical current-usually expressed as a percentage of copper conductivity (copper being 100%).

Conductor. An uninsulated wire suitable for carrying electrical current.

Conduit. A tube or trough in which insulated wires and cables are run.

Connector. A device used to physically and electrically connect two or more conductors.

Contact. The part of a connector which actually carries the electrical current, and are touched together or separated to control the flow.

Continuity Check. A test to determine whether electrical current flows continuously throughout the length of a single wire or individual wires in a cable.

Continuous Vulcanization. Simultaneous extrusion and vulcanization of rubber-like wires in a cable.

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

Copolymer. A polymer formed from two or more types of Monomers.

Copper-Clad. Steel with a coating of copper welded to it, as distinguished from copper-plated. Same as Copperweld.

Copperweld. The trade name of Flexo Wire Division (Copperweld Steel Corp.) for their copper-clad steel conductors.

Cord. A small, flexible insulated cable.

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

Corona. A discharge due to ionization of air around a conductor due to a potential gradient exceeding a certain critical value.

Corona Effect (of A.C.) In wiring, the effect produced when two wires of other conductors having a great difference of voltage are placed near each other.

Corona Loss. A loss or discharge which occurs when two electrodes having a great difference of pressure are placed near together.

Corona Resistance. The time that the insulation will withstand a specified level of field-intensified ionization that does not result in the immediate complete breakdown of the insulation.

Corona Test. A test to determine the ability of cable to withstand the formation of corona under an increasing applied voltage and to extinguish corona when a corona-producing voltage is reduced.

Corrosion. The deterioration of a material by chemical reaction or galvanic action.

CPE. Jacketing compound based on chlorinated polyethylene.

Crazing. The minute cracks on the surface of plastic materials.

CRCS. An acronym for continuous rigid cable support. Synonymous with tray.

Creep. The dimensional change with time of a material under load.

Creepage. Electrical leakage on a solid dielectric surface.

Cross-Linked. Inter-molecular bonds between long chain thermoplastic polymers 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.

C.S.A. Abbreviation for Canadian Standards Association. The Canadian counterpart of the Underwriters Laboratories.

Cure. See Vulcanization.

Curl. The degree to which a wire tends to form a circle after removal from a spool. An indication of the ability of the wire to be wrapped around posts in long runs.

Current. The rate of flow of electricity in a circuit, measured in amperes.

Current-Carrying Capacity. The maximum current an insulated conductor or cable can continuously carry without exceeding its temperature rating. It is also called ampacity.

Current Penetration. The depth a current of a given frequency will penetrate into the surface of a conductor carrying the current.

Cut-Through. Resistance of solid material to penetration by an object under conditions of pressure, temperature, etc.

CV (Continuous Vulcanization). Simultaneous extrusion and vulcanization of wire coating materials.

Cycle. The complete sequence of alteration or reversal of the flow of an alternating electric current.
 

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D

D.C. Abbreviation for "Direct Current."

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

DEL. Diesel Electric Locomotive and car wiring.

Delay Line. A cable made to provide very low velocity of propagation with long electrical delay for transmitted signals.

Derating Factor. A factor used to reduce the current carrying capacity of a wire when used in environments other than that for which the value was established.

Dielectric. Any insulating material between two conductors which permits electrostatic attraction and repulsion to take place across it.

Dielectric Absorption. That property of an imperfect dielectric whereby there is an accumulation of electric charges within the body of the material when it is placed in an electric field.

Dielectric Breakdown. The voltage at which a dielectric material is punctured, which is divisible by thickness to give dielectric strength.

Dielectric Constant (K). The ratio of the capacitance of a condenser with dielectric between the electrodes to the capacitance when air is between the electrodes. Also called Permittivity and Specific Inductive Capacity.

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

Dielectric Test. A test in which a voltage higher than the rated voltage is applied for a specified time to determine the adequacy of the insulation under normal conditions.

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

Direct Capacitance. The capacitance measured directly from conductor to conductor through a single insulating layer.

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

Direct Current Resistance. (D.C.R.). The resistance offered by any circuit to the flow of direct current.

Dissipation Factor. The tangent of the loss angle of the insulating material. (Also referred to as loss tangent, tan S. and approximate power factor.

DLO. Diesel Locomotive and car wiring.

Double Foot. Combined length of one linear foot of paired material; i.e., one double foot is equal to one foot of positive material plus one foot of negative material. Usually used in determining thermocouple wire loop resistance.

Doppler Effect. The apparent change in frequency of an electromagnetic wave caused by a change in distance between the transmitter and the receiver during transmission/reception. The figure illustrates the Doppler increase that would be realized by comparing the signal received from a target approaching the radar site to the transmitted reference signal. An apparent frequency decrease would be noted for targets departing the radar location. Differences can be calibrated to provide target range-rate data

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

Drawing. In wire manufacturing, pulling the metal through a die or series of dies to reduce diameter to a specified size.

Drum-Packed. The method of coiling wire into fiber drums for shipment.

Duct. An underground or overhead tube for carrying electrical conductors.

Duplex Insulated. In the thermocouple industry, a combination of dissimilar metal conductor of a thermocouple or thermocouple extension wire.
 

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E

Eccentricity. Like concentricity, a measure of the center of a conductor’s location with respect to the circular cross- section of the insulation. Expressed as a percentage of displacement of one circle within the other.

ECTFE. Ethylene chloro-trifluoroethylene (Halar).

EIA. Abbreviation for Electronic Industries Association.

Elastomer. A rubber-like substance.

Electromagnetic. Pertaining to the combined electric and magnetic fields associated with movements of electrons through conductors.

Electromagnetic Coupling. The transfer of electromagnetic energy from one circuit or system to another circuit or system. An undesired transfer is termed EMI (electromagnetic interference).

EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility). That condition in which electrical/electronic systems can perform their intended function without experiencing degradation from, or causing degradation to other electrical/electronic systems. More simply stated, EMC is that condition which exists in the absence of EMI.

EME (Electromagnetic Environment). The total electromagnetic energy in the RF spectrum that exists at any given location.

EMI (Electromagnetic Interference).  Any induced, radiated, or conducted electrical emission, disturbance, or transient that causes undesirable responses, degradation in performance, or malfunctions of any electrical or electronic equipment, device, or system. Also synonymously referred to as RFI (Radio Frequency Interference).

EMI Model. Usually a set of equations or logical concepts designed to illustrate the interactions, the detailed parameters considerations, and mathematical procedures necessary for proper analysis of a given EMI situation.

Electromotive Force (e.m.f.). Pressure or voltage. The force which causes current to flow in a circuit.

Electrostatic. Pertaining to static electricity or electricity at rest. A constant intensity electric charge.

Elongation. The fractional increase in length of a material stressed in tension.

Embossing. A marker identification by means of thermal indentation leaving raised lettering on the sheath material of cable.

Emergency Overload. Load which occurs when larger than normal currents are carried through a cable or wire over a certain period of time.

EMI. Abbreviation for Electromagnetic Interference.

Enameled Wire. A conductor with a baked-on enamel film insulation. In addition to magnet wire, enameled insulation is used on thermocouple type wires and other wires.

Ends. In braiding, the number of essentially parallel wires or threads on a carrier.

Energize. To apply rated voltage to a circuit or device in order to activate it.

EPOS. Abbreviation for electronic point-of- sale.

Equilay. More than one layer of helically laid wires with the direction of lay reversed for successive layers, both with the length of lay the same for each layer.

ESTA. Australian approval agency; Electricity Trust of South Australia.

Etched Wire. A process applied to fluoroplastic wire in which the wire is passed through a sodium bath to create a rough surface to allow epoxy resin to bond the fluoroplastic.

ETFE. Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (Teflon).

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

ETPC. Abbreviation for electrolytic tough pitch copper. It has a minimum conductivity of 99.9%.

External Interference. The effects of electrical waves or fields which cause sounds other than the desired signal (static).

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.
 

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F

FAA. Federal Aeronautics Administration.

Farad. A unit of electrical capacity.

Fatigue Resistance. Resistance to metal crystallization which leads to conductors or wires breaking from flexing.

FEP. Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene is a "Teflon" fluorocarbon resin and is a registered T.M. of the DuPont Company. This is a melt extrudable fluorocarbon resin.

FI. Approval agency of Finland; Electrical Inspectorate.

Fiber. A thread or threadlike structure. Also, a single discrete element used to transmit optical (light wave) information.

Fiber Dispersion. (fiber optic). Pulse spreading in a fiber caused by differing transit times of various modes.

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.

Field. Area through which pass electric and/or magnetic lines of force.

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 "eight".

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

Filler. 1)A material used in multiconductor cables to occupy large interstices formed by the assembled conductors. 2) An inert substance added to a compound to improve properties or decrease cost.

Film. A thin plastic sheet.

Flame Resistance. The ability of a material prevent the spread of combustion by a low rate of travel so the flame will not be conveyed.

Flammability. The measure of the materials ability to support combustion.

Flammability Test. A test to determine the ability of a cable to resist ignition when placed near a source of heat of flame and to self-extinguish when removed from this source.

Flat Braid. A woven braid of tinned copper strands rolled flat at time of manufacture to a specified width.

Flat Cable. A cable with two smooth or corrugated but essentially flat surfaces.

Flat Conductor. A wire having a rectangular cross section as opposed to round or square conductors.

Flat Conductor Cable. A cable with a plurality of flat conductors.

Flex Life. The measurement of the ability of a conductor or cable to withstand repeated bending.

Flexible. That quality of a cable or cable component which allows for bending under the influence of outside force, as opposed to limpness which is bending due to the cable’s own weight.

Flexibility. The ease with which a cable may be bent.

Floating. Referring to a circuit which has no connection to ground.

Foamed Plastics. Insulations having a cellular structure.

F.P.A. A trademark of General Cable Corporation for fused polyethylene aluminum.

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.

Frequency. Number of times an alternating current reverses itself in one second. Expressed in Hertz (Hz), which is one cycle per second.

Fuse Wire. Wire made from an alloy that melts at a relatively low temperature.

Fused Spiral Tape. A PTFE Insulated hookup wire. The spiral wrapped conductor is passed through a sintering oven where overlaps are fused together.
 

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G

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

GGC. A portable power cable similar to Type G, but also having a ground check conductor.

Galvanometer. An instrument for detecting or measuring small electrical current.

Gang Strip. Simultaneous stripping all conductors in a flat or ribbon cable.

Gas Filled Cable. A self-contained pressure cable in which the pressure medium is an inert gas having access to the insulation.

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

Giga.  A prefix meaning 10⁹ (times a billion). For example, gigahertz (GHz).

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 their copolymer or ethylene and chlorotriflurorethylene. Abbreviation ECTFE.

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

Harmonic. A sinusoidal component of a periodic wave or quantity having a frequency that is an integral multiple of the fundamental frequency. For example, a component which is twice the fundamental frequency is called the second harmonic. (the fundamental is the first harmonic, which is frequently misunderstood).

Harness. An arrangement of wires and cables, usually with many breakouts, which have been pulled together or pulled into a rubber or plastic sheath, used to interconnect an electric circuit.

Hash Mark Stripe. A noncontinuous helical stripe applied to a conductor for identification.

Heat Distortion. Distortion or flow of a material or configuration due to application of heat.

Heat Endurance. The time of heat aging that a material can withstand before failing a specific physical or electrical test.

Heat Resistance. Ability of a substance to maintain physical and chemical identity and electrical integrity under specified temperature conditions.

Heat Seal. A method for sealing by thermal fusion.

Heat Shock. A test to determine stability of a material by sudden exposure to a high temperature for a short period of time.

Helical Stripe. A continuous, colored spiral stripe applied to a conductor for circuit identification.

Henry. Unit of inductance such that the induced voltage in volts is numerically equal to the rate of change in current in amperes per second.

Hermetically Sealed. A gaslight enclosure that has been completely sealed by fusion or other comparable means.

Hertz (Hz). A term replaced cycles-per- second as a unit of frequency.

Hi Pot. A test designed to determine the highest voltage that can be applied to a conductor without electrically breaking down the insulation.

High Voltage. Generally, a wire or cable with an operating voltage of over 35,000 volts.

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

Hot Tin Dip. A process of passing bare wire through a bath of molten tin to provide a coating.

HPN. Two-conductor, neoprene-insulated heater cord. Parallel construction. For in damp locations.

Hygroscopic. Capable of absorbing and retaining moisture.

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

Hz. Abbreviation for hertz.
 

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I

ICEA. Insulated Cable Engineers Association (formerly IPCEA).

IEC. International Electrotechnical Commission, similar to the ISO in structure and scope.

IEEE. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Impedance. The total opposition that a circuit offers to the flow of alternating current or any other varying current at a particular frequency. It is a combination of resistance R and reactance X, measures in ohms.

IMSA. International Municipal Signal Association Specifications for Fire Alarm Cable.

Incoherent Source. (fiber optic) A light source which emits wide, diffuse beams of light of many wave lengths.

Index Matching Fluid. (fiber optic) Fluid with refractive index same as fiber core; used to fill air gap between fiber ends at connectors.

Induced Current. An electric current set up in a circuit by cutting lines of force; a current caused by electromagnetic induction.

Inductance. The property of a circuit or circuit element that opposes a change in current flow, thus causing current changes to lag behind voltage changes. It is measured in henrys.

Inductive Coupling. Crosstalk resulting from the action of the electromagnetic field of one conductor on the other.

Insulation. A material having high resistance to the flow of electric current. Often called a dielectric in radio frequency cable.

Insulation Level-100%. Cable for use on grounded systems or where the system is provided with relay protection such that ground faults will be cleared as rapidly as possible but in any case within one minute.

Insulation Level-133%. Cable for use on grounded systems or where the faulted section will be de-energized in a time not exceeding one hour.

Insulation Resistance (I.R.). That resistance offered by an insulation to an impressed DC voltage, tending to produce a leakage current through the insulation.

Insulation Thickness. The wall thickness of the applied insulation.

Interaxial Spacing. 1) Center-to-center conductor spacing in paired wire or 2) Center-to-center spacing between conductors in a flat cable.

Interconnecting Cable. The wiring between modules, between units, or the larger portions of a system.

Interference. Any undesired electrical signal induced into a conductor by electrical or electromagnetic means.

Interstices. Voids or valleys between individual strands in a conductor or between insulated conductors in a multiconductor cable.

Ionization. Generally the dissociation of an atom or molecule into positive or negative ions or electrons. Restrictively, that state of an insulator whereby it facilitates the passage of current due to the presence of charged particles usually induced artificially.

Irradiation. In insulations, the exposure of the material to high energy emissions for the purpose of favorably altering the molecular structure by crosslinking.

ISA. Instrument Society of America.

ISO. International Standards Organization.
 

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J

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

JAN Specification. Joint Army-Navy specification (forerunner of present Military Specification).

Jumper Cable. A short flat cable interconnecting two wiring boards or devices.
 

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K

Kilo. A numerical prefix denoting 1000.

KV. Kilovolt (1000 volts).

KVA. Kilovolt ampere.

KW. Kilowatt.

Kynar. Penwalt trade name for polyvinylidene fluoride. Typically used as insulation for wire wrap wire.
 

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L

Lacquer. A liquid resin or compound applied to textile braid to prevent fraying, moisture absorption, etc.

Laminated Tape. A tape consisting of two or more layers of different materials bonded together.

LANCE. Local Area Network for Controller Ethernet.

LANS. Local Area Networks System (integration of computer & communication). System that wires together all computers and peripherals in an office so they can talk to each other.

LASER (Light Amplification By Stimulated Emission Of Radiation) - A process of generating coherent light. The process utilizes a natural molecular (and atomic) phenomenon whereby molecules absorb incident electromagnetic energy at specific frequencies, store this energy for short but usable periods, and then release the stored energy in the form of light at particular frequencies in an extremely narrow frequency-band.

Lay. The axial distance required for one cabled conductor or conductor strand to complete one revolution about the axis around which it is cabled.

Lay Direction. The twist in the cable as indicated by the top strands while looking along the axis of the cable away from the observer. Described as "right hand" or "left hand."

Leaching and Non-Leaching. In a leaching wire the plasticizer will migrate when exposed to heat. A non-leaching wire will retain its plasticizer under extreme temperature conditions and remain flexible after baking.

Lead Cured. A cable that is cured or vulcanized in a metallic lead mold.

Leakage Current. The undesirable flow of current through or over the surface of an insulation.

Life Cycle. A test to determine the length of time before failure in a controlled, usually accelerated, environment.

Lightguide. (fiber optic) A flexible bundle of fibers used to transmit light.

Light-Intensity Ratio. (fiber optic) Ratio of input light intensity to the output light intensity.

Light Source. (fiber optic) An object capable of emitting light. In fiber optics, the light source Is normally a LED or a laser.

Lightwave Communications. (fiber optic) Communications using light to carry the information.

Limits of Error. The maximum deviation (in degrees or percent) of a thermocouple or thermocouple extension wire from standard emf-temperature to be measured.

LOCA. Abbreviation for Loss Of Coolant Accident, a system malfunction associated with nuclear generation stations.

Local Area Network (LAN). A baseband or broadband interactive bi-directional communication systems for information exchange on a common transmission line.

Longitudinal Shield. A tape shield, flat or corrugated, applied longitudinally with the axis of the core being shielded.

Longitudinal Wrap. Tape applied longitudinally with the axis of the core being shielded.

Loop Resistance. The total resistance of two conductors measured round trip from one end.

Loss Factor. The product of the dissipation and dielectric constant of an insulating material.

Low Noise Cable. Cable configuration specially constructed to eliminate spurious electrical disturbances caused by capacitance changes of self-generated noise induced by either physical abuse or adjacent circuitry.

Low Loss Dielectric. An insulating material that has a relatively low dielectric loss, such as polyethylene or Teflon.

Low Tension. Low voltage, as applied to ignition cable.
 

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M

Magnetic Field. The region within which a body or current experiences magnetic forces.

Magnetic Flux. The rate of flow of magnetic energy across or through a surface (real or imaginary).

Magnetic Noise. Caused by change in current level, e.g., AC powerline (creates magnetic field around that cable) this magnetic field causes the magnetic noise.

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 armour.

MCM. One thousand circular mils.

Megarad. A unit for measuring radiation dosage. Equal to one million rads.

Megohm. One million ohms.

Member. A group of insulated wires to be cabled with other stranded groups into multiple-membered cable.

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.

Mho. The unit of conductivity. The reciprocal of an ohm.

Mhz. Megahertz (one million cycles per second). Formerly mc.

Microphonics. Noise is a system caused by mechanical vibration of components within the system.

Microwave. A short (usually less than 30 cm.) electrical wave.

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

Mis-Match. A termination having a different impedance than that for which a circuit or cable is designed.

Modulus of Elasticity. The ration of stress to strain in an elastic material.

Moisture Absorption. The amount of moisture, in percentage, that a material will absorb under specified conditions.

Moisture Resistance. The ability of a material to resist absorbing moisture from the air or when immersed in water.

Monomer. The basic chemical unit used in building a polymer.

MPF. Mine power feeder cable.

MSHA. Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Dept. of Labor. Establishes standards and safety requirements for mines. "MSHA" may be printed on cables that have been accepted for listing as flame-resistant.

MTW. Thermoplastic-insulated machine tool wire. 90C to 105C, 600V.

Multiconductor. More than one conductor within a single cable complex.

Mutual Capacitance. Capacitance between two conductors when all other conductors including ground are connected together and then regarded as an ignored ground.

Mutual Inductance. The ratio of voltage induced in one conductor to the time rate of current change in the separate conductor causing this induction.

MW. Radio hookup wire with polyvinyl insulation and plain or nylon jacket, braid, or shield. 1000V.

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

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N

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

NBFU. National Bureau of Fire Underwriters.

NBS. National Bureau of Standards.

NEC. See National Electrical Code.

NEMA. National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

NEMKO. Approval agency of Norway.

Neoprene. Trade name for polychloroprene synthetic rubber, used for jacketing when suitably compounded.

NFPA. National Fire Protection Association.

Noise. Unwanted and/or unintelligible signals picked up on a cable circuit.

Nominal O.D. The desired diameter for a cable that is established within a +/- tolerance.

Non-Contaminating. Type of PVC jacket material whose plasticizer will not migrate into the dielectric of a coaxial cable and thus avoids contaminating and destroying the dielectric.

Non-Contaminating PVC. A polyvinylchloride formulation, which does not produce electrical contamination through plasticizer migration.

Nylon. A group of polyamide polymers which are used for wire and cable jacketings
 

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O

O.D. Outside diameter.

Off-Center. Conductor displaced within the cross-section of its insulation.

Offgassing. Percentage of a specified gas released during the combustion of insulation or jacketing material.

OFHC. Abbreviation for oxygen-free high conductivity copper. It has no residual deoxidant, 99.95% minimum copper content and an average annealed conductivity of 101%.

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

Oil Aging. Cable aged in an accelerated manner by placement in an oil bath and heated to a pre-set temperature for a stated time.

Oil-Filled Cable. A self-contained pressure cable in which the pressure medium is low viscosity oil having access to the insulation.

Opaque. (fiber optic) Not permitting the passage of light.

Optical Communication Cable. (fiber optic) Fiber with a protective jacket around it.

Optical Conductors. (fiber optic) Materials which offer a low optical attenuation to transmission of light energy.

Optical Waveguide. (fiber optic) A fiber used for optical communications. Analogous to a waveguide used for microwave communications.

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

Outgassing. The dissipation of gas from a dielectric evidencing decomposition.

OVE. Approval agency of West Germany; Oesterreichischer Verband fur Elektrotechnik.

Overall Diameter. Finished diameter over wire and cable.

Overcoat. Individual strands of tin copper stranded together and then covered with a tin coating.

Overlap. The amount the trailing edge laps over the leading edge of a tape wrap.

Oxygen Index. Percentage of oxygen necessary to support combustion of a specified material.

Ozone. A highly active form of oxygen produced by the passage of electric discharges or sparks through air or oxygen.
 

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P

Packing Fraction. (fiber optic) The ratio of active cross-sectional area of fiber core, or cores, to the total end surface of the fiber or fiber bundle.

Pair. Two insulated wires of a single circuit associated together.

Pairing. The union of two insulated single conductors through twisting.

PAP. A commonly used term for air core (unfilled)direct burial telephone cable with a corrugated aluminum shield.

Parallel Cable. Two insulated conductors side-by-side in a cable.

PASP. An air core (unfilled) direct burial telephone cable used in area subject to rodent attack. It consists of an unfilled cable core, corrugated aluminum shield, corrugated steel tape, flooding compound and polyethylene jacket.

Peak Voltage. The maximum instantaneous voltage.

Percent Conductivity. Conductivity of a material expressed as a percentage of that of copper.

Periodicity. The uniformly spaced variations in the insulation diameter of a transmission cable that result in reflections of a signal, when its wavelength or a multiple thereof is equal to the distance between two diameter variations.

Permittivity. See dielectric constant.

Pick. Distance between two adjacent crossover points of braid filaments. The measurement in picks per inch indicates the degree of coverage.

Pitch. In flat cable, the nominal distance between the index edges of two adjacent conductors.

Pitch Diameter. Diameter of a circle passing through the center of the conductors in any layer of a multiconductor cable.

Planetary Cabler. A cabler capable of laying down any number of shielded, overbraided, or jacketed singles, pairs, called groups, or any combination of them in sequence.

Planetary Twister. A twisting machine whose payoff spools are mounted in rotating cradles that hold the axis of the spool in a fixed direction as the spools are revolved so the wire will not kink as it is twisted.

Plastic Deformation. Change in dimensions under load that is not recovered when the load is removed.

Plasticizer. A chemical agent added to plastics to make them softer and more pliable.

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.

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.

Polishing. (fiber optic) Act of smoothing ends of fibers to an optically smooth finish, generally using abrasives.

Polyester. Polyethylene terephthalate which is used extensively in the production of a high strength moisture resistant film used as a cable core wrap.

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

Polymer. A substance made of many repeating chemical units or molecules. The term polymer is often used in place of plastic, rubber, or elastomer.

Polyolefin. A family of thermoplastics based upon the unsaturated hydrocarbons known as olefins. When combined with butylene or styrene polymers they form compounds such as polyethylene and polypropylene.

Polypropylene. A thermoplastic polymer of propylene.

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

Porosity. Multiple air voids in an insulation jacket wall.

P.O.S. Abbreviation for point-of-sale.

Potting. The sealing of a cable termination or other component with a liquid which thermosets into an elastomer.

Power Factor. The ratio of resistance to impedance. The ratio of the actual power of an alternating current to apparent power. Mathematically, the cosine of an angle between the voltage applied and the current resulting.

PPE. Portable Power Elastomer. Same as Type W except is a thermoplastic elastomer insulation and jacket whereas Type W is all thermoset.

Pre-Bond. Stranded wire which has been fused, topcoat tinned, or overcoat tinned.

Primary Insulation. The first layer of nonconductive material applied over a conductor, whose prime function is to act as electrical insulation.

Progpagation Delay. Time required for a signal to pass from the input to the output of a device.

Propagation Time. Time required for an electrical wave to travel between two points on a transmission line.

PTFE. Abbreviation for Polytetrafluoroethylene.

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

Pulse. A current or voltage which changes abruptly from one value to another and back to the original value in a finite length of time. Used to describe one particular variation in a series of wave motions.

Pulse Cable. A type of coaxial cable constructed to transmit repeated high voltage pulses without degradation.

PVD. Polyvinylidene fluoride (Kynar).

Pyrometer. See Thermocouple Thermometer.
 

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Q

Quad. A four conductor cable.

Quadders. Three-bay machines which can twist four wires together and cable braided and shielded wires with varying lay lengths.

QPL. Qualified parts list.
 

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R

Rad. The unit of radiation dose which is absorbed, equal to 100 ergs/gram.

Rated Temperature. The maximum temperature at which an electric component can operate for extended periods without loss of its basic properties.

Rated Voltage. The maximum voltage at which an electric component can operate for extended periods without undue degradation or safety hazard.

REA. Rural Electrification Administration.

Reactance. The opposition offered to the flow of alternating current by inductance or capacitance of a component or circuit.

Recovered Edge. Edge of a flat cable or conductor from which measurements are made.

Reference Junction. The junction of a thermocouple which is at a known reference temperature. Also known as the "cold" junction, it is usually located at the emf measuring device.

Reflection Loss. The part of signal which is lost due to reflection of power at a line discontinuity.

Reflow Soldering. The process of connecting two solder-coated conductive surfaces by remelting of the solder to cause fusion.

Registration. Alignment of one object with relation to another. Also called Register.

Reinforcement. A material used to reinforce, strengthen or give dimensional stability to another material.

Resin. An organic substance of natural or synthetic origin characterized by being polymeric in structure and predominantly amorphous. Most resins, though not all, are of high molecular weight and consist of long chain or network molecular structure.

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.

Retractile Cable. A cable that returns by its own stored energy from an extended condition to its original contracted form.

RF (Radio Frequency) - A term indicating high frequency electromagnetic energy.

RFI. Abbreviation for Radio Frequency Interference.

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

RHH. Rubber-Insulated, heat resistant building wire. 90C.

RHW. Rubber-insulated building wire, heat and moisture-resistant. 75C dry or wet.

Ribbon Cable. A flat cable of individually insulated conductors lying parallel and held together by means of adhesive or woven textile yarn.

Ridge Marker. One or more ridges running laterally along the outer surface of a plastic insulated wire for purposes of identification.

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

Rise Time. The time required for the initially zero potential existing on a transmission line (which is terminated in its characteristics impedance) to change from 10% to 90% of its full DC value after a DC potential source is instantaneously applied.

RMS or rms. Abbreviation for Root Mean Square.

Rockwell Hardness. A test for determining hardness in which a hardened steel ball or diamond point is pressed into the material under test.

Roentgen. The amount of radiation that will produce on electrostatic unit of ion per cubic centimeter volume.

Rope Lay Conductor. A conductor composed of a central core surrounded by one or more layers of helically laid groups of wire.

Rope Strand. A conductor composed of a center group of twisted strands surrounded by layers of twisted strands.

Round Conductor. A conductor whose cross section is substantially circular.

Rulan. DuPont’s trade name for their flame- retardant polyethylene insulating material.

Rupture. In the breaking strength or tensile strength tests, the point at which the material physically comes apart, as opposed to elongation, yield strength, etc.
 

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S

S. Heavy duty, rubber-insulated portable cord. Stranded copper conductors with separator and individual rubber insulation. Two or more color coded conductors cabled with filler, wrapped with separator and rubber jacketed overall. 600V.

SA-NEC. Conductor type designation for conductors with silicone insulation and glass braid (formerly Asbestos), for use in dry locations.

SAE. Abbreviation for Society of Automotive Engineers.

SBR. Rubber co-polymer of styrene and butadiene.

SDN. Small diameter multi-conductor control cable with neoprene jacket and nylon sheath over polyethylene insulation.

Secondary Insulation. A high resistance dielectric material which is placed over primary insulation to protect it from abrasion.

Selenium Cure. Process used to cure neoprene and rubber jacketed wires and cables.

Self Extinguishing. The characteristic of a material whose flame is extinguished after the igniting flame is removed.

Self-Supporting Aerial Cable. A cable consisting of one or more insulated conductors factory-assembled with a messenger which supports the assemblage and which may or may not form a part of the electrical circuit.

Self-Supporting Cable. Any assemblage of conductors which incorporates a steel rope of steel sheath for added tensile strength, thus enabling it to be suspended between widely spaced supports.

Semi-Conducting Tape. A tape of such resistance that when applied between two elements of a cable, the adjacent surfaces of the two elements will maintain substantially the same potential.

Semiconductor. A material that has a resistance characteristic between that of insulators and conductors.

Semi-Rigid PVC. A hard semi-flexible polyvinylchloride compound with low plasticizer content.

SEMKO. Approval agency for Sweden.

SEOW/STOW. Service cord with Elastomer jacket, oil resistant jacket and weather resistant. SEOW meets CSA approval for outdoor use as STOW. Features a Thermo- plastic Elastomer (TPE) jacket and insulation and is water resistant. 600V

SEOOW/STOW. Service cord with Elastomer jacket, oil resistant jacket, oil resistant insulation and weather resistant. Same as SEOW but has oil resistant singles too. SEOOW meets CSA approval for outdoor use as STOW. 600V

Separator. A layer of insulating material such as textile, paper, polyester, etc. Used to improve stripping qualities, flexibility, mechanical or electrical protection to the components.

Serve. A filament or group of filaments such as fibers or wires, wound around a central core.

Served Wire Armor. Spiral wrap of soft galvanized steel wires wrapped around a cable to afford mechanical protection and increase the cable pulling tension characteristics.

SEW, SEWF. Silicone Rubber insulated equipment wire (CSA).

SF. Silicone rubber insulated fixture wire, solid or 7 strand conductor. 200C.

SFF. Same as SF, except flexible stranding. 150C.

Sheath. The outer covering or jacket of a multiconductor cable.

SHD-GC. Portable mine power cable, three or four individually shielded conductors, with grounding conductors. 5000V-8000V-15000V.

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

Shield Coverage. The physical area of a cable that is actually covered by the shielding material and is expressed in percent.

Shield Effectiveness. The relative ability of a shield to screen out undesirable signals.

Shield Percentage. The physical area of a circuit or cable actually covered by shielding material, expressed in percent.

Shock Test. A test to determine the ability of a cable to withstand a violent physical concussion such as might occur during handling or use.

Shore Hardness. An instrument measure of the surface hardness of an insulating or jacket material.

Signal. A current used to convey information, either digital, analog, audio or video.

Signal Cable. A cable designed to carry current of usually less than one ampere per conductor.

Sintering. Fusion of a spirally applied tape wrap jacket by the use of high heat to a homogeneous continuum. Usually employed for fluorocarbon, nonextrudable materials.

SIS. Indicates single conductor having synthetic thermosetting insulation of heat- resistant, moisture-resistant, flame-retarding grade. Also made with chemically cross linked polyethylene insulation. Used for switchboard wiring only, 90C.

SJ. Junior hard service, rubber-insulated pendant or portable cord. Same construction as type S, but 300V. Jacket thickness different.

SJO. Same as SJ, but neoprene, oil-resistant compound outer jacket. 300V, 60C.

SJOOW. Same as type SJO, except oil resistant insulation and oil and weather resistant jacket.

SJT. Junior hard service thermoplastic or rubber-insulated conductors with overall thermoplastic jacket. 300V, 60C to 105C.

SJTO. Same as SJT but oil-resistant thermoplastic outer jacket. 60C.

Skin Effect. The tendency of alternating current, as its frequency increases, to travel only on the surface of a conductor.

SNM. A cable designed for use in hazardous locations consisting of insulated conductors in an extruded nonmetallic jacket which is then covered with an overlapping spiral metal tape and wire shield and jacketed with an extruded moisture, flame, oil, corrosion, fungus and sunlight-resistant nonmetallic material.

SO. Hard service cord, same construction as type S except oil-resistant neoprene jacket. 600V, 60C to 90C.

Solid Conductor. A single unit not divided into parts.

SOOW. Service cord with oil resistant jacket, oil resistant insulation and weather resistant. Also is water resistant. 600V

SOW. Water resistant neoprene jacketed portable cord (UL/CSA).

SP-1. All rubber, parallel jacketed, two- conductor light duty cord for pendant or portable use in damp locations. 300V.

SP-2. Same as SP-1, but heavier construction, with or without third conductor for grounding purposes. 300V.

SP-3. Same as SP-2, but heavier construction for refrigerators or room air conditioners. 300V.

SP-OS. Multiple Shielded Pairs or Triads with overall shield, instrumentation or thermocouple extension cable.

SPT-1. Same as SP-1, except all- thermoplastic. 300V. With or without 3rd conductor for grounding.

SPT-1.5. Service cord with parallel conductors and Thermoplastic insulation. AWM Style 20288, extra flexible parallel cord for use as internal wiring of appliances or can be woven through links of chains (suspended fixtures). 300V

SPT-2. Same as SP-2, except all- thermoplastic. 300V. With or without 3rd conductor for grounding.

SPT-3. Same as SP-3, except all- thermoplastic. 300V. With or without 3rd conductor for grounding.

Spacing. Distance between the closest edges to two adjacent conductors.

Span. In flat cables, the distance from the reference edge of the first conductor to the reference edge of the last conductor (in cables having flat conductors), or the distance between the centers of the first and last conductors (in cables having round conductors), expressed in inches or centimeters.

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.

Specific Gravity. The ratio of the density (mass per unit volume) of a material to that of water.

Specific Inductive Capacity (S.I.C.). Same as dielectric constant.

Spectral Response. (fiber optic) The response of a detector (or a system) over different wavelengths.

Spiral Wrap. The helical wrap of a material over a core.

ST. Hard service cord, jacketed, same as type S except all-plastic construction, 600V, 60C to 105C.

STO. Same as ST but with oil-resistant thermoplastic outer jacket. 600V, 60C.

STOO. Same as STO but with oil-resistant insulation.

STOW/STOW. Service cord with oil resistant Thermoplastic jacket and weather resistant. STOW meets CSA approval for outdoor use. Can be water resistant - UL 600V

STW/STW. Service cord with Thermo-plastic, and weather resistant jacket, but not oil resistant. Can be UL water resistant. STW meets CSA approval for outdoor use. 600V

Stability Factor. The difference between the percentage power factor at 80 volts/mil and at 40 volts/mil measured on wire immersed in water at 75C for a specified time.

Stranding Wave. The stationary pattern of waves produced by two waves of the same frequency traveling in opposite directions on the same transmission line. The existence of voltage and current maxima and minima along a transmission line is a result of reflected energy from an impedance mismatch.

Standing Wave Ratio (SWR). A ratio of the maximum amplitude to the minimum amplitude of a standing wave stated in current or voltage amplitudes.

Static Condition. Used to denote the environmental conditions of an installed cable rather than the conditions existing during cable installation.

Step Index Fiber. (fiber optic) A multimode fiber consisting of a core of uniform refractive index, surrounded by cladding of slightly lower refractive index.

Strand. A single uninsulated wire.

Stranded Conductor. A conductor composed of individual groups of wires twisted together to form an entire unit.

Strip Force. The force required to remove a small section of insulating material from the conductor it covers.

Suggested Working Voltage. AC voltage that can be applied between adjacent conductors.

Surface Resistivity. The resistance of a material between two opposite sides of a unit square of its surface. It is usually expressed in ohms.

Surge. A temporary and relatively large increase in the voltage or current in an electric circuit or cable. Also called transient.

Surlyn. DuPont’s trade name for their thermoplastic resin with ionic crosslinks.

SV. Vacuum cleaner cord, two or three conductor, rubber-insulated. Overall rubber jacket. For light duty in damp locations. 300V, 60C.

SVO. Same as SV except neoprene jacket. 300V, 60C.

SVT. Same as SV except all-plastic construction. With or without third conductor for grounding purposes only. 300V, 60C to 90C.

SVTO. Same as SVT except with oil- resistant thermoplastic jacket. 60C.

Sweep Test. A method to determine the frequency response of a cable by generating an RG voltage whose frequency is varied at a rapid constant rate over a given range.

Switchboard Cable. A cable used within and between the central office main frames and the switchboard.
 

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T

Take-Up. The process of accumulating wire or cable onto a reel, bobbin, or some other type of pack. Also, the device for pulling wire or cable through a piece of equipment or machine.

Tank Test. A voltage dielectric test in which the test sample is submerged in water and voltage is applied between the conductor and water as ground.

Tape Wrap. A spirally applied tape over an insulated or uninsulated wire.

TC. Tray cable. Article 340 NEC.

Tear Strength. The force require to initiate or continue a tear in a material under specified conditions.

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

Tefzel. DuPont trade name for a fluorocarbon material typically used as a wire wrap insulation.

Telemetry 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.

Tension Member. A member included in a fiber cable to add tensile strength.

Terminals. Metal wire termination devices designed to handle one or more conductors, and to be attached to a board, bus, or block with mechanical fasteners or clipped on.

Test Lead. A flexible, insulated lead wire used for making tests, connecting instruments to a circuit temporarily, or for making temporary electrical connections.

TEW. Canadian Standards Association type appliance wires. Solid or stranded single conductor, plastic-insulated. 600V, 105C.

Textile Braid. Any braid made from threads of cotton, silk, or synthetic fibers.

TFFN. Fixture wire, thermoplastic-covered solid or 7 strands with nylon sheath. 60C.

Thermal Aging. Exposure to a thermal condition or programmed series of conditions for predescribed periods of time.

Thermal Rating. The maximum and/or minimum temperature at which a material will perform its function without undue degradation.

Thermal Shock. A test to determine the ability of a material to withstand heat and cold by subjecting it to rapid and wide changes in temperature.

Thermocouple. A device consisting of two dissimilar metals in physical contact, which when heated will develop an emf output.

Thermocouple Element. A thermocouple designed to be used as part of an assembly, but without associated parts such as the terminal block, connecting head, or protecting tube.

Thermocouple Extension Cable. A cable comprised of one or more twisted thermocouple extension wires under a common sheath.

Thermocouple Extension Wire. A pair of wires of dissimilar alloys having such emf- temperature characteristics complimenting the thermocouple which is intended to be used, such that when properly connected allows the emf to be faithfully transmitted to the reference junction.

Thermocouple Wire (Grade). A pair of wires of dissimilar alloys having emf-temperature characteristics calibrated to high temperature levels than the extension type of thermocouple wire.

Thermoplastic. A material which softens 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 by heating.

THHN. 90C, 600 volt, nylon jacketed building wire for dry locations.

THW. Thermoplastic vinyl insulated building wire. Flame-retardant, moisture and heat- resistant. 75C Dry and wet locations.

THWN. Same as THW but with nylon jacket overall. 75C.

Tin Overcoat (TOC). Tinned copper wire, stranded, then coated with pure tin.

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

Tinsel. A type of electrical conductor comprised of a number of tiny threads, each thread having a fine, flat ribbon of copper or other metal closely spiraled about it. Used for small size cables requiring limpness and extra long flex life.

Topcoat. Bare (untinned) copper wire, stranded, then coated with pure tin.

Tracer. A means of identifying polarity.

Transfer Impedance. For a specified cable length, transfer impedance is defined as the ratio of internal longitude in a voltage to external current flow on the cable shield. Transfer impedance is used to determine shield effectiveness against both the ingress and egress of interfering signals.

Transmission. Transfer of electric energy from one location to another through conductors or by radiation or induction fields.

Transmission Line. A signal-carrying circuit with controlled electrical characteristics used to transmit high-frequency or narrow-pulse signals.

Transmission Loss. The decrease or loss in power during transmission of energy from one point to another. Usually expressed in decibels.

Transparent. (fiber optic) Transmitting rays of light so that objects can be seen through the material.

Tray. A cable tray is a unit or assembly of units or sections, and associated fittings, made of noncombustible materials forming a rigid structural system used to support cables.

Tray Cable. A factory-assembled multiconductor or multipair control, signal or power cable specifically approved under the National Electrical Code for installation in trays.

Triaxial Cable. A cable construction having three coincident axes, such as conductor, first shield and second shield all insulated from one another.

Triboelectric Noise. Noise generated in a shielded cable due to variation in capacitance between shielding and conductor as the cable is flexed.

Triple (Triad). A cable consisting of three insulated single conductors twisted together.

Triplex. A cable composed of three insulated single conductor cables twisted together.

Tubing. A tube of extruded nonsupported plastic or metallic material.

Twin Cable. A cable composed of two separately insulated stranded conductors laid parallel under a common covering.

Twin Coaxial Cable. A single cable consisting of two separate coaxial cables laid adjacent and parallel or twisted together.

Twin Line. A transmission line which has a solid insulating material, in which the two conductors are placed in parallel to each other.

Twinner. A device for twisting together two conductors.

Twisted Pair. A twisted pair is composed of two small separately insulated wires twisted together without a common covering.

Twisted Triad. Any three individually insulated conductors which are twisted together.
 

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U

UF. Thermoplastic underground feeder and branch circuit cable.

UHF. Abbreviation for ultra high frequency, 300 to 3,000 Mhz.

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

Unbalanced Circuit. A transmission line in which voltages on the two conductors are unequal with respect to ground; e.g., a coaxial cable.

Unidirectional Concentric Stranding. A stranding where each successive layer has a different lay length, thereby retaining a circular from without migration of strands from one layer to another.

Unidirectional Stranding. A term denoting that in a stranded conductor all layers have the same direction of lay.

Unilay. More than one layer of helically laid wires with the direction of lay and length of lay the same for all layers.

USE. Underground Service Entrance cable, rubber-insulated, neoprene or XLP jacketed.

UTE. Approval agency for France; Union Technique de l’Electricite.
 

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V

Valley. Any void between the insulated conductors of a cable or between a cable core and its covering. See also interstice.

VDE. West Germany approval agency.

Velocity of Propagation. The speed of an electrical signal down a length of cable compared to speed in free space expressed as a percent. It is the reciprocal of the square root of the dielectric constant of the cable insulation.

VHF. Abbreviation for Very High Frequency, 30 to 300 Mhz.

Video Pair Cable. A transmission cable containing low-loss pairs with an impedance of 125 ohms. Used for TV pick ups, closed circuit TV, telephone carrier circuits, etc.

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.

Voltage. Electrical potential or electromotive force expressed in volts.

Voltage Levels. Power-Limited 0-300 volts, Low Voltage 600-2000 volts, Medium Voltage 5000-69000 volts.

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

Voltage Stranding Wave Ratio (VSWR). The ratio of the maximum effective voltage to the minimum effective voltage measured along the length of mis-matched radio frequency transmission line.

Volume Resistivity (Specific Insulation Resistance). The electrical resistance between opposite faces of a 1 cm. cube of insulating material, commonly expressed in ohms/centimeter.

Vulcanization. An irreversible process during which a rubber or polymeric compound through a change in its chemical structure (for example, crosslinking) become thermoset.

VW-1. A flammability rating established by Underwriters Laboratories for wires and cables pass a specially designated vertical flame test, formerly designated FR-1. Multiconductor flat or round portable power cables without grounding conductor.
 

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W

Wall Thickness. The thickness of the applied insulation or jacket.

Water Absorption. Water by percent weight absorbed by a material after a given immersion period.

Waterblocked Cable. A cable constructed with no internal voids in order to allow no longitudinal water passage under a given pressure.

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.

Wavelength. The distance, measured in the direction of propagation, of a repetitive electrical pulse or waveform between two successive points.

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

Wire. A single conductor, typically with a covering of insulation.

Wire Gauge. A measure of the diameter or size of wires. The sizes are expressed by numbers.

Working Voltage. See Voltage Rating.
 

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X

XHHW. High temperature (90C) chemically cross-linked polyethylene jacketed small diameter building wire.

XLP. Cross-linked polyethylene
 

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Y

Yield Strength. The minimum stress at which a material will start to physically deform without further increase in load.
 

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Z

Z. NEC conductor type designation for conductors with ETFE insulation for use in dry locations.

ZW. NEC conductor type designation for conductors with ETFE insulation for use in wet or dry locations.

Zytel. DuPont’s trade name for nylon resins.
 

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