What are Electrical Cables and its Types?

Electrical Cable is a common element in electrical work. In this post, we will learn What are Electrical Cables and its Types?

What is Electrical Cable?

The conductor which is normally insulated by the insulating material is known as cable. Generally, the cable is used for transmission and distribution of electric power by under the ground system. Underground cables are used to transmission and distribution of electric power, where it becomes impracticable to make use of overhead construction.

Such location is maybe congested urban area, location ordnance, plant and a substation, wide water bodies that do not permit the overhead crossing. The type of cables normally used to depend upon the service voltages and rated current. Now a day’s cable development of the cable suitable for use for the highest-rated voltage.

Electrical Cable Types:

Now a day’s power cable is constructed in many different ways. All cables are normally classified as

1. Non-Shielded Cable
2. Shielded Cable

Now come to the non-Shielded Cable. Non-Shielded Cable generally consists of

1. Conductor
2. Conductor stranded shielding
3. Insulation

Related: What is IP or Ingress Protection

But the use of Non-Shielded Cable is limited to the low voltage rating like up to 7.2 KV. The shield power cable is generally manufactured by

1. Conductor
2. Conductor stranded shielding insulation
3. Insulating Shielding (Shielded Tape)
4. Cable Bending Tapes
5. Filler Tapes (Insulating Tapes)
6. The sheath or you can call Jacket

Now if the sheath is metallic, it may serve as metallic shielding and it will be covered by a non-metallic jacket t protect the sheath.

Copper and aluminum are common use conductor materials. The conductor of a large power cable has a stranded conductor to make the cable flexible as possible. The copper conductor has high conductivity and very low resistance.

Aluminum is a little bit cheaper in cost and lighter but its poor conductivity and tensile strength as compared to copper. So we shall use copper as our daily cable conductor. But for high transmission overhead national grid line cable conductor, Aluminum will be the best solution.