Before buying cables, determine the bearing load, the place of installation, the length of the wire, and most importantly – the type and type.

To choose the right wires, you need to understand the modern ocean of electrical conductive products. After all, the area of ​​use directly depends on the type of cables and their technical characteristics. Before you buy an electric cable, indicate for yourself its scope of application.

We believe that there are no specific boundaries for the diameter “when the wire becomes a cable” – we will assume that this is a synonym for cable. The wires are several strands twisted together, both without insulation and isolated from each other (uninsulated – used for winding or laying power grids).

To buy a wire that is suitable in all respects, the first thing you should pay attention to is the alphanumeric marking. The first letter A, or its absence, indicates the type of core (A is aluminum, the absence of a letter is copper).

• Copper – Used in conductors for high currents. Hardy and resilient. Cannot be used open – quickly oxidized.
• Aluminum – for more fragile conductors (in comparison with copper ones), for stationary wiring. The price of a cable with aluminum conductors will be significantly lower than that of copper analogs, mainly due to cheaper raw materials.

The second letter designation indicates the protective shell: installation, installation, control, etc. The third and fourth letters indicate the insulation material of the conductors and the characteristics of the entire structure, respectively.

The color of conductor insulation is not for beauty

The color-coding of the conductors of a wire or cable is the basis for correct installation. According to generally accepted standards, the colors of the insulation are determined:

• yellow (yellow-green) – ground;
• yellow (yellow-green) with blue dots – grounding conductor, offset from neutral;
• blue – neutral wire (zero);
• black (brown) – phase.