MR BETT K VINCENT

ELECTRICAL CABLE

DEFINITION OF CABLE
 A cable is defined as a length of insulated conductor solid or stranded or of
two or more much conductors provided with its own insulation which are laid
up together

MAIN PARTS OF A CABLE

1. The conductor

 A conductor is defined as a material that will allow free passage of an electric current
along it.

2. The insulation (dielectric)

 Insulator are materials that resist electrical leakage and prevent the wire's current
from coming into contact with other conductors, and preserves the material integrity
of the wire by protecting against environmental threats such as water and heat.

3. External overall protection against mechanical damage, chemical attack,

fire and other external damaging factors to the cable and they are:
 Braiding
 Sheathing
 Armoring

CONDUCTOR CONSTRUCTION
 Conductors may be divided into two groups:
a) solid conductors
b) Stranded conductors.

1
MR BETT K VINCENT

Solid conductors
 Solid conductors are either circular or rectangular in cross-section and are used for
fixed wiring.
 Circular conductors are restricted mainly to cable cores up to 2.5mm2, although cross-
sectional areas of up to 25mm2 are sometimes used in trunking, from the ground floor to
the top floor of a block of flats, to provide a supply point for each floor. These
conductors are called risers.

 Rectangular conductors (usually called bus-bars) are used in distribution boards or

specially constructed bus-bar chambers designed to allow many different circuits to be
‘tapped’ off

Stranding of Conductors

 Stranded conductors are used in both fixed wiring cable and flexible cords, the latter
being flexible cables not exceeding 4mm2 in cross-sectional area (c.s.a.)
 Conductors for fixed wiring up to 25mm2 have seven strands; for example, a 6mm2
conductor has seven strands each of 1.04 mm diameter (7/1.04).
 Conductors of c.s.a. above 25mm2 have more strands depending on size. Flexible cords
have conductors comprising a great many fine strands. This type of construction gives
the conductor its flexible quality.

Conductor’s identification methods

1. Printed numbers on the conductor insulation (e.g. on paper)

2. Coloured adhesive tapes at the terminations of the conductors
3. Coloured sleeves at the terminations of the conductors
4. Coloured paint for bare conductors (busbars )

2
MR BETT K VINCENT

MATERIALS USED FOR CONDUCTORS

 Copper, Aluminum, Zinc, Iron, Silver, Steel, Carbon, Lead and Tin
Properties of conductors
1) Low electrical resistance
2) Mechanically strong
3) Relatively cheap
4) Flexible
 Electrical conductors are usually made of copper or Aluminum.

Copper
Advantages

1) Good conductors of electricity

2) It is easily cheap as compared sliver
3) Can withstand rough conditions
4) High resistance to corrosion
5) Can be joined without taking special precautions or provisions to prevent
electrolysis
6) It is tough, slow to tarnish and easily worked
Disadvantages of copper

1) Is it very expensive as compared to aluminum

2) It requires special precautions if it has been insulated with vulcanized rubber
3) It requires special precautions if it has to be jointed with aluminum
4) It is heavy as compared to aluminum
Aluminum

1) Has a stable price

2) Easily liable
3) Has excellent resistance to corrosion
4) Light in weight
5) It is cheap in cost
6) Does not require tinning

3
MR BETT K VINCENT

Disadvantages of aluminum

1) The film of oxide which is always present in aluminum surface

necessitates special precaution when terminating (when being joined with
copper)
2) Requires special precautions when soldering
Bare Conductors
 Copper and aluminum conductors are also formed into a variety of sections for example
rectangular and circular sections
 Bars conductors and lightly insulated conductors are installed in buildings for the
following purposes.
1) Earthing connection
2) As the external conductors of earthed concentric wining system
3) Protected rising – main and bus – bar systems
4) The conductors of Extra- low voltage systems
5) As collector wires for travelling cranes, trolleys
6) Overhead transmission lines
7) Distribution lines

Precautions to be taken with bare conductors

1. Precautions must always be taken against the possibility of risk and earth shock risks
2. In rising mains and bus – bar systems the conductors which carry mains voltage of
415/240 must be inaccessible to unauthorized person.
3. String insulators are needed to support the conductors
4. The conductors must be able to expand and contact in changes in the ambient
temperatures and the temperatures changes caused by varying load current conditions
5. Bare conductors passing through walls, floors, partitions or ceiling must be protected
by enclosing material.
6. Collector wires for traveling cranes and trolleys must be protect by screens or barriers
unless they are so situated that there is no possibility of direct contact
7. Warning notices indicating the presences of the wires must be fixed along the length of
run at intervals not exceeding 12 feet.

4
MR BETT K VINCENT

Bunching of conductors

7) Bunching of conductors is the laying together of a number of wires or

conductors in the same direction of lay
8) This is different form stranding because while the wires in stranded conductors
are twisted and spiraled together “bunched” conductors have wires laid
together in the same direction
9) The purpose of bunching conductors is to create maximum flexibility. This is
mostly applicable in small diameter flexible cables. Bunching also makes the
final cable strong
Bunching also increase the CSA of the cable which helps to reduce the resistance of the final
cable and therefore enables it to allow more current to flow through.

SIZES OF CONDUCTORS
The size of stranded conductors is given by the number of strands and the diameter of
individual strands.
Example

7/0.85 mm cable consists of seven strands of wire each strand having a diameter of 0.85nn
Also the conductor size is found by expressing it in terms of cross-sectional area (CSA of the
strands The CSA of the strands is found by finding the area of one conductor which is then
multiplied by the number of strands to get the final CSA
Example

Calculate the cross – sectional area of conductors with the following specifications

i. 7/0.8mm= area = 𝜋𝑟 2 = 3.14 × 0.425 × 0.425 = 0.56716250 × 7 strands

CSA = 3.970mm2 = 40mm2
ii. 1/1.3mm= area = 𝜋𝑟 2 = 3.14 × 0.563 × 0.563 = 0.726679332 × 1
CSA = 0.727mm2 = 1.0mm2

iii. 7/1.70mm= area = 𝜋𝑟 2 = 3.14 × 0.85 × 0.85 = 0.168630 × 7 strands = 16mm2

5
MR BETT K VINCENT

INSULATORS
 An insulator is a material the offers a very high resistances to the flow of current
1. Electrical properties – must have high resistances to current flow
2. Mechanical properties – must be capable of withstanding mechanical stress e.g.
compression
3. Physical properties - perfect insulators should have the following properties:
i. Non – absorbent
ii. Capable of withstanding high temperatures
4. Chemical properties – insulators must be capable of withstanding corrosive effects
of chemicals

Functions of insulation

1. To confine electricity to the s conductor

2. Provide protection against electrical shock
3. Provide ascertain degree of mechanical protection to the conductor

MATERIALS USED FOR CABLE INSULATION

1. Rubber – this is used in the form of vulcanizing rubber which is pure rubber with up to
5% sulphur.
i. It is impervious to water and flexible
ii. It will retain its insulating properties when there is neither strong
nor high heat
iii. The maximum temperature in which vulcanized (VR) should be
installed is 550c
iv. VR is only used with copper conductors which are tinned because the
sulphur in the rubber attacks pure copper.
2. Butly rubber – this material is used for insulating cables designed to work in
temperatures’ up to 800c
i. the material has a slightly less mechanical strength than has natural
rubber

6
MR BETT K VINCENT

ii. butyl rubber is less affected by water

iii. it retains its physical and electrical qualities after a long periods of
heating
iv. it has excellent resistance to oils and chemicals

3. Silicon rubber - can be used in temperatures up to 1400c with a heat resisting lacquer
through this is rather expensive.

4. Polyvinyl – chloride (PVC) – PVC insulation softens when installed in working

temperatures higher than 650c.
i. At low temperatures it tends to crack
ii. At very high temperatures PVC softens
iii. It is not affected by chemicals action
iv. It can withstand many oils and many types of acids s and alkalis
v. It is insulation resistance is much lower than that of rubber

5. Paper – paper insulation has to be impregnated with mineral oils. This is done so
because the paper is highly hygroscopic in that it absorbs moisture in dry state.
i. When impregnated paper is used for cable insulation,, care must be
taken to ensure that the impregnation is not dried out when operating
in high temperatures of up to 750c

6. Mineral insulation - this is composed of magnesium oxide powered and is used in

the type of cable known as MIMS( mineral insulated metal sheathed)
i. Has a very s degree of resistance to fire
ii. The voltage ratings of cables using this insulators should not exceed
660v
iii. The insulation is not affected by high temperatures

7. Polychrophene (PCP) – this is used for insulation of cables intended for operation in
conditions which will harm both VR and PVC.

7
MR BETT K VINCENT

i. The material is resistant to oil and petrol and can be used where there
is exposure sulpher fumes, ammonia fumes steam, lactic acid, heat
limit 550c and direct sunlight.
ii. PCP sheathed cables are very suitable for farm installation

8. Glass insulation - this material is highly heat – resistance and is used for temperatures
as high as 1800c.
i. The insulation takes the form of impregnated glass fiber lapping with
impregnated glass – fiber braiding.
ii. This insulation is found commonly in the internal wiring of electric
cookers or other appliances where the cable must be impervious to
moisture, resistant to heat and be tough and flexible

9. Asbestos - this is a heat - resistant material but not of good insulator.

i. It provides a cable covering with outstanding mechanical. Thermal and
electrical characteristics
ii. applications are in furnaces boiler rooms
iii. heat alloy sheath is used with this type of insulator

2.5 MECHANICAL PROTECTION

 It also provides some degree of mechanical protection to cable.

 Cable shields are non-magnetic metallic materials. The two materials typically used for
metallic shields are aluminum and copper.
 Aluminum requires a larger diameter as a wire or a thicker cross section as tape to
carry the same current as copper. At equivalent current-carrying capacity, an aluminum
shield will be lighter in weight but about 40% larger in dimensions

a) Armoring:
 The armor provides mechanical protection against crushing forces. Armor also can
serve as an Earth Continuity Conductor (ECC). The armoring type could be:
Mechanical protection of the cable is provided by a single layer of wire / strip strands
laid over the bedding.
8
MR BETT K VINCENT

 Steel wire or strip is used for 3-core or 4-core cables, but single-core cables have
aluminum wire armoring. When an electric current passes through a cable, it produces a
magnetic field (the higher the voltage the bigger the field).
 The magnetic field will induce an electric current in steel armor (eddy currents), which
can cause overheating in AC systems.
 The non-magnetic aluminum armor prevents this from happening

b) Over Sheath (Outer Jacket)

 It is the outer protection part of the cable against the surrounding environment.
Protected against water ingress, protection against termite, protection against UV and
protection against differing soil compositions.
 It is applied over armoring in case of armored cable and over inner sheath in case of
unarmored cable called as ‘Outer Sheath.’ The standard sheath color is Black other
colors such as Red, Light Blue can also be provided.
 High-voltage cables are identified by outer sheaths colored red; a black sheath indicates
a low-voltage cable.

c) Metallic Screen

 Medium Voltage & High voltage cables have an earthed metallic screen over the
insulation of each core.
 This screen consists one or multi layers of a lapped conductive copper wires, copper
tape or metallic foil, lead, aluminum helically with overlap over insulation screen.
 The metallic shield needs to be electrically continuous over a cable length to adequately
perform its functions of electrostatic protection, electromagnetic protection, and
protection from transients, such as lightning and surge or fault currents.

Function of metallic screen

1. Shield Electromagnetic radiation:

 A metallic sheath is used as a shield to keep electromagnetic radiation in the cable.

9
MR BETT K VINCENT

 The main function of the metallic screen is to nullify the electric field outside of the
cable – it acts as a second electrode of the capacitor formed by the cable. The screen
needs to connect to earth at least at one point along the route.
 The capacitive charging current and induced circulating currents which are
generated under normal operating conditions will be drained away through the
screen

2. Earth Path:

 It also provides a path for fault and leakage currents (sheaths are earthed at one
cable end).
 The screen also drains the zero-sequence short circuit currents under fault
conditions; this function is used to determine the required size of the metallic
screen.
 Lead sheaths are heavier and potentially more difficult to terminate than copper
tape, but generally, provide better earth fault capacity.

3. Water Blocking:
 The other function of metallic sheaths is to water block and form a radial barrier to
prevent humidity from penetrating the cable insulation system.

TYPES OF CABLES
1. Polyvinyl – chloride cable ( PVC sheathed cable )

1 - pvc sheath

2 - PVC insulation

3 - Copper conductor: solid. stranded or

flexible

10
MR BETT K VINCENT

b) Armoured PVC-insulated cables

1 - PVC sheath

2 - armour-galvanised steel wire

3 - PVC bedding

4 - PVC insulation

5 - copper conductor

c) Split-concentric PVC insulated cables -

5 - earth continuity conductor:

1 - PVC oversheath
---- bare copper wires

2 - Melinex binder 6 - PVC phase insulation

3 - PVC strings 7 - copper conductors

4 - neutral conductor:
---- black PVC-covered wires

11
MR BETT K VINCENT

 These are cables with pvc insulation an overall sheath of pvc for protection against
mechanical damage.
 It withstands a temperature 00 up to 650 below and above this temperature the pvc will
crack and eventually fall away from the conductor.
 They are mainly use in domestic installation
 NB when installed on a surface they are fixed on position by hardened pvc cable
clips
Which are fitted with a hardened nails for driving into most surface .and distance
between clips for common size should be around 300mm for horizontal run and for
vertical run should be 350mm.
Reasons why PVC is commonly used

a) it is water proof
b) It is non-itching
c) It can withstand mechanical damage
d) Resists the effects of chemicals
 The major disadvantages of PVC are that it is thermoplastic material and as to such
it is affected by temperature changes.
 At low temperatures it hardens and thus becomes hard and as a result may break
when some tensile strength is applied to it .At high temperatures the rubber soften

2. mineral insulated copper- covered MICC

 This consist of solid ,pliable circular copper conductors pensioned in highly
compressed magnesium oxide powder
 They have much higher working temperature than pvc or rubber insulated cable
which make them suitable for boiler room and other high temperature situation.
 The temperature they will withstand is only limited by the type of seal used for
their termination and can be obtained in fibre glass for temperature upto 150℃

12
MR BETT K VINCENT

3. PVC/PVC/SWA CABLE (PVC INSULATED PCV SHEATHED STEEL WIRE

CABLES)
These are cable used mainly for industrial and underground powe supply for main and
sub main circuit
 They are used where some mechanical protection of the cable conductors is required.
 The conductors are covered with colour-coded PVC insulation and then contained
either singly or with others.
 The armour sheath also provides the circuit protective conductor (CPC) and the cable is
simply terminated using a compression gland.
 Its temperature limits are 0 to 65℃
 This cable can also be used for overhead supply suspended from steal catenary wire

4. MI cable (Mineral-insulated cables)

1 - LSF oversheath

2 - copper sheath

3 - magnesium oxide insulation

4 - copper conductors

 A mineral insulated (MI) cable has a seamless copper sheath which makes it waterproof
and fire- and corrosion-resistant. These characteristics often make it the only cable
choice for hazardous or high-temperature installations such as oil refineries and
chemical works, boiler houses and furnaces, petrol pump and fire alarm installations.
 The cable has a small overall diameter when compared to alternative cables and may be
supplied as bare copper or with a PVC over-sheath. It is colour coded orange for general
electrical wiring, white for emergency lighting or red for fi re alarm wiring. The copper
outer sheath provides the CPC, and the cable is terminated with a pot and sealed with
compound and a compression gland.
 The copper conductors are embedded in a white powder, magnesium oxide, which is
non-ageing and non-combustible, but which is hygroscopic, which means that it readily

13
MR BETT K VINCENT

absorbs moisture from the surrounding air, unless adequately terminated. The
termination of an MI cable is a complicated process requiring the electrician to
demonstrate a high level of practical skill and expertise for the termination to be
successful.

5. Paper insulated lead coved steal wire armour cable Abreviated to PI/LC/SWA
CABLE (Impregnated-paper insulated lead sheathed cables )

1 - PVC oversheath 6 - filler

7 - screen of metal tape intercalated

2 - galvanised steel wire armour
---- with paper tape

3 - bedding 8 - impregnated paper insulation

4 - sheath: lead or lead alloy 9 - Carbon paper screen

5 - copper woven fabric tape 10 - shaped stranded conductor

 Impregnated paper insulated cable have higherdielectricproperties than PVC and will
withstand higher temperarestha the previous PVC/PVC/SWAThey are used
extensively for main distribution of higher voltages power supply both underground
and on the surface

14
MR BETT K VINCENT

7. FP 200 cable
 FP 200 cable is similar in appearance to an MI cable in that it is a circular tube, or the
shape of a pencil, and is available with a red or white sheath. However, it is much
simpler to use and terminate than an MI cable.
 The cable is available with either solid or stranded conductors that are insulated with
‘insudite’ a fi re resistant insulation material. The conductors are then screened, by
wrapping an aluminium tape around the insulated conductors, that is, between the
insulated conductors and the outer sheath. This aluminium tape screen is applied metal
side down and in contact with the bare CPC.
 The sheath is circular and made of a robust thermoplastic low smoke, zero halogen
material. FP 200 is available in 2, 3, 4, 7, 12 and 19 cores with a conductor size range
from 1.0 to 4.0 mm. The core colours are: two core, brown and blue, three core, brown,
black and gray.
 The cable is as easy to use as a PVC insulated and sheathed cable. No special
terminations are required, the cable may be terminated through a grommet into a knock
out box or terminated through a simple compression gland.
 The cable is a fi re resistant cable, primarily intended for use in fi re alarms and
emergency lighting installations or it may be embedded in plaster.

8. Optical fi bre cables

 Optical fi bre cables are communication cables made from optical-quality plastic, the same
material from which spectacle lenses are manufactured.
 The energy is transferred down the cable as digital pulses of laser light as against
current flowing down a copper conductor in electrical installation terms.

9. Data cables
 The cables used for data transmissions and computer networks are Category 5 cables or
Cat 5 cables. These are high integrity signal cables usually containing four UTP
(universal twisted pair) cables within the cable jacket. New Cat 5E (enhanced) cables are
capable of transmission speeds up to one gigabit per second.

15
MR BETT K VINCENT

10. High-voltage power cables

 The cables used for high-voltage power distribution.The regulations covering high-
voltage distribution are beyond the scope of the IEE regulations for electrical
installations. Operating at voltages in excess of 33 kV and delivering thousands of
kilowatts, these cables are either suspended out of reach on pylons or buried in the
ground in carefully constructed trenches.

Cable ratings
It is the amount of current that a cable allowed to carry continuously without
deterioration.
Or it is define as the maximum current carrying capacity of apower cable under the
normal operating condition.
The rating depends entirely on the temperature the cable is capable of withstanding
without deterioration of its insulation, although with unsheathed mineral-insulated
cables, the insulation of which will not be impaired no matter how hot it gets, the effect
of high temperature on the seals and on persons touching the sheath or the possibility of
burning the surface to which it is fixed are the deciding factors.
Factors affecting cable rating
(1) Conductor cross-sectional area.
-The larger the cable, the more current it will carry without getting too hot.
(2) Insulation.
-Some types of insulation will be damaged at temperatures where no deterioration
occurs with others; for instance, a PVC insulated 2.5mm2 cable may be rated at 24 A,
whereas a mineral-insulated conductor of the same size may be rated at 43 A.
(3) Ambient temperature.
-If a cable is installed in a hot situation, it will be unable to dissipate the heat it produces
as quickly as it would in cold surroundings, and will operate at a higher temperature.
(4) Type of protection.

16
MR BETT K VINCENT

-In the event of a fault or of an overload, the speed with which the fuse blows or the
circuit breaker opens may differ very widely; if a fault current flows, the temperature of
the cable carrying it will increase with time, so the quicker the protective device
operates, the less cable heating will occur. Thus, cables are protected by semi-enclosed
fuses are rated at lower currents than those protected by HBC fuses or circuit breakers.
(5) Grouping.
-If a large number of cables is run together, say in a conduit or trunking,
they will be unable to radiate and conduct heat as freely as if they were installed
separately. Cables which are in larger groups are hence rated lower than those run
singly.
(6) Disposition.
-A cable buried direct in moist earth will conduct heat to its surroundings more rapidly
than a cable lying in a duct, and can be rated at a
higher current.
(7) Type of sheath.
-If a cable is armoured with a second overall sheath, it is more effectively heat-insulated
than one without armour, and must be given a lower rating if the insulation has the
same properties.
(8) Contact with thermal insulation.
-A cable in contact with, or buried in, thermal insulation, will be prevented from
dissipating heat normally. This situation will often arise in roof spaces, filled cavities of
walls and so on.
NB
The electrical craftsman may have difficulty in deciding what weight to give to
each of the above factors. The IEE Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) provide detailed
current-rating tables for all types of cable, together with rating factors to allow for
such factors as grouping and disposition. An understanding of these tables is essential
for all who must choose a cable for a particular installation.

17