Cable and insulated wire safety requirements—Part 2: Selection tips

In a continuation of the safety discussion from last week, here are some guidelines on outside factors one should consider when selecting and installing cable and insulated wire.

Cables and insulated wires should be selected based on the application’s operating conditions and other external influences, as well as how they comply with their respective protection class.

a) Operating conditions that should be considered include:

• voltage
• protection measures
• cable groupings
• current
• installation method
• accessibility

b) External influences that should be considered include:

• ambient temperature
• presence of rain, water vapor, or water accumulation
• presence of corrosive, contaminating or other chemical substances
• mechanical stresses (such as holes or sharp edges from metal)
• animals (such as rodents)
• plants (such as fungal growths)
• radiation (such as sunlight).

Note: The color black provides a higher degree of protection than other colors.

Contributed by Kevin Siegel, Communications Manager
Helukabel USA
www.helukabel.com