An electrical cable is an assembly of one or more wires running side by side or bundled, which is used to carry electric current.

How do I identify an electric cable?

An electrical cable is classified by two numbers separated by a hyphen, such as 14-2. The first number denotes the conductor’s gauge; the second denotes the number of conductors inside the cable. For instance, 14-2 has two 14-gauge conductors: a hot and a neutral.

What is the 3 types of cable?





Fiber optic cable, twisted pair cable, and coaxial cable are the three main types of network cables used in communication systems.

What are the 5 types of wires and 5 types of cables?

Different Types of Electrical Wires and Cables

  • Communications Cable. Coaxial Cable. …
  • Direct-Buried Cable (DBC)
  • Non-Metallic Sheathed Cable (NM, NM-B)
  • Metallic Sheathed Cable (Armored Cable, AC or BX, MC) Armored Cable (AC) …
  • Multi-Conductor or Multicore Cable:
  • Paired Cable.
  • Portable or Extension Cord.
  • Ribbon Cable.

What is electrical cable and its types?

The cable that is used for the transmission and distribution of electrical power is known as the electrical power cable. It is used for the transmission of high voltages in places where overhead lines are impractical to use. The power cable is made of three main components, namely, conductor, dielectric, and sheath.

Which cable is used in house wiring?

NM Cable





NM Cable
The most common type of home electrical wiring is the NM cable, also known as the Romex cable, after the most popular electrical wiring brand name. The NM cables contain three or more individual conductors, wrapped together in a sheathing, which is a flexible plastic jacket.

What are the four main types of cable?

The Four Types of Network Cabling

  • Coaxial Cable. Coaxial cables have a single copper conductor at the center, while a plastic layer provides insulation between the center conductor and braided metal shield. …
  • Fiber Optic Cable. …
  • Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable. …
  • Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable.

What are cable codes?

Cable Colour Codes

Function Alpha- numeric Colour
Negative of three-wire circuit L- Grey
Control circuits, ELV and other applications
Phase conductor L Brown, Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Violet, Grey, White, Pink or Turquoise
Neutral or mid-wire N or M Blue

What is Type C cable?



NurPhoto/Getty Images. A USB-C cable is a recent type of USB connector that’s easier to use and more powerful than older USB types. USB-C cables can be used to quickly charge many popular devices, including the MacBook Pro and Nintendo Switch, and transfer data faster than any other USB type.

How many types of cables are there?

Types of Electrical Cables

There are more than 20 different types of cables available today, designed for applications ranging from transmission to heavy industrial use. Some of the most commonly-used ones include: Non-Metallic Sheathed Cable : These cables are also known as non-metallic building wire or NM cables.

What is a 3 core cable?



3 core cable typically comprises of three individually insulated solid cores for a neutral, live and earth conductor. These are covered by an outer protective PVC sheath or sleeve which can vary in colour.

What is cable size?

Cross sectional area of the conductor – sometimes called ‘cable size’ Given as mm², it describes the total cross-sectional area of the copper conductor. Cable will be sized 1 mm², 2 mm², 4 mm² etc. and may be written as 1 mm, 2mm, 4mm. This is not the diameter of the cable.

What is 1.5 mm cable used for?

1.5 mm is most commonly used for lighting circuitry and switches. 2.5 mm is most commonly used for ring mains, plug and socket wiring. 4 mm is most commonly used for high power ring mains, plug and socket wiring. 6, 10 and 16 mm are most commonly used for high powered small appliances such as cookers.

What is 2.5 mm cable used for?

2.5mm is commonly used for behind sockets, while 1-1.5mm is most often used for lights (depending on how many lights you have in a circuit).

What is 4 mm cable used for?



4 mm is most commonly used for high power ring mains, plug and socket wiring. 6, 10 and 16 mm are most commonly used for high powered small appliances such as cookers. This cable is suitable for indoor use only.

What is 6mm cable used for?

Typically used for supplying internal power to appliances such as electric showers, cooker and induction hobs, 6mm twin and eath cable is flat for easier installation into plaster.

What is 10 mm cable used for?

10mm earth cable is suitable for fixed wiring of electrical equipment, lighting and household appliances Usually used for grounding wires.

How many amps can a 1.5 mm cable take?

1.5mm Twin And Earth Current Carrying Capacity

NOMINAL CROSS SECTIONAL AREA mm2 REFERENCE METHOD A* (IN CONDUIT IN WALL) Amps REFERENCE METHOD C* (CLIPPED DIRECT) Amps
1.5mm 1.5mm twin and earth rating 14.5 Amps 1.5mm twin and earth rating 20 Amps


How much load can a 2.5 mm cable take?

how many watts can a 2.5 mm cable take? 2.5 square BV wire, overhead wiring at 20 degrees, 220 volt power supply can be up to 4.4KW. Therefore, a 2.5 square BV wire can be used with a maximum of 4.4 KW.

Can I use 1.5 mm cable for sockets?

The cross sectional area of the earth wire in a 1.5mm cable is 1mm and in a 2.5mm cable it is 1.5mm. This should be sufficient for most domestic socket and lighting circuits.

How do I choose cable size?

There are two pieces to the wire size question: thickness (gauge) and length. To determine what gauge wire you need, consider the carrying capacity and the amount of current the wire needs to conduct (measured in amperage or amps). Wire gauge is directly related to how many amps you need to run through it.