CABLE

IDENTIFICATION/TYPES

Instructor: Engr. Olusegun Abode

Prepared by: Robert O. Azeta

OUTLINES

1. Cable Definition

2. Types of Cables

3. Cable Identification

4. Cable Sizes

5. Cable Usage
CABLE DEFINITION
A cable is an insulated wire
or wires having a protective
casing.

A thick wire, or a group of
wires inside a rubber or
plastic covering, which is
used to carry electricity or
electronic signals. ... 
TYPES OF 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:.
• Twisted-pair Cables
• Multi-conductor Cables
• Coaxial Cables
• Power Cables (our focus)
• Fiber-optic Cables
• Ribbon Cables
 A power cable is an electrical cable, an
assembly of one or more electrical conductors,
usually held together with an overall sheath. 
COMMOMLY USED POWER CABLES
• XLPE or Cross-linked polyethylene
•XLPE or Cross-linked polyethylene is a thermoset insulation material. Cross-linking
polymers is a process which changes the molecular structure of the polymer chains so that
they are more tightly bound together and this cross-linking is done either by chemical
means or physical means.

•Chemical cross-linking involves the addition of chemicals or initiators such as

silane or peroxide to generate free radicals which form the cross-linking. Physical
cross-linking involves subjecting the polymer to a high energy source such as high-
energy electron or microwave radiation.
• PVC or Polyvinyl chloride
• A thermoplastic-sheathed cable (TPS) consists of a
toughened outer sheath of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
thermoplastic, covering one or more individual annealed
copper conductors, themselves insulated with PVC
• PILC (Paper Insulated, Lead Covered ) 
• PILC Cables Conductors are wrapped in oil
impregnated paper which is surrounded by
a
lead jacket but has largely been replaced by
polymer insulated cabling in the last half
century.
The insulation system of PILC cables is a complex and Inhomogeneous
structure of mass impregnated paper layers. During the operation, the
electrical
field is distributed so that the thin mass layers overtake a bigger part of the
electrical field Strength. The paper will keep the separation distance and will be
a barrier to the impurities from layer to layer. An insulating paper (e.g. Kraft
paper consists of about 90% of long-chained macromolecules) i.e. cellulose
fibrils, is formed by the polymerization of the glucose molecules. Cellulose
Molecules arranged in fibrils have an immense tensile strength
CABLE IDENTIFICATION
XLPE Cables have higher current rating and longer
service life compared to most Cables, Under short
circuit condition this cable can withstand up to 250ºC
temperature compared to the temperature of most
cables.
XLPE insulation will not melt or drip, even at the
temperatures of soldering irons, and it has increased
flow resistance and improved ageing characteristics.
Improved water-tree resistance is another identity of
XLPE insulation for LV cables and MV cables
• PVC's abrasion resistance, light weight, good
mechanical strength and toughness are key
technical advantages for its use in building and
construction applications. PVC can be cut,
shaped, welded and joined easily in a variety of
styles. Its light weight reduces manual handling
difficulties.
• PVC is inherently a self-extinguishing fire
retardant material due to the abundance of
chlorine in its formulation, with burning
characteristics closer to that of paper, wood and
straw. ... These materials have a very high risk of
igniting and will maintain the fire.
PILC Transmission cables, which are defined as
cables operating above 46 kV, have traditionally
used paper / oil systems as the insulation. The
paper is applied as a thin film wound over the
cable core. Some years back, a variation of this
paper insulation was developed, the material
being a laminate of paper with polypropylene
(PPP or PPLP).
 Major Differences Between Paper and Polyolefinic Insulations
Paper / Cellulose Polyethylene Cross-linked Ethylene Propylene
Polyethylene Rubber
Natural Synthetic Synthetic Synthetic
Carbon / Carbon / Carbon / hydrogen Carbon / hydrogen
hydrogen/oxygen hydrogen/oxygen
More polar / medium Less polar, low losses Less polar, low losses Losses due to
losses additives
Chains linear Chains branched Chains branched, Chains branched,
cross-linked crosslinked
Fibrils Non-fibrils Non-fibril Non-fibril
Partially crystalline / Partially crystalline / Slightly less Least crystaline of all
Relatively constant Varies with grade crystalinevs PE
employed
No thermal expansion Significant thermal Same thermal Slight thermal
on heating expansion expansion as PE expansion

Not cross-linked Not cross-linked Crosslinked Crosslinked

Thermal degradation Degrades at weak Degrades at weak links Degrades at weak links
via cleavage at weak links
link
CABLE SIZES
Divide the voltage running through the cable by your target current. If, for instance,
120
volts will act on the cable, and you want 30 amps to run through it: 120
/ 30 = 4.
This is your target resistance, measured in ohms.
Multiply the cable's length by its material's resistivity. Copper, for instance, has a
resistivity of 1.724 x 10^-8 ohm meters at room temperature, If your cable must
measure
30,000 meters in length:
30,000 x 1.724 x 10^-8 = 0.0005172 ohm sq. m.
Divide the answer by your target resistance:
0.0005172 / 4 = 0.0001293
This is the cable's necessary cross-sectional area. Divide the cable's area by pi:
(0.0001293) / 3.142 = 4.1152 x 10^-5
Find the square root of this answer:
(4.1152 x 10^-5) ^ 0.5 = 0.006415
This is the cable‘s radius, measured in meters. Multiply your answer by 39.37 to
convert it to inches:
0.006415 x 39.37 = 0.2526
Multiply the answer by 2:
0.2526 x 2 = 0.5052 inches
This is the cable's necessary thickness. It approximately corresponds with the standard
 BELOW IS A FOMULAR TO DETERMINE CABLE SIZES

Current capacity of 70 Sq.mm cable is: 170 Amp,

Resistance = 0.57 Ω/Km and. Reactance = 0.077
mho/Km.
Total derating current of 70 Sq.mm cable = 170 ·
0.93 = 159 Amp.
Voltage Drop of Cable = (1.732 · Current · (RcosǾ
+ jsinǾ) · Cable length · 100) / (Line voltage · No
of run · 1000) =
• Step 1
Look at the insulation on the cable. Search for text written on the
insulation. The last numbers in each string of text represent the
AWG of the wire. If you cannot find any text on the wire, proceed
to the next step.

• Step 2
Cut the wire with your wire cutters. The cut should be
perpendicular to the run of the wire.

• Step 3
Measure the diameter of the cross-section in inches. The diameter
is the distance from one side of the cross-section to the opposite side in a
straight-line. Do not include the wire's insulation in the measurement.

• Step 4
Divide the diameter of the wire by .46. Take the logarithm of this result by
pressing the "log" button on your calculator while the result of the
division is on the screen. Divide the logarithm by -.050305. Subtract three
from the final value. This gives you the AWG of your wire.
CABLE USAGE
XLPE or Cross-linked polyethylene is
widely used as electrical insulation in
power cables of all voltage ranges but it is
especially well suited to medium voltage
applications. It is the most common
polymeric insulation material. The
acronym XLPE is commonly used to denote
cross-linked polyethylene insulation.
XLPE insulated cables is manufactured in
accordance with IEC 60502-1 and is designed
for use in applications where there is a risk of
mechanical stress and where protection is
required against mechanical damage.
Economical, versatile polyvinyl
chloride (PVC, or vinyl) is used in a variety
of applications in the building and
construction, health care, electronics,
automobile and other sectors, in products
ranging from piping and siding, blood bags
and tubing, to wire and cable insulation,
windshield system components and more.
PVC doesn't conduct electricity at all. For
this reason, it is the perfect material to use
in electrical applications such as in the
insulation of wires and cables, where it can
have a lifespan of around four decades. A
close-up look of the process of
implementing PVC jacketing on cables.
PILC cables are generally used for 66 kV up
to 33 kV applications. PILC (Paper
Insulated, Lead Covered ) Cable is used in
power transmission. Conductors are
wrapped in oil impregnated paper which is
surrounded by a lead jacket.
This cable construction was common for
underground power transmission but has
largely been replaced by polymer insulated
cabling in the last half century.
Electrical cables are used to connect two or
more devices, enabling the transfer of
electrical signals or power from one device
to the other. Cables are used for a wide
range of purposes, and each must be
tailored for that purpose. Cables are used
extensively in electronic devices for power
and signal circuits.
QUESTIONS
END