Centigrade or Celsius

Canadian Standards Association; the Canadian counterpart of Underwriters Laboratories.

A stranded conductor with or without insulation and other coverings (single-conductor cable) or a combination of conductors (multiple-conductor cable). In fiber optics, a jacketed fiber or jacketed bundle in a form which can be terminated.

The portion of an insulated cable lying under a protective covering.

A wrapping of tapes or cords around the conductors of a multiple conductor cable used to hold them together.

The material used in multiple conductor cables to occupy the interslices formed by the assembly of the insulated conductors, thus forming a cable core.

The protective covering applied to cables.

A rigid structural system used to support cables and raceways. Types of cable trays include ladder, ventilated trough, ventilated channel and solid bottom.

Twisting together two or more insulated conductors by machine to form a cable. In fiber optics, a method by which a group or bundle of fibers is mechanically assembled.

Used in the formula for calculating the diameter of an unshielded, unjacketed cable. D=Kd, where D is the cable diameter, K is the factor and d is the diameter of one insulated conductor.

The process of setting a measurement instrument by use of standards.

The ability of a dielectric material between conductors to store energy when a difference of potential exists between the conductors. Cable capacitance is usually measured in picofarads (pF) per unit length.

The capacitance measured from one conductor to another conductor through a single insulating layer.

The capacitance between two conductors (typically of a pair) with all other conductors, including shield and short circuited to ground.

The woven element of a braid consisting of one or more ends (strands) which creates the interlaced effect. Also, a spindle, spool, tube or bobbin (on a braiding machine) containing yarn or wire, employed as a braid.

Rating of a cable established by TIA/EIA to indicate the level of electrical performance.

Negative pole of an electric source.

Canadian Electrical Code; Canada’s version of the US National Electrical Code (NEC)

European Standards Agency; International Commission on Rules for the Approval of Electrical Equipment.

A written statement, normally generated by a Quality Control Department, which states that the product being shipped meets customer’s specifications.

A report reflecting actual test data on the cable shipped. Tests are normally conducted by the Quality Control Department and show that the product being shipped meets the required test specifications.

The ratio of voltage to current at every point along a transmission line at the point the voltage is applied. The impedance which makes a transmission cable seem infinitely long, when connected across the cable’s output terminals

Control and Instrumentation Cable, same as ACIC except not armoured

Tape insulation wrapped longitudinally instead of spirally over a conductor

A complete path over which electrons can flow from the negative terminals of a voltage source through parts and wires to the positive terminals of the same voltage source.

A device that can be used to manually open or close a circuit and to automatically open a circuit at a predetermined level of overcurrent without damage to itself.

The root-mean-square (effective) difference of potential between any two conductors of the circuit.

The square of a conductor diameter in mils, of thousandths of an inch. Example a 30 AWG conductor has a diameter of 10 mils and a CMA of 100. Used to determine conductor sizes.

Method of applying a layer of metal over another metal whereby the junction of the two metals is continuously welded. In fiber optics, a sheathing intimately in contact with the core of a higher refractive index material which serves to provide optical insulation and protection to the reflection interface.

Circular-Mil Area

A copper conductor which has been coated with a metallic substance. A tin coating is applied to protect copper from chemical attack by sulfur-based insulation compounds; nickel coating is sometimes used with conductors rated for extremely high temperatures.

Cable consisting of two cylindrical conductors with a common axis, separated by a dielectric.

A connector that has a coaxial construction and is used with coaxial cable.

The inductive effect exhibited by a spiral-wrapped shield, especially above audio frequencies.

A cold chamber test to determine effects of specified temperatures on cable which has been wrapped around a mandrell.

Test to measure a cable's ability to withstand cold temperature.

Permanent deformation of the insulation due to mechanical force of pressure (not due to heat softening).

A color system for wire or circuit identification by use of solid colors, tracer braids, surface printing, etc.

A stranding configuration that uses two strand sizes to achieve a 3% reduction in the conductor diameter without compression.

In multiple cable constructions, a twisting of all conductors about a “common axis” to result in smaller diameter constructions. Tends to result in greater susceptance to electromagnetic and electrostatic interference.

A wire having a core of one metal with a fused outer shell of different metals.

A cable consisting of two or more different types or sizes of wires.

Two or more strands of different metals assembled and operated in parallel.

An insulating or jacketing material made by mixing two or more ingredients.

A stranding configuration with concentric strands in which all layers or the outer layer only is passed through a die to reduce the conductor diameter by 3%.

A group of uninsulated wires twisted around a center core with subsequent layers spirally wrapped around the core, alternating lay directions, to form a single conductor.

In a wire or cable, the measurement of the location of the center of the conductor with respect to the geometric center of the insulation. Expressed in percent.

The ability of a conductor to carry electric current; reciprocal of resistance. Measured in mhos (ohm backwards).

the capability of material to carry electrical current, expressed as a percentage of copper conductivity with copper being 100%.

a substance, usually metal, used to transfer electrical energy from point to point.

A tube in which insulated wire and cables are run.

A device used to physically and electrically connect two or more conductors.

An alloy used in making thermocouples wires. An alloy of copper, nickel manganese and iron.

The part of a connector that carries the electrical current; two contacts are touched together or separated to control the flow.

A test to determine whether electric current flows continuously throughout the length of a single wire or individual wires in a cable.

An electrical load in which the maximum current is expected to continue for three hours or more.

Cable spiraling in an opposite direction than the preceding layer within a wire or cable.

A multiconductor cable made for operation in control of signal circuits.

A stranding configuration in which individual wire are stranded concentrically with no reduction in overall diameter. Typically used for bare conductors.

A polymer formed from two or more types of monomer.

The most widely used electrical conductor in wires and cables. Some of the common types of electrical coppers and copper alloys are: Electrolytic tough pitch copper (ETPC) has a minimum copper content of 99.9%. Annealed conductivity averages 101% with a 100& minimum. Commonly used for wire and bus bars.

Steel with coating of copper welded to it; same as Copperweld®.

A small, flexible insulated cable.

A luminous discharge due to ionization of the gas surrounding a conductor.

The time that the insulation will withstand a specified level of field intensified ionization that does not result in the immediate complete breakdown of the insulation.

Deterioration of material by chemical reaction of galvanic action.

The calculated percentage which defines the completeness with which a metal braid covers the underlying surface. The higher percentage of coverage, the greater the protection against external interference.

Textile braid or jacket of rubber, plastics or other materials applied over wire and cables to provide mechanical protection and identification.

The dimensional change with time of a material under load.

The path across the surface of a dielectric between two conductors.

Act of compressing a connector barrel around a cable in order to make an electrical connection.

Inter-molecular bonds between long-chain thermoplastic polymers due to chemical or electron bombardment. The properties of the resulting thermo-setting material are usually improved.

A common thermoset insulation material for building wire and cable. Polyethylene made from petroleum and natural gas undergoes a cross-linking chemical reaction that causes compound molecules to bond, forming heavier molecules with the desired physical and chemical properties.

The area of a conductor exposed by cutting the conductor perpendicularly to its length, expressed in circular-mils, thousands of circular-mil, square inches, or square millimeters.

Undesired electrical currents in conductors caused by electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling from other conductors or from external sources. Also, leakage of optical power from one optical conductor to another.

Canadian Standards Association, a non-profit independent organization which operates a listing service for electrical and electronic materials and equipment. The Canadian counterpart of the Underwriters Laboratories.

To change the physical properties of a material by chemical reaction.

The time, temperature and pressure required for curing.

The degree to which a wire tends to form a circle after removal from a spool. An indication of the ability of the wire to be wrapped around posts in long runs.

The rate of flow of electricity in a circuit, measured in amperes.

Maximum current an insulated conductor or cable can continuously carry without exceeding its temperature rating; also called ampacity.

The ability of a material to withstand mechanical pressure usually a sharp edge or small radius without separation.

The complete sequence including reversal of the flow of alternating electric current.