Designation for conductor like SP-1, but with heavier construction, with or without third conductor for grounding purposes, 300V.

Designation for conductor like SP-2, but with heavier construction for refrigerators or room air conditioners, 300V.

Given values in coil winding for amount of space available.

A distribution cable designed to be used in conjunction with insulating spacers that maintain conductor spacing in overhead line installations. This cable is considered un-insulated and installed likewise, but the covering on the conductors does allow for conductor proximity and reduces faults due to the touching of tree limbs.

For the wire industry, this is often a term for the distance between the closest edges of two adjacent conductors.

The cracking and flaking of small particles from the surface of a wire.

1) In flat conductors, the distance between the reference edge of the first and the last conductor. 2) In round conductors, the distance between centers of the first and last conductors. 3) In aerial cable, the distance between poles or support clamp.

A brilliantly luminous flow of electricity of short duration that often characterizes an electrical breakdown of a dielectric, unwanted contact of two conducting surfaces, a poor contact between two conductors or uncontrolled voltage potential that forces the current to flow across an unplanned area.

1) The breakdown or removal of material due to a spark discharging between two conductors. 2) Damage to a surface during an unwanted spark. 3) A procedure to allow spark discharge between an electrical conducting tool and a metal work piece to remove stock from a metal surface, as in electroplating.

Any short air space between two conductors.

1) A test designed to locate imperfections (usually pin-holes) in the insulation of a wire or cable by application of voltage for a very short period while the wire is being drawn through the electrode field. Cable is passed through a metallic electrode that makes contact with the surface. The electrode is maintained at a high voltage with respect to the cable con­ductor. When a fault in the cable insulant enters the electrode, it is indicated by a spark. 2) A simple method of identifying the approximate carbon content of steel by holding it against a grinding wheel when the type of spark indicates the approximate carbon content. With experience the presence of the common alloying metals can also be identified.

A device that uses an AC or DC voltage potential to detect voids or weak spots in the walls of jacketed cables or insulated conductors. See Spark Test.

1) The generation of sparks. 2) A loosely used term for the undesirable spark activity in resistance-type strand annealers.

Designation for Single Paper Covered.

Designation for Single Pole Double Throw switching action.

A quality suitable for forging, heat treating, cold drawing and turning.

When material is desired to closer-than-standard straightness tolerances, it may be ordered to special straightness. Such straightening is done by machinery and may result in increased surface hardness in localized areas of the steel.

Specialty metals with proprietary chemistries and designations, often made for specific high-strength or corrosive resistant applications. Sometimes considered to be the low end of the various families of super alloys.

Also known as “specialty stainless steels,” these are batch-produced iron based metals with varying degrees of such additives as chrome, nickel, cobalt, titanium, manganese, copper and molybdenum to add strength or corrosion-resistance.

The ratio of the mass of a body to the mass of equal volume of water at a specified temperature (4°C).