Wirenet Image Band
wirenet.org mobile image band

The Book of Terms

  • Home
  • /The Book of Terms

The Book of TermsThe WJI Book of Wire & Cable Terms: an interactive experience of learning and sharing
This book, written by industry volunteers and containing more than 5,000 entries, is an asset for newcomers to wire and cable.

At the same time, it also represents an opportunity for industry veterans to give back by either updating or adding to the more than 5,000 entries. This is an honor system process. Entries/updates must be non-commercial, and any deemed not to be so will be removed. Share your expertise as part of this legacy project to help those who will follow. Purchase a printed copy here.

   

 

0-9   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

BW

Designation for braided wire Armor or Basket Weave.

BWG

Abbreviation for Birmingham Wire Gauge, which was used extensively in Great Britain and the U.S. for many years but is now obsolete. Its uses have persisted, however, for certain purposes including galvanized steel wire for cable armor.

BX

Armored building wire, 600V.

Bypass Filter

A filtration device used on a coolant cleaning system that pulls liquid from one reservoir for cleaning and returns it to the same reservoir on an independent loop from the process or other filtration units on the same system.

C

The designation for lamp cord, two or more conductors twisted together. Rubber insulation, cotton braid. For pendant or portable use in dry places. No overall covering, 300V or 600V, 60°C.

C-C

Designation for center-to-center.

C-SJ

Same as designation for SJ except extra-flexible conductor.

C-SJO

Same as designation for SJO except extra-flexible conductor.

CA

See Cellulose Acetate.

CA, ca

French for alternating current.

CAB

Designation for cellulose acetobutyrate.

Cable

A term loosely applied to wire ropes, wire strands, manila ropes and electric conductors. An electric cable is a length of single insulated conductor (solid or stranded) or two or more such conduc­tors each provided with its own insulation, which are laid up together. The insulated conductor or conductors may or may not be provided with an overall mechanical protective covering.

Cable and Wire Fault Locating Equipment and Counter

Equipment used for locating faults in cable during manufacture and after installation. For manufacturing, “sparkers” continuously monitor the integrity of the insulation (as it is being applied to the wire) by a voltage between the wire and the sparker electrode. For installed cable or wire, special equipment (from tone generators to pulse generators to capacitance measurers) may be needed to locate a problem within a few feet in a circuit that may be miles in length. See Spark Testing.

Cable Bend Radius

The radius that a cable can be bent before risking conductor and/or insulation damage.

Cable Clamp

A device used to give mechanical support to the wire bundle or cable at the rear of a plug or receptacle.

Cable Clamp Adapter

A mechanical adapter that attaches to the rear of a plug or receptacle to allow the attachment of a cable clamp.

Cable Clips

Harnessing system for mounting wire and cables. Some clips are adjustable for tension control.

Cable Conductor Size Selection

Determining the size of a conductor is usually based on the electrical circuit that the cable interconnects. If the circuit has been designed to require a 22 AWG wire, it cannot be reduced to 28 AWG just to reduce the capacitance. Also, the insulation wall thickness cannot be increased beyond reason since this increases the diameter of the cable, increasing costs and affecting terminations. Thus, the insulation chosen for the cable often becomes the critical variable.

Cable Core

The portion of an insulated cable lying under the protective covering(s).

Cable Core Binder

A wrapping of tapes or cords around several conductors of a multiple-conductor cable used to hold them together. Note: this is usually supplemented by an outer covering of braid, jacket or sheath.
Display # 

Contact us

The Wire Association Int.

71 Bradley Road, Suite 9

Madison, CT 06443-2662

P: (203) 453-2777