Choosing Proper Primary Insulations

The most important part of any cable is the insulation of the conductors. When choosing materials to insulate conductors or cables, many factors should be taken into consideration. These include electrical properties, mechanical properties, chemical properties, thermal properties, and more. Multi/Cable stocks a wide range of insulations to suit our customers needs.

Electric properties:

dielectric strength
insulation resistance
insulation power factors
charging current
arc resistance
tracking susceptibility

Mechanical properties:

toughness and flexibility
tensile, elongation and crushing strengths
resistance to abrasion or moisture
brittleness

Chemical properties:

moisture absorption
resistance to oil, gas, acids and alkalies
stability when exposed to sunlight, ozone, or flames

Thermal properties:

expansion and contraction
softening and flow temperature
compatibility with operating, ambient, or emergency overload and short circuit conditions

**Standards and specifications for cable insulations have been developed by ASTM, ICEA, CSA, UL, NEC and others. We advise consulting these organizations for complete, current, and accurate data.

***Also local code requirements often exist regulating wire and cable specification and installation. Always check code requirements before specifying or installing your wire and cable.

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