![]() You will sometimes see cable described as 1mm or 2mm cable without the ² sign but it is important to note that this does not mean the diameter of the cable. The same applies when crimping the conductor to a terminal - make sure all strands are contained within the crimp or the current carrying capacity will be reduced.Ĭables are generally specified using the following properties: PropertyĮxpressed in mm² and describes the tota l cross sectional area of the copper conductor. This will reduce the total cross-sectional area of the conductor at that point and consequently also reduce the current carrying capacity of the cable. Tip : Be careful when stripping the insulation from a stranded cable that you don't accidentally remove any of the copper strands. The difference in cross sections is shown in the diagram below: This type of cable is (unsurprisingly) known as 'stranded' cable and provides much more flexibility, which means improved resistance to work hardening making it better suited to use in vehicles. This problem is overcome by manufacturing the core from many small diameter strands of copper wire to make up the desired cross-sectional area, rather than using a single wire. ![]() This work hardening causes the metal to become more brittle which could, over a long period of time, cause a stiff, solid conductor to crack and fail. The reason for this is that copper, although quite ductile, is susceptible to 'work hardening' when subject to vibration and mechanical shock, such as is experienced when installed in a vehicle. You will have noticed that cable used in vehicle electrical systems is very flexible in contrast to the cable you would find in the the walls of your home, which is fairly stiff. ![]()
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