393Chapter 14
Transmission Techniques:
Wire and Cable
by Steve Lampen and Glen Ballou
14.1 Introduction............................................................................ 397
14.2 Conductors............................................................................ 397
14.2.1 Resistance and Wire Size.............................................................. 397
14.2.2 Calculating Wire Resistance............................................................ 397
14.2.3 Resistance and Gage Size.............................................................. 398
14.2.4 Drawing and Annealing................................................................ 399
14.2.5 Plating and Tinning................................................................... 399
14.2.6 Conductor Parameters................................................................. 399
14.2.6.1 Stranded Cables.................................................................. 400
14.2.7 Pulling Tension...................................................................... 401
14.2.8 Skin Effect.......................................................................... 402
14.2.9 Current Capacity..................................................................... 402
14.2.9.1 Wire Current Ratings.............................................................. 403
14.3 Insulation.............................................................................. 403
14.3.1 Plastics and Dielectric Constant......................................................... 403
14.3.2 Wire Insulation Characteristics.......................................................... 405
14.4 Jackets................................................................................ 405
14.5 Plastics................................................................................ 405
14.5.1 Vinyl.............................................................................. 405
14.5.2 Polyethylene........................................................................ 405
14.5.3 Teflon®............................................................................ 406
14.5.4 Polypropylene....................................................................... 406
14.6 Thermoset Compounds................................................................... 406
14.6.1 Silicone............................................................................ 406
14.6.2 Neoprene........................................................................... 406
14.6.3 Rubber............................................................................. 406
14.6.4 EPDM............................................................................. 406
14.7 Single Conductor........................................................................ 406
14.8 Multiconductor......................................................................... 407
14.8.1 Multiconductor Insulation Color Codes................................................... 407
14.9 Pairs and Balanced Lines................................................................. 407
14.9.1 Multipair........................................................................... 408
14.9.2 Analog Multipair Snake Cable.......................................................... 408
14.9.3 High Frequency Pairs................................................................. 409
14.9.3.1 DVI........................................................................... 409
14.9.3.2 HDMI.......................................................................... 410
14.9.3.3 IEEE -1394 or FireWire Serial Digital................................................ 410