On 05/09/2019 10:52, John Rumm wrote:
On 05/09/2019 07:43, Graeme wrote:

An ongoing thread elsewhere is discussing wires and cables, and which
is which.Â* To me, the mains flex on a table lamp or the T&E behind the
wall are cables, both containing two, three or more wires.Â* Correct?

But that introduces flex.Â* Perhaps a cable containing multi strand
wires is a flex, not a cable whereas a cable containing single strand
wires really is a cable?Â* So a telephone cable really is a cable, as
is standard T&E.

What about figure of eight profile bell wire?Â* Two multi strand wires,
moulded together, a flex, or is flex really only an abbreviation of
flexible cable?

Non electrical multi strand cables?Â* Are they really hawsers?

You might be over thinking this :-)

The terms are generally too generic to have a precise meaning without
further qualification.

So for example, a cable might be stranded, wound round a winch, and have
a hook on the end. Or it might be electrical, have multiple conductors
and insulation.

A flex is indeed a shortening of flexible cable or flexible wire, and
normally implies a stranded construction. However a 6mm^2 T&E cable is
also stranded.

A "lead" normally implies a made up length of something with
terminations on the ends. But you would you could for example ask for a
TOSlink lead which has no electrical conductors. It would also be fair
to talk about a HDMI cable, or cord, or wire.



I agree.

BS 7671 is great at not defining such things. It does have "Flexible
cable. A cable whose structure and materials make it suitable to be
flexed while in service." But apart from that it leaves people to read
cable and wire naturally - where IMO "cables have wires in them" just
about sums it up.

Then of course there's the verbs. Most people refer to "wiring a house"
rather than "cabling a house". And BS 7671 lends some support to that with:

"Wiring system. An assembly made up of cable or bus bars and parts which
secure and, if necessary, enclose the cable or busbars."

So a wiring system doesn't necessarily have wires in it. Not a lot of
people know that


--
Robin
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