What is an electric wire?
An electric wire is a copper or aluminum conductor
which carries electricity from one point to another. It consists of a flexible
metal sheath that contains insulated copper or aluminum strands. The insulation
prevents the metal strands from touching one another. The insulation can be
made up of rubber, plastic, paper, or other materials. The two most common
types of insulation are rubber and plastic. A single strand of insulated copper
wires forms an electrical circuit with the metal sheath acting as the return
path for current flow when no load is connected to the circuit breaker box.
Electric wires come in a wide variety of sizes,
thicknesses, conductivity ratings, insulation materials, and tensile strengths.
There are literally thousands of different types of electric wires available in
today's market. These extra wires vary widely in their applications as well as
their cost. Generally speaking, however, there tend to be three main categories
for different types of electrical cables:
1) High voltage or power transmission lines
2) Medium voltage or distribution/feeder cables
3) Low voltage cables (or landscape)
These three categories have sub-categories within
them which can include multi-conductor cable assemblies (such as phone lines),
extra high current rated cables for huge industrial motors and transformers,
etc.
Types of electric wire
There are three main types of electric wire: copper,
aluminum, and steel. Copper is the most common type because it can conduct
electricity well. Aluminum is used for power lines because it's more resistant
to corrosion. Steel-core wires provide strength for high-voltage lines, but
they're not as popular as copper or aluminum wires.
Wires come in many sizes. The size of a wire can be
measured in gauge or diameter. Heavier wires carry more electricity and usually
have lower gauge numbers. For example, high-voltage power lines use high-gauge
steel wires with small diameters, while some low-power household wiring uses
copper wires that are thicker with larger diameters than even heavy-duty lines.
Most household wiring is rated for either 15 amperes or 20 amperes per circuit;
heavy-duty circuits can range from 100 amperes to 300 amperes per circuit
depending on their purpose.
Electric wires come in various lengths. The standard
length for household wires is 25 feet; most commercial buildings have much
longer runs that may go up to hundreds of feet. Heavy-duty wires may require
thousands of feet, or even miles, for industrial applications. Wires can be cut
to length as needed with a special tool called a wire cutter, which makes them
easier to work with than if you had to handle a long piece without help.
Since wiring has so many applications, there are a
lot of specialized terminologies associated with it. One of these terms refers
to wires with connectors at both ends, which makes them easy to connect or
disconnect. This type of wire is called jumper cable because it can be jumped
from one circuit or component to another. Another term refers to special wires
that have several smaller gauge wires bundled together in a single cover. These
types of wires help reduce voltage drop in longer runs but add bulk that makes
working with them harder. These cables are called distribution cables because
they're used for distributing power from a source.
Applications of electric wire
Electric wires carry electricity from the power
source to the load. It is a safe way to supply power because it does not emit
combustion gases as fossil fuels do. There are four types of electric wires:
AC, DC, three-phase, and single-phase. AC wires carry alternating currents in
one direction at a time. DC wires carry a direct current which cannot be
converted between directions as AC can. Three-phase wires provide alternating
current with three currents that have the same frequency but do not share any
phase difference while single-phase wires only have one wire that carries
alternating current in one direction at a time. All four types of electric
wiring may be found in homes or industrial settings.
Three-phase wires have three phases, each of which
carries currents with different time differences so that there is an odd number
of cycles per revolution. Single-phase wires, on the other hand, carry one
current in a single direction at a time. To maintain as constant voltage as
possible over a long distance using single-phase AC, electricians string
multiple conductors together to form three conductor pairs. They also run all
three conductors in one phase through transformers or inductors to reduce
energy losses caused by resistance as they transport electricity over long
distances.
Advantages of electric wire
An electric wire is a type of wiring that can be
used to transmit electrical power from the main supply to a location where it
is needed. It can also be used to transmit signals in an electronic system,
from the amplifier in a guitar to the speaker that makes the sound. Electric
wiring carries electricity more efficiently than other types of wires because
it doesn't heat up as much when carrying current. And, because it doesn't heat
up as much, electric wiring can be coiled tightly together without worrying
about wires shorting out due to touching each other or being squeezed together.
Electric wires come in a range of diameters. The
size of a wire is called its gauge. The larger the gauge number, for example,
14-gauge or 18-gauge, means that it has more copper in it than does a smaller
gauge number such as an 8-gauge. Since more copper carries more electricity,
larger diameter wires can carry more electricity than smaller diameter ones.
For instance, a 10-foot length of No. 10 gauge wire can safely handle 13 amps;
however, to handle that same amount of power over 10 feet of No.
Disadvantages of electric wire
Electric wire has many advantages as a form of power
transmission, but it also has its disadvantages. To name one, when electricity
travels through the wires, it can cause electromagnetic interference with other
electronic devices that happen to be nearby. For example, if you have a TV
that's next to an electrical outlet, you may experience static on the screen or
even lose signal entirely. Another disadvantage of using electrical wiring for
power transmission is that it can't handle too much energy at once. If there's
a surge in energy flow from one part of the circuit to another and the wires
cannot handle it all at once then it could result in damage to the wires
themselves or even start an electrical fire in your home!
Conclusion
Electric wire is a very important part of any
electrical system. It carries the electricity from the power source to
appliances, lights, and other electrical devices. It can transmit electricity
over great distances without being significantly weakened by the resistance in
the wires themselves.
Electrical wires come in many sizes with different
thicknesses of insulation. Standard insulated residential wiring has a rating
of 14/3 or 12/3 because it has two insulated wires with three non-insulated
ground wires for grounding purposes.