Posted: 9/26/2013 9:55:32 AM EDT
| Recently acquired a mostly there 1000' spool of 3 conductor shielded cable. My guess is that it is used for aviation (based out of the pile of stuff I recovered it from) but does anyone know what this type of cable is commonly used for? |
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Three conductor shielded cable is used in audio system wiring, microphones, balanced line level, and patch cables...assuming it is between 22 and 26 ga wire.
Are the conductors red, black and a bare drain wire? White and Blue with a braided copper shield? Does it say Canare on the cable? Or is it three actual conductors with a foil or braided shield? A pic would be helpful. |
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Could be for just about anything. Similar cable is used in audio and intercom systems in addition to other uses already mentioned. The best way to get an idea of what it's made for is to find out what type of outer jacket it has a what it's rated for (UV exposure, direct burial, high temp, high voltage, extra thick insulation so safe to walk on, etc, etc, etc.) Efficiency of shielding is also a good clue.
If made for .mil use, MOST LIKELY the conductor will be copper with a silver plating and teflon insulation. |
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I work at a wire/cable manufacturing plant. I asked around, no one here knows what that stuff is--all our shielded wire is wrapped in copper, never seen braided shielding here. It's tin coated, though, not silver, that much I know.
The shielding is also the ground, one guy I spoke to in cabling said it's probably some sort of data cable. Is the mesh shield metal or synthetic? If it's synthetic then it's fireproofing, we use a similar tape wrap to fireproof our multiconductor SEU cable. If it's metallic then it's a shield/ground. |
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Communication in building automation systems. + signal, - signal, reference and drain.
Control of building automation systems end devices. + power, - power, control signal output and drain. Reading of building automation systems end device, + power, - power, control signal input and drain. As you can tell I work with building automation systems. |
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Communication in building automation systems. + signal, - signal, reference and drain. Control of building automation systems end devices. + power, - power, control signal output and drain. Reading of building automation systems end device, + power, - power, control signal input and drain. As you can tell I work with building automation systems. I work in automation in hazordous areas. I have not seen braided shields on instrumentation cable. It is used on profibus cables though. This is what I deal with in single, four, ten, and sixteen pairs. 
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I'm guessing the conductors are silver plated copper, the shield is the same thing I think with some form of thin plastic holding it all together. http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg586/zap_uh_lack/null_zps80484fc6.jpg That braided stuff isn't shielding, It's armor. Check this out Linkaroo Also, you're conductors are tinned not silver plated. Does it have anything printed on it like IEEE45? |
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That braided stuff isn't shielding, It's armor. Check this out Linkaroo Also, you're conductors are tinned not silver plated. Does it have anything printed on it like IEEE45? Quoted:
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I'm guessing the conductors are silver plated copper, the shield is the same thing I think with some form of thin plastic holding it all together. http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg586/zap_uh_lack/null_zps80484fc6.jpg That braided stuff isn't shielding, It's armor. Check this out Linkaroo Also, you're conductors are tinned not silver plated. Does it have anything printed on it like IEEE45? I think the braid on his cable is for RFI shielding. We use armored cable on a few things (4c 12AWG) and it does not look similar. |
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If there's no markings on the outer jacket then I think that it's safe to say that it's nothing special. Coating on conductors could be silver or it could be tin. Tin will look greyer and will oxidize to dirty chalky looking color upon exposure to moisture. Silver will be very shiny and will stay that way unless it's exposed to sulfur or sulfur containing material such as rubber in which case it will turn black. Put a rubber band around the bare conductor and see if it turns black with a few days.
My guess is that you have some kind of low to medium grade low frequency cable made for microphones or intercom system. |
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I think the braid on his cable is for RFI shielding. We use armored cable on a few things (4c 12AWG) and it does not look similar. Quoted:
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I'm guessing the conductors are silver plated copper, the shield is the same thing I think with some form of thin plastic holding it all together. http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg586/zap_uh_lack/null_zps80484fc6.jpg That braided stuff isn't shielding, It's armor. Check this out Linkaroo Also, you're conductors are tinned not silver plated. Does it have anything printed on it like IEEE45? I think the braid on his cable is for RFI shielding. We use armored cable on a few things (4c 12AWG) and it does not look similar. Are you sure that armor is copper and not aluminum. Usually the braid is either aluminum or brass. We used to buy this stuff for use on the deck from LF Gaubert in New Orleans. I hated dealing with it because I'm allergic to bleeding. 
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Are you sure that armor is copper and not aluminum. Usually the braid is either aluminum or brass. We used to buy this stuff for use on the deck from LF Gaubert in New Orleans. I hated dealing with it because I'm allergic to bleeding. Quoted:
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I'm guessing the conductors are silver plated copper, the shield is the same thing I think with some form of thin plastic holding it all together. http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg586/zap_uh_lack/null_zps80484fc6.jpg That braided stuff isn't shielding, It's armor. Check this out Linkaroo Also, you're conductors are tinned not silver plated. Does it have anything printed on it like IEEE45? I think the braid on his cable is for RFI shielding. We use armored cable on a few things (4c 12AWG) and it does not look similar. Are you sure that armor is copper and not aluminum. Usually the braid is either aluminum or brass. We used to buy this stuff for use on the deck from LF Gaubert in New Orleans. I hated dealing with it because I'm allergic to bleeding. The stuff we use is brass armor. Terminating it sucks. |