Inner conductor

The inner conductor is the heart of the cable and defines the flexibility and conductivity of a cable.  Several different materials and alloys are used to create these conductors, each with their specific applications and advantages. Below you find a list of different cable conductors and their advantages.

Solid copper

Solid copper

The signal cables consist of a solid inner conductor. Typically, you will find solid core wires in situations where the wire is not designed to be continuously flexed and where the wire may be exposed to corrosive elements or adverse weather condition. A solid copper core can achieve an even more compact diameter than a stranded wire with the same current carrying capability.

Stranded copper

Stranded copper

A stranded copper wire is more flexible and easier to install than a large single-strand wire with the same cross section. Stranding improves wire life in applications where flexibility is needed. A particular cross section of a stranded conductor gives it essentially the same resistance characteristics as a single-strand conductor, but with added flexibility.

Stranded copper clad aluminum

Stranded copper clad aluminum

Copper clad aluminum allows cables to utilize all of the benefits that copper has to offer, while maintaining a much more affordable price tag. CCA is made by bonding a layer of pure copper onto an aluminum core. A CCA core cable obviously contains less copper than a pure copper cable, but it delivers virtually the same conductivity with only slightly higher resistance.

Stranded tinned Copper

Stranded tinned Copper

Tin is a useful plating for copper because it not only helps to boost copper’s properties, it also helps the wire to last much longer and counter acts against oxidation. Tin also helps to strengthen the copper wire, making it more resilient to breakage or lost connections, at the same time boosting the coppers conductivity.

Stranded silver-plated copper

Stranded silver-plated copper

Silver-plated copper combines high corrosion resistance and better conductivity with a bright and shiny surface of silver. The better conductivity of the outer silver layer makes this type of cable the perfect choice for high frequency wires.

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