Common Terms Related to Power Cords
Abrasion Resistance - The ability of a power cable
or material to resist surface wear.
Alternating Current (AC) - A current flow whose
direction changes in regular cycles.
American Wire Gauge (AWG) - The North American
standardized wire and cable-sizing system for identifying wire
of copper conductors. The higher the gauge number, the smaller
Ampere (A) - Unit that expresses rate of flow
of an electrical current. One ampere is the current flowing through
one OHM of resistance at one
Ampacity - Also known as “current carrying capacity,” it
is the capability of handling electric current, as expressed
Arc Resistance – The time it takes for an arc to create a conductive
path in a material.
Boot - A protective layer covering any part
of a conductor or cable, as well as its insulation or jacket.
Braid - A covering of one or more wires made
from fibrous or metallic filaments that are interwoven in cylindrical
Breakdown Voltage - The amount of voltage at
which the insulation between two conductors or a conductor and
Bunch Stranding - The twisting of wires together
within the same frequency, in order to achieve a specific gauge.
CEE - International Color Code. (See Inner Conductor
Cold Flow - Irreversible damage of the insulation
due to the mechanical force of pressure.
Conductivity - A term describing the capability
of any material to carry an electrical charge, typically expressed
of the percentage of conductivity of copper, which has 100% conductivity.
Conductor - Any material in which electrons
can freely move from atom to atom (i.e. electrical current flow).
which are usually metal, could be a wire that is solid or a stranded
Conduit - A tube or trough through which wires
and cables are run.
Continuity Check - A test used to determine
if an electrical current will flow continuously throughout
the length of a wire
Cord - A small insulated flexible cable made to
withstand mechanical abuse.
CSA - Canadian Standards Association -This
is a nonprofit, independent organization that operates a
listing service for electrical materials
and equipment in the Canadian counterpart of the Underwriters
Dielectric - An insulating material
used in a cable to shield one conductor from another.
Direct Current (DC) - Electric current
that flows in one direction only.
Electrical Circuit - The complete
path of an electrical current. An electrical circuit is considered
to be an open circuit when
the continuity is broken and a closed circuit when continuity
Europlug - An international plug used
by many European countries. Europlug is the common name for
the CEE 7/16 2.5 amp, Class
Fatigue Resistance - Resistance to
the crystallization of metal, eventually leading to the breakage
of conductors and wires
due to flexing.
Flanged Inlets/Outlets - A flanged
nylon housing that permits mounting in a panel on the front
of the equipment for an electrical
or outlet, which is held in place by screws and bolts.
Frequency - The number of times an
alternating current repeats its cycle in one second, measured
in Hertz (Hz). The standard
international frequency is 50Hz, while the standard North
Gauge - An indication of the physical
size of a wire or the wire diameter specifications. The number
of the gauge is in
an inverse relationship to the size of the wire (i.e. the
larger the wire,
the smaller the gauge
Ground - A complete circuit accomplished
through a conductive connection between an electrical circuit
and the earth or another
Hi-pot - A test designed to determine
the highest potential of voltage that can be applied to a
conductor without breaking
through the pvc insulation.
High Voltage - Generally considered
to be any operating voltage over 600 volts.
ICC - International Color Code on the inner
conductors (blue, brown, green with yellow stripe).
IEC 60320 - Formerly “IEC 320,” it
is the International Electrotechnical Commission standard
that applies to a series
of connectors, plugs, outlets and inlets designed for use
on electrical or electronic
equipment, including such portable equipment as computers,
printers and medical equipment.
Insulated Wire - A conductor of electricity
covered by a non-conducting material.
Insulation - Any material having high
resistance to the flow of electric current that protects
the inner conductors of an
Inner Conductor Colors:
Green w/yellow stripe
Material, usually extruded plastic or elastomer that covers wire and
cable, providing protection and
Kilowatt (kW) - A unit of power equal to one thousand
Line Cord - A cord that ends with a plug
at one end and is utilized for connecting equipment to a power
Loss - The dissipation of energy without
accomplishing useful work.
Molded Plug - A connector molded on
one or both ends of a cable or cord.
Multi-conductor - A cord or cable
complex containing more than one conductor.
N.A. - North American color code on the
inner conductors (black, white & green).
National Electric Code (NEC) - A compilation
of wiring practices and requirements from the National Fire
Neoprene - Is a synthetic rubber that
has good resistance to chemical, oil and flame.
Nylon - An abrasion resistant thermoplastic
with effective chemical resistance that is utilized for cable
and wire jackets,
devices, connectors and plugs.
OD - Abbreviation for outside diameter.
Ohm - A unit of measurement referring
to electrical resistance.
Outlet - A female connection that
supplies access to electricity from a source of power.
Pin and Sleeve - A receptacle, connector
or plug that has round pins or sleeve-type contacts.
Plug - Also called an “attachment plug,” it
is the cable mount portion of an electrical connection or
contact device that has pins or blades protruding from the
PVC - Polyvinyl chloride Compound used in thermoplastic
Power Supply Cord - An attachment plug molded to
a length of flexible cord. May also include a molded on strain relief,
or terminations on
the end opposite of the plug.
Rated Voltage - The maximum voltage at which
an electric component can operator extended periods without undo
degradation or safety hazard.
Ribbed Outer jacket is serrated with ribs or lines.
Rip Cord - Two or more insulated conductors in a
parallel configuration which may be easily separated leaving the
insulation of each conductor
Sheath - Often referred to as a jacket,
it is the material that is applied to the outermost part
of a wire or cable. Sheaths
are typically made of extruded plastic or elastomer.
Shield - In cables, a metallic layer
that prevents electrostatic or electromagnetic interference
between wires and external
fields when placed around a conductor or group of conductors.
Signal - An information conveying
current, including digital, analog, audio and video information.
Single Phase - An electrical circuit
that has a neutral, a line and a ground.
Socket - A device that establishes
an electrical connection with plugs through tension connections.
Sockets could be metal
contacts that are either bent to receive the blade or pin
Strip - To remove pvc insulation away from
the copper conductors.
Stagger Cut - To shorten the lead length of a conductor
lead to make them various lengths.
Surge - Also called a “transient,” it
is the temporary and relatively large increase in the voltage
in an electric
circuit or cable.
Temperature Rating - The maximum temperature
at which the insulating material maybe used in continuous
operation without loss of
its basic properties.
Terminal - Any device or component attached
to the conductor by crimping, soldering or welding.
Tensile Strength - The pulling stress required
to break a given specimen of wire and or copper.
Three-phase - An electrical circuit
that holds three lines and a ground or three lines, a neutral
and a ground. The three
lines are 1201/4 out of phase with each other.
Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) - A jacketed material
which has many of the characteristics of rubber, as well as excellent
and chemical properties.
Thermosetting - A classification of resin which
cures by chemical reaction when heated and, when cured, can not
be re-softened by heating.
Tinned - A silver-white, ductile metal used
to coat copper conductors, especially when solder termination
to be used.
Tolerance The acceptable plus or minus deviation from specification
length or dimension.
UL Underwriters Laboratories - This is a nonprofit independent
organization that operates a listing service for electrical and electronic
materials and equipment.
Voltage Rating - The maximum voltage
that can be continuously applied to a wire in conformance
to standards or specifications.
VW-1 - Formerly designated as “FR-1,” it
is a rating established by UL for wire and cables that pass
designed vertical flame test for flammability.
Volt (V) - Unit of electomotive force. It is
the difference of potential required to make a current of
one ampere flow through a resistance of
Voltage - The term most often used in place
of electromotive fore, potential, difference or voltage drop,
designate electric pressure
that exists between two points and is capable of producing
a flow of current when a closed circuit is connected between
the two points.
Voltage Breakdown - Test to determine maximum
voltage of insulated wire before electrical current leakage flow
through the wire insulation.
W-A - UL designation for outdoor-approved
Watt - A unit of measurement that
refers to electric power.
Wire Gauge - Any standard system of
numerical designations for wire sizes (e.g. the AWG).