An ongoing thread elsewhere is discussing wires and cables, and which is which. 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. Correct?
But that introduces flex. Perhaps a cable containing multi strand wires is a flex, not a cable whereas a cable containing single strand wires really is a cable? So a telephone cable really is a cable, as is standard T&E.
What about figure of eight profile bell wire? Two multi strand wires, moulded together, a flex, or is flex really only an abbreviation of flexible cable?
Non electrical multi strand cables? Are they really hawsers?
In message snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, "Archibald Tarquin Blenkinsopp ESQ [IRL]" snipped-for-privacy@mail.com writes
Hadn't thought about leads. A lead contains multiple wires, all multi core (?) so a lead is the same as a flex or cable - or is a lead a cable with connectors fitted?
Cable means something with conductors & insulation. Flex is short for flexible cable, and describes the use of stranded conductors. So: T&E, bell wire: non stranded conductors hence cable. lamp flex, phone lead: stranded conductors hence flex. Lead means flex or cable with connectors fitted at the ends. Non-electrical wire I know far less about.
PS before wire there were chains. Circuit diagrams from the very early days were pictorial drawings and showed chains & bars as conductors.
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.
We use 4mm leads & 2mm leads which are a single conductor in an insulator, we also have test leads on our meters, and we have BNC leads (single core+ screen) , and IEC leads we used to have phono leads too, all have insulation.
I tend to use the term cable for a piece of multicore wire that isn't terminated by a connector of any type. Which nicely means I can buy a reel of cable, or a reel of wire which is single conductor.
But we do have extention leads and extention cable, but no extention wires. But I do have USB leads and USB cables.
Our problems come when we have to describe the differnce between solder with lead and a lead, and why our 4mm leads measure longer than 4mm in lenght. And then the differnce between bolts and screws, and roundheads, cheeseheads, countersunk, hex, allen, torx, star washers, shakeproof washers. I've heard some people use the word lead for the thing they put around their dog to take it for walks. Some nick lead off of church rooves too.
The most recent problem was last week when a research student asked me for some magnet wire. Apparently this in the new name for what I've been calling enameled copper wire. I was then asked is that the same as transformer wire. He then asked me (looking at the label on the 35+ year old spool[1] of wire why don't they put the diameter of the wire on the label and what does 38 swg mean. [1] it's not a reel it's a spool ;-)
I'll eliminate cord, as I think of that as an Americanism meaning the same as lead. Possibly.
I've never really looked at a TOSlink cable, but doesn't it have a braid around the optical bit?
I think calling a HDMI cable a cord or wire is just ignorance or laziness, or just general acceptance of an incorrect term. The proper term must be cable. There are people who say plug when referring to a wall socket.
constantine perhaps, which was used as resistance wire for making low value resistors usually less than 1 ohm. we have a reel of that on wood and has been here 40+ years.
for posh people.
for brahms as litz peole aka drunk, I think this is used in headphone cables.
we have another sort which is karna(SP) wire it was used in older computer mainly mainframe for wire wrap connections.
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 :)
Indeed - although we do refer to cordless tools rather than leadless...
No, its just a plastic clad plastic optical fibre. (part of the attraction bing it introduces no electrical connection or ground loop path between bits of equipment)
Since its a made up lead with terminations, then I would suggest its a lead made from a multicore flexible cable with HDMI male connectors on each end!
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