Armored cable: properties and scope of application, laying in the ground

Man has been using cable systems to transmit electricity ever since electricity was invented. These products are produced in a large assortment, and the right brand is selected to solve a specific problem. Recently, an armored cable is widely used - a power electrical wire with additional protection.

Design and scope

Power cables are often laid in areas of high traffic of people and vehicles. To avoid damage to the insulating layer, which could create a hazardous situation, an armored cable is used, having the following constituent elements:

1. Insulation is a material that insulates conductors from each other. Insulation can be made of paper, rubber, PVC, etc.
2. Conductive metal conductors with different cross-sections, the number of which may be different. The veins themselves are different: round, flat, segment, rectangular, sector.
3. Placeholders. By filling the space between the insulation, they create a segment of the mechanical strength and rigidity of the product. This can be paper, rubber, oil, polymers, etc. The aggregates must have dielectric characteristics and sealing properties.
   instagram viewer
4. Shields are special wire braids that are used to reduce the effects of electromagnetic radiation. Shields also help the electrical field generated by the cable to be symmetrical. Screens are made of semi-conductive paper, sheathed metals and other materials.
5. The cable sheath is needed to protect against mechanical overload and damage, as well as against moisture penetration into the inner part.
6. The cushion of the shell serves to protect the protective shells from damage from the side of the armor bands.
7. The armored layer is represented by interlaced galvanized tape layers. It protects live conductors from various types of damage during installation and operation. Tape armor is much more reliable than wire armor, but also much more expensive.

Armored cable can be laid either manually or mechanically, depending on the properties of the soil and the type of wires. This cable is resistant to high temperatures and humidity, as well as to changes in weather conditions. Today, the design of personal plots and country houses has become very popular.

With the help of armored cable systems, lamps, pumping devices for irrigating trees and plantations are installed. Armored cable is mainly used in the installation of underground electrical wiring, but can can also be used for work on open surfaces, when additional protection from accidental damage.

Armor types and markings

The armor of the power cable is made of different materials, the price and quality of the product depends on it. The product with galvanized steel tape can be used in areas where there is a possibility of damage to cable networks. A cable equipped with a galvanized steel wire protection will be suitable in high humidity conditions. Steel corrugated tape armored cable is the best option for underground installation.

For the correct selection of the right cable, you need to know its marking, the standard of which is the same for all types. A marking code is a set of letters and numbers, where each of the symbols means a special property or technical characteristics of the product:

1. The metal from which the conductors are made. If there is the letter "A", then this is an aluminum cable, if this letter is not there, then the cable is made of copper
2. Screen. The letter "E" - there is a shielded layer, the absence of "E" means that there is no screen
3. Armor layer. "B" - two-tape steel armor, and if the letter "b" is next to it, there is no bituminous cushion; "K" - wire armor.
4. The shape of the veins. The letter "o" denotes monolithic conductors, the letter "m" - multi-wire; "c" - segment; round - with the letter "k".

Other letters may be indicated on the product, which indicate the fire characteristics of the cable. Modern manufacturers offer various models of these products.

Advantages and disadvantages

The obvious advantage of armored cable products is strength and reliability.The following positive aspects should be noted the presence of special armor in the cable:

1. Resistant to corrosion and high humidity.
2. Long service life - up to 50 years.
3. Unpretentiousness to storage conditions.
4. Simplicity of styling.
5. Resistance to various temperatures: from - 50 to + 50, maximum high temperature - 90 degrees.
6. A wide range allows you to choose the right armored product for use in any industry.

It is impossible to remain silent about one existing drawback: the armored wire is not flexible. This is not such a big problem when the electrical networks are laid for many kilometers. When it is necessary to use a flexible product, the industry offers a special version of the cable, in which a steel wire spiral plays a protective role.

Laying the cable in the ground

When conducting electricity to the house, you can use the air and underground methods. Recently, the second has been used more often, since there is no need to install poles, and this is unnecessary costs and inconveniences. But in order to properly perform underground laying, need to choose a wire. As the best option for this case, experts recommend an armored cable for laying in the ground.

As in any business, here you need to follow the mandatory rules and follow the instructions. At the stage of preparation, it is necessary to draw up a project, which will indicate the path of the cable. If this is done somewhere outside the city, at the dacha, then crossing with other underground lines is hardly possible, but in the city, this should not be forgotten. As for the depth of the trench, it should be from 80 to 150 cm.

Sand or special fiber 15 cm thick is poured into the dug trench to create a thermal cushion. Under no circumstances should combustible material be used. If you cannot clear the pit of debris, then you can fill in a concrete case. After tamping, the preparation can be considered complete. When purchasing a cable, you must take into account the current and future load (TV, stove, washing machine, etc.).

The prepared wire is laid loosely on the sand cushion without tension, the turns should be smooth, without sharp bends of the wire. DFurther actions are aimed at protecting the wiring from external influences:

1. When laying a line, a cable with a small cross-section is used to illuminate the site; it is covered from above with a film or mesh. Before laying, it is necessary to check the laying area, any damage found is insulated.
2. If the line is laid in the ground, then the trench is covered with sand with a thickness of at least 10 cm, and it is closed on top with a red brick. Additional protection can be provided by a signal tape distributed along the contour of the laid cable. The brick must be laid across the direction of installation.
3. It is imperative to ground the armor by checking the resistance to avoid short circuits.
4. The trench is covered with soil and compacted. In this case, one should not forget about removing the ends of the wire from the ground to the connection points.

It is not recommended to do this work with your own hands. Only specialists who have been approved for high voltage work may make these connections. In addition, a special document is issued for accepting the track to work and connecting to the house.