Retro cable: description and features of do-it-yourself outdoor wiring

Today, when home improvement, it has become popular and even fashionable to use it as a decorative element outdoor wiring, which has been ubiquitous for several decades back. This is done using a retro cable, which is produced in a large assortment by domestic and foreign manufacturers, using the most modern technologies.

Description and specifications

A twisted cable for "semi-antique" wiring is made of stranded copper wire, packed in two sheaths of PVC insulation. On top of the second one, additional textile insulation is applied, which is impregnated with a special compound. The wires are twisted in pairs with a specific pitch applied to each pair. Fireproof, able to withstand weather conditions from -20 to + 70 degrees.

This cable is intended for carrying out internal electrical work, and with its help, data and telephone signals are transmitted at the set frequencies.

A twisted, or decorative, retro cable is used in any industry, including when organizing lighting. The casing can be made from different materials:

1. Polyurethane. A very durable and at the same time quite elastic material, in many industries it is an excellent substitute for rubber and even some metals. And all this is due to properties such as resistance to acids and engine oils, the ability to resist an open flame.
2. Elastomer. Highly elastic material, during the operational load, is able to stretch to a length that is many times greater than the initial one, and return to its original size when this load is not required.
3. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Also elastic, lightweight material, inexpensive, but not very durable.

The twisted cable is used as a finishing and decorative material in the most daring and original design ideas, in any color scheme. In terms of sales, the most preferred colors are gray, black and white. Polyurethane (PUR) retro wire, which is considered the most popular, has good shielding effect, can resist any kind of electromagnetic interference, in comparison with other cables has excellent chemical properties.

It is increasingly used in mobile lighting, in the development of technical robots, in the device of control and measuring equipment. The cable is produced both abroad and in Russia. The best manufacturer is the Italian company Gambarelli. The price of the wire is quite high - from two to five dollars per meter, but it is of high quality. The cable is rigid, convenient for home wiring on insulators. Of the Russian enterprises, one can single out the Gusev electrical goods factory, where the following branded switches are produced:

Retrowiring and its elements

At the heart of retro wiring, like any other, is a conductive cable consisting of two and three twisted wires. They are laid on walls and ceilings and fixed on insulators in the form of rollers. For work, a twisted wire with vinyl insulation and an outer fabric braid is taken. The latter can be either fabric or fiberglass. Expensive, high-end cables have an outer layer of silk thread. Typically, for semi-antique wiring, a copper cable with a one and a half millimeter cross section is used.

The main elements of external wiring are as follows:

1. Insulators. Needed to mount the decorative wire to the wall. They are mainly made of ceramics, but there is also a cheaper option - plastic ones. Both are resistant to humidity and temperature changes. Porcelain rollers should decorate the room, so you can buy products with paintings or different colors. The shape of the insulators in cross-section is similar to the figure of eight. The top part can be of different diameters depending on the thickness of the wire. When using a two-wire one, any insulators will do, a three-wire wire will require a larger size. One to three rollers will be required for 1 meter of a retro-wire.
2. Junction boxes. With the help of them, distribution of the cable is much easier. All wires are collected here, and voltage distributions go to sockets and switches. Without them, you will have to pull the wires from the switchboard to each device. There are no restrictions on the installation of boxes, except for their safe location on the wall and distance from sources of moisture. If there are small children and animals in the house, the boxes are masked or installed in safe places.
3. Switches and sockets. Used for outdoor installation. Manufacturers produce all appliances in a vintage style. European products are of high quality.

There are great advantages to outdoor decorative wiring. First of all, it is easy to install: no need to drill the walls. If a malfunction occurs, it is easy to fix it.

If it is necessary to rearrange the furniture, the wires can also be moved to another place without much difficulty.

Installation features

First you need to decide where the switches, sockets and various electrical appliances, lamps will be located, and make a preliminary drawing of the future installation. So that the furniture does not cover the outlet or switch, its future place should be accurately determined. Will need to spend such preparatory work:

1. Decide how many switches, sockets, and junction boxes you need to have in your home.
2. Determine at what height from the floor the installation will be made.
3. Mark on the drawing the places where you plan to install the fixtures.
4. Calculate how many insulators are required if they are installed every half a meter. For example, for 100 meters of wire, you need to purchase 200 pieces.

Since a cable with a large cross-section cannot be used for open wiring, you will have to do ordinary wiring in some room. For the safety of the wiring, it is necessary to observe the following recommendations:

1. Porcelain rollers should be at least 40 mm from the edges of sockets, switches and junction boxes.
2. If, with the vertical arrangement of the cable, the insulators are at a half-meter distance from each other, then with the horizontal it should be slightly less.
3. To ensure the rotation of the wire, you need to put two insulators at an acute angle.
4. The rollers must be fastened with self-tapping screws.

Wires are connected with solder or using terminals. To ensure a secure connection of the cord to the roller, the use of heat shrink tubing is recommended.

To combine the color and length of the insulators, you first need to select the latter, then the fasteners. In order to secure the rollers to the wall as firmly as possible, the screws should be selected according to their length. Step-by-step installation done like this:

1. The sockets rise higher above the floor so as not to catch on with a leg or chair leg.
2. A connection scheme for terminal devices is selected, which determines the future operation of the system.
3. The marking of the route is made with a laser level, a suitable one is selected.
4. Insulators are attached according to the bills.
5. Installation boxes are installed.
6. Wire connection and desoldering.

In country houses and cottages, where outdoor wiring retrocable is most often used, there are usually many lighting fixtures and various household appliances. In this regard, during installation, it is necessary to purchase copper wires with an increased cross section. The twisted design of the wiring in the house solves many problems.