Cabling

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Cabling encompasses the tools, techniques and practices for installing wire and cable, usually in the context of electrical or electronic applications.

Selecting cable[edit]

Electrical power[edit]

Cable of a certain diameter, for a given conductive material, is rated for carrying a maximum current.

Cable distance[edit]

In the telecommunications industry, a good rule of thumb to multiply the straight-line distance, between two points, by 3 to get the needed cable length, considering the turns and bends necessary to get through structures. A smaller multiplier can be used for well-defined straight-line applications such as overhead point-to-point cable; a larger value may be needed when running through old buildings with construction practices that did not anticipate cabling.

Electronic applications[edit]

Excess cable[edit]

When running cable between points, it is often wise, at the endpoints, to leave some extra length beyond where it is threaded through a wall or conduit, or stapled to a surface. The extra length, however, should not simply dangle, but be managed inside a terminal box, or as a deliberately free length. This applies equally well to the humble extension cord.

Rather than dangling, form extra cable into gentle oval loops, and then put cable ties around the loops. There are several reasons for doing this.

First, thicker electronic cables, such as coaxial and optical fiber, have a specified minimum bending radius.

Second, tight coils can cause the cable to act as an antenna and "leak" signal into other cables. A good rule of thumb is to keep radio and radar cables at least 3 feet/1 meter from any other cables.