Armored Cable

The inside story on armored cable

Today's produces supply armored cable for household, commercial and industrial use. There are two major kinds, Kind MC and Type AC. Though both are armored cables, MC stands for Metal-Clad Cable television and AC for Armored Cable television. Type AC is the newer version of older BX cable television. MC and AC cable televisions are comparable, particularly when reviewed exteriorly, yet they differ in many essential ways on the within.

Exactly how do these two armored cable television constructions compare?

Fabricated AC cable incorporates two to 4 copper conductors located within an outer steel or aluminum sheath. Each insulated conductor is enclosed in a fiber wrap. AC cable television could include an insulated conductor for grounding, though it will consistently have a 16 AWG, or American Wire Gauge, aluminum bonding strip for this. Conductor sizes vary from 14 to one AWG. This general construction is slightly different from MC cable.

MC cable has one or more insulated conductors and perhaps multiple insulated grounding conductors. MC cable television insulated conductors could be either copper or aluminum. Its conductor sizes range from 18 AWG to 2000 kcmil for copper and 12 AWG to 2000 kcmil for aluminum. For reference, 1 kcmil = 0.5067 mm . MC cable television might additionally include optical fibers. In this instance, it's called a Kind MC-OF cable television, and it's a composite cable television. A Type MC cable television's bundled lines are shielded by a total plastic sheath, which in turn is enclosed within a metal sheath. This metal sheath might be one of 3 types: corrugated copper or aluminum, a tape of interlocking steel or aluminum, or smooth aluminum.

Precisely how do MC and AC armored cable applications vary?

While there are applications where either Type MC or AC is acceptable, this isn't constantly the situation. For instance, both kinds of cables are a great choice for wiring a property. They both resist fire, crushing and penetration by nails. They're likewise rodent proof. Wet or damp conditions nevertheless, omit Type AC cable, yet not Type MC. MC cable television can be used if one of these three conditions are fulfilled: its metal sheath will not let moisture in, the conductors under its metal cover are designated for wet conditions or the metal sheath has a jacket below it.

Exactly how are the two armored cable television types rapidly differentiated?

Because these two armored cable televisions are remarkably similar, exactly what's a quick means to inform them aside? Presented the variables specified earlier for each cable television, its crucial to merely think of that AC cable television will always have a 16 AWG aluminum bond line and each of its conductors will consistently be wrapped by having fiber. The MC cable does not have either of these, and its insulated conductors are covered by a plastic wrap within the metal armored covering.

These are a couple points about MC and AC cable televisions and the inside story on similarities and differences in their construction and usage. All of this is incredibly important to know in order to utilize either variety of armored cable to drastically benefit any type of prepared construction or repair job.


To get more useful information, please check out electrical wires; or you should also visit armored cable wires.