What is Multi-conductor cable?
Multi-conductor cables are a single variation of twisted cable, and each cable houses at least two (and often many) different conductors within a common housing. Depending on the configuration, these cables can offer up to 60 different conductors, all grouped in a braided cable product, with solid and twisted conductors coiled together.
The multiconductor cable is available in 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 AWG in a wide variety of configurations and features annealed twisted tinned copper wire.
There are three types of multi-conductor cable
Non-plenum or riser cable Multiconductor Cable:
Non-plenum or riser cable extends between the floors and in non-plenum construction areas. In general, both full and non-full cables require high tensile strength, as they can run or hang through open conduits on a regular basis.
Plenum cables:
The plenum cables are specially designed to work through the plenum spaces of a building and the areas of the HVAC system. Requiring unique jackets and insulation to withstand extreme temperatures and rigorous fire safety codes and standards, they often feature low smoke PVC or FEP materials.
Shielded cable:
The shielded cable incorporates a common conductive layer under its cover, which offers the cable a Faraday cage. This electromagnetic shield minimizes noise and interference to maintain signal clarity and also reduces electromagnetic radiation.
The uses of Multi-conductor cable:
The use of multiconductor cables to connect field devices is widespread and is accepted by the standard, if in the safety analysis of a system the opening, the short circuit and the ground connection of the cable are not considered failure conditions.
In the example shown above figure, the multiconductor cable includes different intrinsically safe circuits.
Over time, the cable could be damaged and cause a short circuit in the cables of different circuits; therefore, the voltages may be present or the current may circulate in dangerous locations, which are greater than those of each circuit.