cables and wires – The right wire for connections

Cables transport electricity, very easily. But not every cable is suitable for all purposes.

Electricity in the house and apartment is in fixed lines – mostly in or under plaster -distributed and is at tapping points such. B. sockets available. Until then, cables with rigid individual conductors are used, from the tapping points, electrical devices are connected with flexible cables (z.B. Power cord of a kitchen appliance) connected. Usually these lines are three-wire. The wires, which have been insulated once again, are hidden under a sheath: The live phase is identified by brown or black insulation, the current-returning center conductor, also called neutral, wears blue insulation, and the protective conductor is yellow-green insulated.

Metal parts of electrical consumers are connected to the protective conductor as a safety measure, also known as earth or grounding conductor, tied together.

Do these parts become live, for example due to a defect such as a kinked supply line, the life-threatening current is discharged via the protective conductor.

Two-core mains cables with flat European plugs are only permitted on devices with double protective insulation.

Which line?

A cable has a common sheath for several wires that belong together. Wires are differentiated by construction, Wire thickness and number of wires. The cores of cables for permanent installation, in or under plaster consist of solid copper wires. Flexible and highly flexible cables have stranded wires, twisted together from many individual wires. The strength of a vein, the cable cross-section in mm2, means, for which currents, the maximum load in amperes (Category), she is suitable: A leader with 1,5 mm2 can withstand a load of 16 Category. With mains power from 220 Volt (Category) can connect consumers with a power of 3520 Watt (W) be connected (Volt x Ampere = Watt). A three-wire cable, z.B. the bridge line NYIF-J, is denoted by 3 x 1,5 mm2.

■ Stegleitungen: flat cable for fixed installation in and under plaster, not allowed outdoors, in the ground and in the splash area of ​​showers and bathtubs.

■ Mantelleitungen (NYM): permanent installation in, under and over plaster, not permitted for laying in the ground.

■ Erdkabel (NYY): Laying in cable ducts and in the ground.

■ Flexible Leitungen: for connecting mobile consumers, z.B. domestic appliances, PVC-coated cables for normal use, for heavier loads rubber hose lines.

ring or roll?
■ Kabel werden im SB-Regal als konfektionierte Ringe angeboten. The labels inform about length, number of veins, cross-sections and intended use. Custom work is often cheaper: Loose cable from the reel can be purchased in any length, the running meter is cheaper, the waste less.

ready-made goods
Connecting cables for electric cooker, coffee machine, Toaster, Turntables and irons do not need to be made from individual components. If these supply lines are due to be replaced, appropriately assembled goods are selected: cooker connection cable (H05W-F), three-wire mains cable (H03VV-F) with molded protective contact plug, two-wire mains cable (H03VV-F) with a molded European flat plug and the braided iron connection cable (H03RT-F/3) with protective contact plug are inexpensive and facilitate repairs or new installations.