Welding Cable Options
The main difference between an electrical wire and a welding cable is their insulation or jacket. The welding cable is going to have a much more flexible rubber jacket than the PVC jackets seen on most electrical wires. Also to help increase the flexibility of the welding cables the copper conductors are made differently than the copper conductors in electrical wire.
Welding Cable
Welding cable is typically used in machine shops and more industrial applications. Because of this the cable needs to have a jacket that is strong enough to stand up to the tough conditions of the work place. This specific cable has great abrasion resistance, good color retention and great flexibility. The jacket on welding cables it usually made out of neoprene or EPDM. These wires are able to handle up to 600 volts of electricity and temperatures ranging from -40°C to 90°C. The cables also come in sizes ranging from 6 AWG all the way to 500 MCM, also they are UL, CSA, MSHA, and RoHS approved.
DLO Cable
DLO stands for Diesel Locomotive Cable and they are made with a stranded tinned copper conductor. They are made with dual jackets to be tough enough to stand daily abuse, extreme temperatures, and an overall highly stressful industrial environment. DLO cable is excellent at resisting abrasion, impact, oils, acids, heat, alkalies, and flames. This kind of welding cable is deal for applications such as diesel electric locomotives, flexible power leads in conduit or raceways, and it is also great for motor leads. The temperature rating on this cable is approved for up to 90°C. They are also approved to be able to handle up to 2,000 volts of electricity.
Super Welding Cable
Now super welding cable can sometimes be used as battery cables. This kind of cable is more flexible because it is made with a rubber jacket instead of the typical PVC like a normal welding cable. The conductor is also typically made out of 34 awg strands to help increase the flexibility of the wire. The super welding cable has good color retention and is safety colored with an orange jacket. The welding cable is also has approvals from MSHA, UL and CSA, and it is resistant to weather, ozone and abrasions.
Looking for the right kind of welding cable for an application can be tricky. There are a lot of options out there and each one is different. It is important to know just what you are looking for before making a purchase. Each one of these cables is ideal for a different application. All of these welding cable options are abrasion resistant and resistant to a number of chemicals and substances that could possibly be spilled at a work site.
Written By: WesBell Electronics Inc.