Why Is flexibility important in Welding Cables?
A welding cable is a specific cable type for welder machines used in batteries and power applications as long as it is appropriately rated. Because of the working conditions where this cable is used, it has to be highly flexible and durable. This is one of the reasons why only welding cables are used in welding machines.
Durability is needed because the cable is to withstand harsh conditions. Curious about what is the deal with flexibility. Read this blog by Nassau National Cable, an e-commerce platform specializing in all types of wire and cable, including welding cables.
What Is It About Flexibility?
Among the unique features of welding cables, flexibility is perhaps the most important. Since welding cables are first and foremost created for arc-welding, they have to adhere to its rules. A welder person moves the electrode among the construction of the welding machine when performing the welding. Since this movement has to happen fast, the welder’s cable has to move quickly and be as flexible as possible. A welding cable has to be twisted and bent with ease.
To be flexible, a welding cable always has a stranded copper conductor because stranded wires are superior to solid ones in terms of flexibility. Welding cable never has a solid conductor.
Welding Cable’s Flexibility and High Strand Number
Not only does the welding cable have a stranded copper conductor, but it also requires a high number of strands, more than any other cable with a stranded copper conductor. If the strand count were lower, the welding cable would be too stiff to perform an adequate job. The issue of stiffness cannot be reduced by using a lower cable gauge because it would decrease the current-carrying capacity critical to welding cables. The cable has to be thick in any case. Therefore, instead of reducing the gauge, manufacturers solve the issue of potential stiffness by making the cable with a high number of strands.
In addition to many strands, welding cables have rubber insulation that enhances their flexibility. Common insulations include chlorinated polyethylene (CPU), neoprene, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), and other types of rubber. Some manufacturers make their own rubber insulation explicitly designed for welding cables.
Class K vs. Class M Cable Stranding
The two most common types of stranding in welding cables are Class K and Class M stranding. Welding cables with this type of stranding are Class K and Class M welding cables. So, what is the difference between the two? The most common cable out of two, Class K, has a conductor with 30 AWG strands. It features an EPDM insulation in the majority of cases. Aside from welding leads, this type of cable is a popular choice for batteries.
A more expensive and less common alternative, Class M welding cable has almost the same type of conductor, but the number of strands is higher at 34 AWG. This makes Class M welding cable superior in terms of flexibility and durability. This cable is also used in welding leads and batteries but is also great for power applications as long as it is double-rated as RHH/RHW-2. The insulation for this type of cable is either EPDM or neoprene.
Where To Get Welding Cables?
Nassau National Cable sells all types of welding cables at excellent prices, including Class M cables, Class K cables, ultra flex welding cables, connectors for welding cables, and many others. Most of these cables are double-rated as RHH/RHW-2, meaning they are suitable for other applications besides welding leads.
