Terms Glossary
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| AAC | All Aluminum Conductor, Conductor made of aluminum, term used generally for bare conductors. |
| Abrasion resistance | Ability to resist superficial abrasion under a controlled test method. |
| Accelerated ageing | Process to apply temperature, voltage, etc. higher than the normal values of operation in order to observe the deterioration level on samples. |
| Accelerator | Substance that increases the speed at which a chemical reaction is developed under specific conditions. |
| Acceptance or Qualification tests | These are performed in order to verify the manufacture’s ability to provide equipment or components that meet approved characteristics. |
| ACREB g | Self supported multi-pair telephone cable (figure 8 or ASPB), for aerial installation, with isolation and PE cover, aluminum belt electrostatic shield and integral galvanized steel bracket, from 10 to 300 ps., to be used at a secondary network. |
| ACSR | Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced, Aluminum Cable with steel central reinforcement. |
| ACV | Telephone cord for aerial connection (2 X 18), two hard copper conductors gage 18 AWG and black PVC isolation, at a flat formation. |
| Admittance | Measures how easy it is for a conductor to face the power flow (contrary to impedance). |
| AEIC | Association of Edison Illuminating Companies. |
| Aerial cable | Air suspended cable, on poles or structures. |
| Ageing | Irreversible process that changes characteristics after being exposed to operation conditions for certain time term. |
| Air core cable | Telephone cable with an empty core in which the gaps between pairs are occupied by air. |
| AL | Chemical symbol for Aluminum. |
| Alloy | Metal formed by the combination of two or more metals to obtain some specific characteristics. |
| Alternating Current | Electrical current generally in a senoidal form, with a continuously changing direction, the change frequency is expressed in Hertz (cycles per second), and is 60 Hz. In Mexico. |
| Aluminum | Metal produced by electrolytic process where aluminum oxide is separated from its aluminum and oxygen components. |
| Alumoweld | Registered Trademark of Copperweld steel corp. for conductor formed by two metals, steel in the middle and aluminum on the surface, covering the steel. |
| Ampacity | See: Current Conduction Capacity. |
| Ampere | Electrical Current Unit. An Ampere is the current that flows through a resistance in an ohm to which a Volt voltage is applied. |
| ANCE | Asociacion de Normalización y Certificación (Standarization and Certification Association of the Mexican Independent Body which standardizes, certifies and verifies products). |
| Annealing | Elimination of mechanical efforts in metal conductors through thermal treatment on a metal to re-orient its clear structure and reach certain temper characteristics (gradual heating or cooling). |
| Annular type conductor | Circular section cable with wires around a core generally not conductor. |
| ANSI | American National Standards Institute. |
| Antioxidant | Substance that delays or avoids the degradation of other material exposed to air oxygen or peroxides. |
| Armor | Cable’s mechanical protection. This can be formed by a metallic tube, a layer of helicoidally arranged wires or hearts of steel, helicoidally arranged steel strips, or metal interlock armor (Aluminum or Steel). |
| Armored, cable | Cable with a mechanical protection (Armor). |
| ASPB | SEE : ACREB g. |
| ASTM | American Society for Testing and Materials. |
| Audio frequency | Range of audible frequency by the human ear, generally, from 20 to 20,000 Hz. |
| AWG | American Wire Gauge, standard used to design the wire or electrical cable gage (Diameter). |
| AWM | Appliance Wiring Material, UL designation under specification 758. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| B & S Gauge | Original name of the AWG Standard. |
| Bed | Protecting layer made of a soft material like jute, located on cables under the metal armor. This can also be extruded thermoplastic material. |
| Belt Cable | Multiple-conductor with an isolation layer on the set of insulated conductors. |
| BIL | Basic Impulse Level. This is the system’s capacity measure for excessive voltages resulting from atmospheric discharges or connection and disconnection operations. |
| Black smoke | Coal or graphite charges to pigment external cable coatings to be installed outdoors. |
| BPS | Digital transmission speed, measured in Bits Per Second. |
| Branches with a bow-tie form | Phenomenon that appears in the isolation of a cable. It generally has symmetrical form and it is originated in a cavity or a polluting agent and grows in two different ways. |
| Breakdown electric tension | Tension on which a breakdown discharge is identified through or on the isolation surface. |
| Bridge | Measuring circuit operating by balancing four impedance through which the same current flows: Examples:
|
| Butyl | Synthetic rubber, polymer of Isobutylene that contains small amounts of Isopropene. When vulcanized, this was used as electric isolation. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| C.A.T.V. | Community Antenna Television System. |
| Cable | Group of wires. These can be bare or insulated. |
| Cable dielectric | Part of the cable that isolate the conductor from other conductors or conductor or grounded parts. (See: Isolation). |
| Cable with no-fire propagation characteristic | Cable manufactured with specially designed materials to avoid a continuous combustion, and prevent the fire propagation. |
| Cable, Figure 8 | Aerial cable in which conductors and steel support are container in an integral coating in the shape of an 8. |
| Capacitance | Ratio between the electrostatic charge between two conductors and the potential difference required to keep that charge. |
| Cathode copper | Highly pure copper, refined through an electrolysis process and used in electrical conductors. |
| Cathodic protection | Metal corrosion reduction or prevention, it causes the cathode to protect the metal by using a direct current circuit. |
| Cavity | This is an interstice on an isolation not containing base isolating material. This may have gas or liquid and a potential point to form absorbency. |
| Characteristic Impedance | Impedance connected to the transmission line outlet to get a infinite length. |
| Charge current | Transitory current required to establish the potential difference in a capacitive system is determined by the capacitance in said system. |
| Charge factor | Ratio on the average charge value (electric power) corresponding to a determined time term and the maximum charge in the same term in an electrical system. |
| Charges | Inert substances added to thermoplastic or thermoset materials to get certain characteristics. |
| Circular Mil | Unit for measuring the transversal section of electric conductors in the AWG system. One Mil circular corresponds to the area of a circle with a milli-inch diameter. |
| Coating | Thermoplastic or thermoset mechanic protection located on the cable core. |
| Coating Percentage (%) | Percentage of a cable surface coated by a wire mesh. |
| Coaxial cable | Cable generally used in radiofrequency. It is formed by two cylindrical conductors with a common shaft separated by a dielectric, the second conductor usually has the form of a twisted mesh and it is grounded. |
| Code of colors | Code for identifying circuits in a multi-conductor cable, usually along with pieces of colors. |
| Combined Concentric Wire | Concentric wire with a circular section. External coating wires have a bigger diameter than those in the internal layer. The diameter of wires must be within a tolerance of ± 5% of the nominal value of the diameter of wires used in the typical corresponding concentric cable. |
| Compact Concentric Cable | Concentric cable with circular section made of circular section or preformed wires that are compacted for a smaller external diameter. |
| Component | Thermoplastic or thermoset material used as isolation or coating and formed by two or more ingredients. |
| Compressed Concentric Cable | Concentric cable with circular section on which one or more cable layers with 7 or more wires are slightly compressed to reach a external diameter of at least 97% of the corresponding normal concentric cable. |
| Concentric wiring | Central conductor, surrounded by one or more layers helicoidally arranged in a fixed structure. |
| Conductance | The capacity of a conductor to allow an electrical charge, reciprocal to resistance. |
| Conductivity | Capacity of material to conduct electricity, usually expressed as copper conductivity percentage ( IACS ). |
| Conductivity, percentage of | The material’s conductivity expressed in percentage of the soft copper’s conductivity. |
| Capacitancia | La relación entre la carga electrostática entre dos conductores y la diferencia de potencial requerida para mantener esa carga. |
| Conductor | Wire or combination of wires not isolated, adapted to transport electric current. These can be insulated or bare conductors. |
| Conduflex | Registered Trademark of Conductores Monterrey S.A. de C.V. for flexible cables and cords. |
| Conduit | Tube through which insulated electric cables or wires are installed (see duct). |
| Connection | Cable that goes from the Electrical Power Company’s Line to the User’s installation. |
| Connector | Metal device with proper electric conductance and mechanical resistance. This is used to connect the ends of two or more cable conductors or as a terminal conductor for a monopolar conductor (to give physical and electric conductivity to both conductors). This can be one of the following types: weldable, fusible, mechanical, and compression or indentation. |
| Contacts | Parts of a conductor in contact with the conductor thorough which there is current flow. |
| Contaminant | Any foreign material in the isolation. |
| Continuity test | Verification to determine if the current flows throughout the conductor. |
| Continuous vulcanization (CV) | Process using heat and pressure to vulcanize an isolation, coating or shield, immediately after being extrude on a conductor. |
| Control cables | Multiple conductor cable designed to operate equipments remotely through control signals. |
| Copolymer | Component resulting from the polymerization of two different monomers. |
| Copper-clad-steel | Copper coating steel wire. |
| Copperweld | Registered Trademark of Flexo wire div. for Copper-clad-steel conductors. |
| Cord | Conductor formed by different wires, providing a lot of flexibility. |
| Corrosion | Destruction in the surface of a metal due to chemical reactions. |
| CP | Chlorosulphonated polyethylene. Vulcanized elastomeric polymer generally used as low tension isolation or external coating. |
| CPE | Chlorinated Polyethylene. Vulcanized elastomeric polymer generally used as low tension isolation or external coating. |
| Cross-linked | Permanent chemical joint between thermoplastic polymer chains. |
| Cross-linked operation | (XLPE) Thermoset material resulting from the polyethylene vulcanization in the presence of a catalyst. Cable isolation in dry or wet places, in aerial or directly buried installations, at a temperature of 90°C for normal operation, 130°C in overcharge and 250°C in short circuit. |
| Cross-links | Procedure to complete intermolecular permanent joints among thermoplastic polymers with long chains through chemicals or electron bombardment. Generally the characteristics of thermoset materials are better than those of the original thermoplastics. |
| Cross-talk | Energy interference between conductors caused by electromagnetic effects (using communication cables). |
| Crown effect | Discharge resulting from the air ionization around the conductor caused by a gradient with a higher potential to certain critical level. |
| Crown resistance | The time the isolation can last without breaking certain ionization value. |
| CSA | (Canadian Standards Association), similar to UL in the United States. |
| Curing | TProcess that through heat application (through water steam or hot nitrogen), accelerates certain chemical reactions in materials that makes them act as rubber (See Vulcanization). |
| Current Conduction Capacity | (Ampacity) Maximum current an insulated conductor can have without exceeding thermal limitations on isolation and coating. |
| Current Conduction Capacity | Maximum current intensity that can circulate through an insulated conductor without exceeding the temperature limits for isolation and/or coating. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Decibel (DB) | Unit used to express the level of energy. |
| Delta tangent | Energy loss factor due to isolation, factor commonly used in magnet wires. |
| Dielectric constant | Also known as Permittivity, this is the characteristic of a dielectric that determines the amount of stored electrostatic energy per volume unit and per potential gradient unit. |
| Dielectric effort | The dielectric effort on a material is the maximum potential difference it can take without breaking. This value depends on the thickness and test conditions. |
| Dielectric losses | Rate at which the electric power in a dielectric is transformed into heat when this is subject to a variable electric field. |
| Dielectric Phase Angle | The phase angle between the sinusoidal alternating voltage applied to a dielectric product and the current component which has the same frequency. |
| Dielectric rigidity | Potential gradient at which the dielectric experiences an electric failure or breakdown. |
| Dielectric rigidity test | Test with which the cable is subject to a higher voltage for certain period of time to assure it works under operation conditions. |
| Direct current | Electrical current flowing in one single direction. |
| Directly Buried Cable | Cable designed to be installed underground, in direct contact with the soil. |
| Dissipation Factor | Tangent of a dielectric loss angle. This is approximately equivalent to the same power factor. |
| Double extrusion | Simultaneous extrusion in two different materials on one single cable using two extrusion machines. |
| Drain | Bare conductor generally used in communication or metal shielded control cables allowing continuous electricity and an easy grounding. |
| DRS | Primary and secondary distribution system for residential areas using underground cables. |
| DRS | Secondary residential distribution, see URD. |
| Dry vulcanization | Process during which vulcanization is completed without using water steam to apply heat and pressure, instead, this uses nitrogen under pressure. |
| Duct | Pipes installed underground on trays or other means in order to install on them electric cables, these can be plastic, metal or asbestos. |
| Duct Bank | Set of underground channels formed by one or more ducts joining two points of the system. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| E.I.A | Electronic Industries Association. |
| Effort relieving cone | Element used to relieve electrical efforts in terminals or shielded cable joints. |
| EKC | See: ICeVV. |
| EKI | See: ICW |
| Elastometer | Thermoset macromolecular material that normally can be extended two time its normal size and get back to its original shape (similar to rubber). |
| Electric Absorbance | Phenomena that appear in the isolation and consists of permanent paths in the form of branches, resulting from partial discharges produced by voltage stresses of alternating, direct or impulse current. |
| Electric wiring system | System exclusively designed to contain and sep together different electric conductors. |
| Electrical Isolation (Cables) | Component isolating the conductor from other conductors or from other conducting or grounded pieces. |
| Electrochemical Absorbance | Phenomena that appear in the isolation, resulting from the application of voltage stresses in the presence of a liquid. |
| Electrode holding cable | Flexible copper cable with PVC, CP, CPE, Neoprene or TPE isolation. This is used for feeding the electrode on welding, by joining the welding machine to the clamp holding the electrode. |
| Electrolysis | Electro-chemical effect produced by two different materials connected through an electrolyte, creating small potential differences caused by the oxidation of one of the materials (electrodes). |
| Elongation | Percentage increase in length of a material subjected to tension and breaking under controlled conditions. |
| Energy or Power Cable | Insulated conductor able to conduct massive amounts of electric power. |
| EP | See EPR. |
| EPDM | See EPR. |
| EPR | Ethylene Propylene Rubber, thermoset synthetic rubber with good electrical, thermal and crown effect resistant characteristics. |
| EPRI | (Electric Power Research Institute) Organization for the development and management of projects that improve production, distribution and usage of electrical energy in USA. |
| Extruded isolation | Dielectric material applied through an extrusion process. |
| Extrusion | Elastomeric or plastic material application process used as isolation or cable coating, due to the pressure exercise with the endless screw turning around a cylindrical chamber. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Failure | Abnormal phenomena in any part of the system alternating the operation condition of the same reducing or preventing normal operation. |
| Fault current | Current flowing through an isolation subjected to an uniform electric potential. |
| Feeder | Set of conductors originated at the main distribution center feeding one or more secondary distribution centers or any combination of both. |
| Field tests | Tests performed on cable system – accessories after the installation, as an acceptance test. |
| Filling | Material used to occupy air gaps in telephone cables’ core. |
| Filling cable | Telephone cable whose core is filled with a material that prevents the entrance of moisture. |
| Flame resistance | Material’s ability to avoid the flame propagation once the energy source is removed. |
| Flat mesh | Flat twisted conductor used to ground the metal shield in a high tension cable terminal. |
| Formacon | Registered Trademark of Conductores Monterrey S.A. de C.V. for Magnet Wire with formal polyvinyl isolation. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| G-GC | Heavy duty flexible cable normally used in mines, of 2 kV. EPR isolation and CPE coating, manufactured in 3 rounded shaped conductors, two neutral and one insulated conductor for ground control. |
| Gage | Term used to refer to the wire and cable measuring. |
| Geometrical Factor | Parameter used to determine Ampacity, and it is determined based only on relative dimensions and the geometrical configuration of conductors and the cable isolation. |
| Giga | Numeric prefix denoting one billion (10^9). |
| Ground | Intentional or accidental conducting connection between one circuit or electric equipment and ground or any conductor used instead. |
| Ground connection | Electric connection between one circuit and the physical ground in order to protect the system from electric discharges. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Halogens | Series of elements in the periodic table of column 7A, elements used for manufacturing non-flammable materials that produce corrosive and toxic gases when burning. These elements are Flour, Bromine, mud y Chlorine. |
| Hard copper | Cable resulting from a fiber drawing process (cold drawing) + Cu half hard. |
| Hertz (Hz) | This term refers to the frequency and it is equivalent to cycles per second. |
| Hi Pot | High Voltage Field Test performed on cables in order to evaluate the integrity of the isolation after the installation and connection. |
| High tension | Cables with a tension higher than 1,000 volts. |
| HPN | Cord with two parallel conductors integrally insulated with Neoprene. |
| Hypalon | Registered Trademark of Dupont for the Chlorosulphonated Polyethylene component. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| IACS | International Annealed Copper Standards: International Standard for soft or annealed copper created by the International Electrotechnical Commission. Measure used as a conductivity Standard. Soft copper at 20 °C has a 100 % of conductivity or 100 IACS. |
| ICC | Insulated Conductors Committee. IEEE Committee in charge of investigating and carrying out studies about insulated electrical conductors. |
| ICEA | Insulated Cable Engineers Association. |
| ICeEV | Telephone cable with two or three tinned copper conductors, individual polyethylene and external PVC coating for internal connection to the telephone rosette. |
| ICeVV | Multipair telephone cable, tinned copper conductor gage 24 AWG with isolation and PVC coating to be used indoors for interconnecting telephone equipments. |
| ICVV | Multipair telephone cable, copper conductor gage 26 AWG with isolation and PVC coating to be used indoors for interconnecting telephone equipments. |
| IEC | International Electrotechnical Commission. |
| IEEE | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. |
| Impedance (Z) | Total opposition a circuit has to the alternating current flow. This is a combination of resistance, capacitance (capacitive reactance) and inductance (inductive reactance). This is measured in ohms. |
| Impulse Isolation Basic Level | (NBA) These are the levels mentioned as impulse peak voltage, with a normalized wave not higher than 1.5 x 40 – microseconds. |
| Inductance | A circuit characteristic that opposes the current flow change, causing a delay in the current with respect to voltage. This is measured in Henrys. |
| Interlock armor | Mechanic protection for cables. This is formed by aluminum or steel strips on which every turn is secured forming a strip lap in such a way they cannot slip one over another, but allowing the set to be flexible. |
| Ionization | Any process producing positive or negative ions or electrons from atoms or neutral molecules. |
| ISO | International Standards Organization. |
| Isolation | Material offering a great resistance to the current flow. It is also known as dielectric. |
| Isolation level 100% (Category I) | This is used when the system is provided with protection devices that eliminate ground failures as soon as possible, always before one minute. |
| Isolation level 133% (Category II) | This is applied when it is not possible to meet the category I failure elimination requirements (Level 100%) but it is possible that the section with the failure Hill deenergized in a term not exceeding one hour. |
| Isolation level 173% (Category III) | This is used in systems where the time required to deenergize the section with the ground failure is indefinite. |
| Isolation resistance | Opposition to the current flow of an isolating material. Ratio between applied voltage and circulating current. It is generally expressed in Megaohm or Megaohm-Kilometer. |
| IWC | Inside Wire Cable, Multipair telephone cable with isolation and PVC coating to be used indoors. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Joining belt | Belt used to hold together all the different elements that form the cable to be processed. |
| Joining spacing | Axial length of the described helix to join 2 or more gages. |
| Joint | Connection and reconstruction of all the elements that form an insulated power cable mechanically protected within a single coating or casing. |
| Joint | Assembly of two or more insulated conductors twisted together to form a cable. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| kCM | Aerial unit in the AWG system equivalent to 1000 Circular Mils. Formerly designed as MCM. |
| kilo | Numerical prefix denoting thousands (10^3). |
| kVA | Kilovolt-amper, power in a alternating current system. Actual power is equivalent to apparent power multiplied by the power factor. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Laminar Isolation | Fibrous dielectric material or film shaped material or a combination of both, constituted by isolation layers superposed and generally impregnated and/or soaked in a dielectric component. |
| Lan | Local Area Network. Term used to define a local data communication network. |
| Lan 3 | Local network communication cables classified as level 3. This means that they are able to transmit at a 20 Mbps speed. |
| Lan 5 | Local network communication cables classified as level 5. This means that they are able to transmit at a 100 Mbps speed. |
| Lap | This is the amount of tape on topo f the other usually measured in %. |
| Loss | Loss of energy in an electrical device, generally expressed in Decibels per Kilometer. |
| Loss factor | This is the result from the multiplication of the dissipation factor by the dielectric constant for an insolating material. |
| Losses | Energy that is dissipated without being previously used. |
| LS | Term defined in NOM – 063 – SCFI indicating that elements marked as “LS” meet the no fire propagation, low smoke emission and low acid gas content tests. These tests are defined in the same NOM – 063 – SCFI. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Magnetic field | Series of manifestations in the adjacent space of a moving electrical charge. |
| Manhole | See : Registry. |
| Maximum operation temperature in the conductor | Maximum temperature reached in typical charge cycles of power and lighting electrical systems. |
| Maximum overcharge temperature in the conductor | This is the temperature reached at any point of the network under the condition of emergency, in a time and frequency previously determined. This temperature is applicable to an average of various years, in a term not exceeding 36 hours a year for cables from 5 to 46 kV and no more than 72 hours a year for cables 69 kV and higher, for a maximum total of 3 terms in any 12 consecutive months. |
| Maximum tension in a system | Maximum tension value observed under normal operation conditions at any time or place in the system. |
| Mbps | Digital transmission speed measured in thousands of bits per second. |
| Megger | Registered Trademark of James G. Biddle Company for the isolation resistance measuring equipment. |
| Mesh | Group of metal filaments or cylindrically linked fibers to form a mechanical or electrostatic protection. |
| Mho | Unit of electric conductivity, ohm’s reciprocal. |
| Micro | Numeric prefix denoting a 10^-6 millionth. |
| Mils (Mil) | Inch thousandth contraction, English measure unit. |
| Minimal Bending Radius (installation) | Minimal bending radius value at which a cable can be bent during the installation. |
| Monoconductor cables | These are cables formed by one single insulated conductor. |
| MP-GC | Heavy duty triphasic cable frequently used in mines, from 5 to 25 kV. XLPE or EPR isolation and PVC or CPE coating respectively, two bare neutral and one insulated conductor for ground control used in fixed installations. |
| MTW | UL cable classification with thermoplastic isolation: Machine Tool Wire. |
| Mufa | Device used to seal a cable end and provide an insulated outlet for conductors. |
| Multiconductor | Cable formed by two or more individually insulated conductors which are joined to form a set protected by an external coating. |
| Multiple-conductor cables | These are cabled formed by 2 or more conductors, individually isolated; identified by fillings if necessary to get a circular section, joining belt and common external coating. |
| Mutual capacitance | Capacitance between two conductors on one cable when the rest of the conductors are connected and grounded. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Nano | Numeric prefix denoting one thousandth-millionth 10^–9. |
| National Electric Code (NEC) | North-american Standarization Association issuing cable installation regulations and its selection and use. |
| NBS | National Bureau of Standards of the United States. |
| NEMA | National Electrical Manufacturers Association in the United Status. |
| Neoprene | See : Polychloroprene. |
| Neutral | Circuit element receiving electric system tensions. This is generally grounded. |
| NOM – 001 – SEDE | Norma Oficial Mexicana (Mexican Official Standard), NOM – 001 – SEDE, Relative to installations used for supplying and using electrical power. |
| NOM – 063 – SCFI | Norma Oficial Mexicana (Mexican Official Standard), NOM – 063 – SCFI, Electric Products – Conductors – Safety Requirements. |
| Normal Concentric Cable | Conductor made of a central core formed by one or more wires and covered by one of more helicoidally arranged wire coatings, resulting in a circular section cable. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| OF Cable | Pressure self-contained cable with impregnated paper isolation on which the pressurization means is a low viscosity oil. |
| Ohm | Electric resistance unit. |
| Operation temperature | Maximum temperature under which a cable can work for a long period of time without damaging the isolation physical properties. |
| Operation voltage | Maximum voltage at which a cable may operate for a long term without damaging the isolation. |
| OSHA | (Occupational Safety and Health Act) Federal Act in USA #91-596 since 1970 covering all the issues regarding safety at he work place. |
| Oxygen rate | Percentage of required oxygen in a gas mixture to support a material combustion. |
| OZONE | Oxygen active molecule that can attack some materials used as electric isolations. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Partial discharge | Type of discharge located in a part of an insulated system between two conducting parts, resulting in a transitory gaseous ionization, when the tension gradient exceeds a critical value. |
| Partial discharges extinction tension | This is the tension at which partial discharges exceeding a specified intensity, under certain conditions, are stopped. When tension is gradually decreased from a value exceeding the initiation tension. |
| Partial discharges initiation tension | This is the lowest tension at which partial discharges exceeding the specified intensity, under certain conditions, are identified. When the tension applied to the object being tested is gradually increased from an inferior value where these discharges are not present. |
| PE | See : Polyethylene. |
| Peculiar effect | Phenomenon consisting of a not uniform distribution of current, which tends to concentrate on the external surface of the conductor and it is caused by the variation of current with respect to the same conductor’s time. |
| Permittivity | See: Dielectric Constant. |
| PES | (Power Engineering Society). IEEE Chapter, related to the analysis, study and development of tests and equipment that belong to the Electric Power Engineering. |
| Pilot Wire | Auxiliary insulated conductor in a power cable used to connect remote measurement instruments or to operate devices from a long distance. |
| Plastifier | Agent added to plastics to improve flow and process and reduce fragility. |
| Polychloroprene | Thermoset synthetic elastometer. This is used as isolation for cables of up to 2 KV and mainly as a protecting coating. |
| Polycon | Registered Trademark of Conductores Monterrey S.A. de C.V. for XLPE insulated power cables, at a low, medium and high tension ( 600 V to 138 KV). |
| Polycon-EPR | Registered Trademark of Conductores Monterrey S.A. de C.V. for EPR insulated power cable, at a low, medium and high tension (600 V to 138 KV). |
| Polyethylene | Thermoplastic material based on ethylene repetitive units. This has excellent dielectric characteristics like: high isolation resistance, low dielectric constant and low dielectric losses at all frequencies. There are 2 basic types: Low and high density polyethylene, both for 75°C of normal operation. |
| Polymer | Component with a high molecular weight and a structure usually represented by a chemically joined small repetitive unit (monomer). |
| Polyolefin | Any polymer or monomer from the ethylene hydrocarbon’s family. |
| Polypropylene | Thermoplastic similar to polyethylene but with slightly better electric characteristics. |
| Polytermacon / AI | Registered Trademark of Conductores Monterrey S.A. de C.V. for Magnet wire, with isolation based on polyeserimides and an amide-imide coating. |
| Polyvinyl Chloride | (PVC) Thermoplastic synthetic component. This is a material mainly used as isolation for up to 1,000 Volts and as protecting coating. |
| Portable conductor | Flexible cable used to supply energy to small mobile equipments. |
| POT | See : SPT-0, SPT-1, SPT-2 y SPT-3. |
| Power Factor | Regarding the active power and the apparent power in a system. |
| Power factor | In an alternating current electric system, this is the cosine of the phase displacement angle between the voltage and the current. |
| Power Gradient | This is a vector perpendicular to equipotential surfaces and with a magnitude that corresponds to the potential variation speed. |
| Propagation speed | Speed in which a signal travels through a cable, expressed as percentage of the light speed. |
| Proximity effect | Phenomena consisting of a not uniform distribution of current on the transversal section of a conductor caused by the current variation with regard to time in a close conductor. |
| PSD | Neutral, duplex, triplex and quadruplex multiple conductor cable with polyethylene isolation for aerial distribution for 600 V and 75 °C. |
| PSI | Pounds (force) per Square Inch, English unit for pressure, 1 psi is equivalent to 0.0703 kg/cm3. |
| Pulling element | Device joined to the free end of a cable allowing the application of the required force to install the cable in ducts. |
| Pump flat cable | Flat triphasic flexible cable with polyethylene isolation and PVC coating for 600 V, 75°C. This is used to feed pumps and engines with a deep well. |
| PVC | See : Polyvinyl Chloride. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Quadruplex Cable | Set of four monoconductor cables joined together helicoidally. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| RAD ® | From spanish acronym Recubrimiento Altamente Deslizable ®. Exclusive Viakon overlay with low coefficient of friction, applied to electric conductors. RAD makes wire installations easier and more efficient. |
| Rain cone | Porcelain or other weather proof material inverted hopper, used to increase the arching distance. |
| REA | See: RUS. |
| Reactance | Opposition to the alternating current flow caused by Capacitance or Inductance. |
| Registry | See : Visit registry. |
| Resistance to Fatigue | Metal material resistant to crystallization causing the wire to break when bended cyclically. |
| RG Type Cable | Coaxial cable to be used in radiofrequency, formed by a central conductor, metal shielded isolation (usually mesh) and external coating. |
| RH | Cable for copper structure with oil resistant thermoset isolation for 600 V, 75 °C in a dry environment. |
| RHH | Cable for copper structure with oil resistant thermoset isolation for 600 V, 90°C in a dry environment. |
| RHW | Cable for copper structure with oil resistant thermoset isolation for 600 V, 75 °C in a dry or damp environment. |
| Ring (Traction Eye) | Device that can be placed on the cable in order to pull the cable during the installation. |
| RoHS | The Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment 2002/95/EC (commonly referred to as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive or RoHS), restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment: Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent chromium, Polybrominated biphenyls and Polybrominated diphenyl ether. |
| Room temperature | Temperature in the area. |
| Routine tests | Tests made on equipments or their components in order to verify the quality constancy. |
| RUS | Rural Utilities Service, Federal Organization in the USA supporting local power supply companies. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| S | Portable cord for heavy duty with thermoset isolation, two or more conductors with fillings and thermoset coating 600 V. |
| SAE | Society of Automotive Engineers. |
| SCREB | Multipair telephone cable for underground installation with PE isolation and coating and aluminum belt electrostatic shield from 10 to 2400 ps. For external plant installations in the main network. |
| Sealed conductor | Copper or aluminum cables, usually in a concentric structure, with interstices filled by a material that prevents water from entering. |
| Sectoral type conductor | Conductor with a transversal section in the shape of a part of a circle. |
| Segment type conductor | Conductor formed by different sectors of a circle slightly isolated from each other to give a circular section. |
| Self-extinguishable | Characteristic of a material, in which the flame is extinguished when removing the power source. |
| Semi-insulated cable | Medium tension cable without isolation shield, therefore these are considered not-insulated cables, with a reduced thickness generally used in aerial installations in areas where there is a risk for the cable to be in contact with tree branches. |
| Semiconducting shield | Polymeric material layer used to standardize and confine the electrostatic fields in medium and high tension cables. |
| Separable insulated connectors | Isolated devices to facilitate the separation or power cable connection. |
| Separator | Material used to obtain a physical spacing between a cable’s elements or to provide a mechanic protection. |
| SHD-GC | Conduflex triphasic cable for mines from 5 to 25 kV. with twisted mesh on force conductors, two bare neutral and one insulted conductor for ground control. |
| Shield | Metal element of the cable covering the core in order to confine electrostatic fields. |
| Shield on Conductor | In medium and high tension power cables this is the semiconductor layer applied to the metal conductor to produce a smooth surface and be in contact with the isolation. Its task is to standardize the electric field. |
| Shield on isolation. | In medium and high tension power cables this is formed by two elements: Semiconductor shield and metal or electrostatic shield. |
| Short circuit | Electric current flow through an accidental connection between the energized conductor and any metal structure with a different potential. |
| SJO | Junior hard service, Thermoset isolation portable cord with oil resistant elastomeric coating, 300 V, 90 °C. |
| SJT | Junior hard service thermoplastic, Thermoplastic isolation portable cord and coating 300 V, 60 to 105 °C. |
| SO | Heavy duty portable cord with thermoset isolation, Two or more conductor with filling and oil resistant thermoset coating 600 V, 90 °C. |
| Sock | Devise designed to allow a temporal joint of 2 cables or for pulling conductors without requiring using traction eyes or rings. |
| Soft copper | Copper subject to a thermal annealing treatment to eliminate the cold process effects. |
| Soldacon | Registered Trademark of Conductores Monterrey S.A. de C.V. for magnet wire with polyurethane isolation. |
| Soldacon-Nylon | Registered Trademark of Conductores Monterrey S.A. de C.V. for magnet wire with polyurethane isolation and Nylon coating. |
| Spaced aerial coaxial | Coaxial cable where the air is essentially dielectric, this is usually formed with a helicoidal spacer on the conductor. |
| Spacing | Length required for completing a twist in an axially measured cable. |
| Spark test | Test in the cable manufacturing process consisting of the application of a high voltage whenever there are little imperfections (discontinuities) in the isolation. |
| Specific Gravity | Material density ratio (mass per volume unit) and water density expressed as a fraction. |
| Spiral concentric cable | Cable for secondary aerial connection formed by a central conductor, PVC isolation, bare copper wire concentric conductor and black polyethylene external coating. |
| SPT-1 | Portable cord formed by two parallel conductors with integral thermoplastic isolation, 300 V, this can have a grounded conductor. |
| SPT-2 | Portable cord formed by two parallel conductors with integral thermoplastic isolation, 300 V, this can have a grounded conductor. |
| SPT-3 | Heavy duty portable cord to be used in refrigeration or air conditioning systems, formed by two parallel conductors with integral thermoplastic isolation, 300 V, this can have a grounded conductor. |
| SS\r\n | Highly flexible cable to be generally used as electrode holding cable. |
| ST | Heavy duty portable cord, similar to type S, but with isolation and thermoplastic coating structure, 600 V, 60 to 105 °C. |
| Stability Factor | Variation of the Dissipation Factor, in a percentage, with respect to time. |
| Steam vulcanization | Process during which vulcanization is completed with water steam under pressure. |
| Styren –Butadiene (SBR) | Synthetic material that was used as electric isolation in low tensions. |
| Submarine cable | Insulated conductor designed to continuously operate on water, which generally has an additional mechanic protection (armor). |
| SVT | Cord for household vacuums, light duty, thermoplastic isolation and coating 300 V, 60 °C, this can have a third grounded conductor. |
| System Nominal Tension | System’s designation tension to which certain operation conditions are referred. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Tank tests | Dielectric rigidity test performed in cables, which are submerged in a tank full of water and the voltage is applied between the water and the conductor. |
| Temper | Thermal or mechanic treatment applied on metals or alloys to control their characteristics, like the softness level. Term used to refer to the hardness level in electric conductors usually there are three levels: Hard, half hard and soft. |
| Tension effort | Effort (Force per Area Unit, Kg-f / cm2 ) required to break a sample. |
| Termacon Nylon | Registered Trademark of Conductores Monterrey S.A. de C.V. for magnet wire with polyester isolation and Nylon coating. |
| Terminal | Device providing control or relief to electric efforts present in the cable’s isolation when interrupting and removing the shield on the isolation. This can provide additional insulated leak distance and air-tightness. |
| Terminal shoe | Connecting device to which the electric conductor is joint by pressure or welding. This connects said conductor to any other part of the electric system. |
| Test tension | Tension that must be able to support a cable without flames or breakdown discharge when applied under specific conditions. |
| Thermal shock | Test used to determine a material’s ability to support fast changes in temperature (heating and cooling) and keeps its physical characteristics within the specified range. |
| Thermocontractile | Material that shrinks when it is subject to heat. |
| Thermoplastic | Material that gets softer when it is heated and solid when it is cooled. This process can be performed several times provided the material limits are nor exceeded. |
| Thermoset | Material that once cured (vulcanized) does not suffer any deformation when subject to heat. |
| Thermostable | See: Thermoset. |
| THHN | Construction cable with PVC isolation and Nylon coating, classified for 600 V and 90°C in a dry environment. |
| THHW | Individual cable or wire, used when creating a PVC thermoplastic isolation, 600 V, 90 °C in a dry environment and 75°C in a wet environment. |
| THHW-LS | See: THHW and LS, meets NOM – 063. |
| Thread | Wire, filament, thin solid conductor. |
| THW | Individual cable or wire. This is used for creating a PVC thermoplastic isolation, 600 V, 75 °C, in dry and wet environments. |
| THWN | Construction cable with PVC isolation and Nylon coating classified for 600 V and 75°C in dry and wet environments. |
| Traction element | See: pulling element. |
| Transversal Section Area | The transversal section in a wire is the area perpendicular to the wire’s axis; in a cable or cord this area is the sum of each of the wires that form it. |
| Triple Extrusion | Process to simultaneously extrude three layers of different materials on one single cable. |
| Triplex | Power cable formed by three individual conductors, twisted together without a general coating. |
| Triplex cable | Group of three monoconductor cables helicoidally joined together. Sometimes it has an additional grounded conductor. |
| Tube Type Cable | Pipe). Cable subject to pressure with impregnated paper isolation on which the pressurization jeans container is a metal pipe. The pressurization means can be oil or gas. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| UHF | Ultra High Frequency, Television transmission frequency from 300 to 3,000 Mhz. |
| UL | Underwriters Laboratories. Not lucrative North American Organization operating certification systems for electric and electronic products. |
| URD | Under-Ground Residential Distribution, type of cable used to distribute electric energy to residential areas by using underground cables. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| VFH | Very High Frequency, Television transmission frequency from 30 to 300 Mhz. |
| Vinicon-LS | Registered Trademark of Conductores Monterrey S.A. de C.V. for power cables for the low tension structure (600 V). |
| Visit registry | Closed area usually underground located on the duct’s path and an entry on the top to arrange cables and service them. |
| Volt | Electromotive force or electric tension measuring unit. |
| Voltage | Potential difference commonly used to refer to the electromotive force. |
| Voltage breakdown | Set of phenomena related to a failure in the isolation under the effect of an electrical field including a voltage burden and current flow. |
| Voltage regulation | Maximum variation value (usually in %) a charge can take during the voltage supply, for previously established conditions. |
| Vulcanization | Process through which a polymer is converted into a thermoset. |
| VW-1 | No flame propagation test, method approved by UL. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| W | Flexible cable for heavy duty used in mines, 2 kV. EPR Isolation and CPE coating, manufactured in 1, 2, 3 and 4 conductors, in a rounded or flat shape. |
| Wall thickness | Cable isolation or coating thickness. |
| Watt | Electric power unit (equivalent to volts X amperes). |
| Wave length | Distance measured in the direction of the propagation in teh form of an electric wave, between two successive points having the same phase and amplitude. |
| Wire | Metallic conductor, solid cylinder, with a shape of extended rod or filament, used for transmitting energy or electrical signals. It can be bare or isolated. |
| Wire enamel | Insulated wire with one or more thin layers of enamel. Also known as Magnet wire. |
| Wire for connections | Wire for connections formed by copper wires tinned copper with PVC isolation and twisted on pairs, quartettes, quintets, and sextets, used on connections of telephonic centrals or telecommunication equipment. |
| Wire for distributor | Cord for distributor, formed by two or three tinned copper wires isolated individually with PVC and joined by connections (bridges) on the distributor and telephonic distribution boxes. |
| Wiring | Helicoidally joined with two or more bare or insulated conductors. |
| Wiring direction | Side direction in which the group of conductors of a layer turns around the cable core. |
| Wiring length | Distance on the shaft of an helicoidal element turn. |
| WP | Weather Proof, cable for aerial connection and distribution, weather proof, with black polyethylene isolation. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| XHHW | Individual structure cable with XLPE isolation 600 V, 90 °C in a dry environment, 75 °C in a wet environment. |
| XLP or XLPE | Cross-linked polyethylene, polyethylene with chemical additives forming permanent links in the polyethylene’s molecular structure chains, this causes the polyethylene to look like a thermoset. |
| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Zero Halogen, Cable | Cable made of materials free of halogens. |