Types of Electric Cables

Fiber optic cables are unique among cabling in that they transmit signals of light, not electricity. A fiber optic cable is capped at both ends with connectors that allow it to plug into CATV, an optical switch, or other telecommunications equipment that uses fiber optics. They consist of a core with a high refractive index (usually either glass or plastic) and surrounded by a material with a low refractive index. The cable is then strengthened with aramid yarns and surrounded by a protective jacket. 

USB cables are one of the most popular cable types in the world, and primarily used to connect computers to peripheral devices like mice, cameras, printers, scanners, and more. USB cables are “hot pluggable,” meaning they can be connected and disconnected while the computer is powered on without fear of freezing the computer. They carry power as well as signals, allowing them to be used to charge devices, and can transfer data at rates of 480Mbps. This combination of ubiquity, versatility, and reliability helps explain why USB cabling is so frequently used.

Distinguished by their red, yellow, and white plugs, RCA cables are used to carry audio and visual signals, most frequently in older TVs. Also sometimes called phono or cinch connectors, RCA cables have been getting slowly phased out by USB cables, as the RCA’s two or three cable set-up is more complex and requires more space. Their prevalence among older electronics, however, means that RCAs still see plenty of use.

Coaxial cables consist of an inner conductor that transmits electrical signals surrounded by a tubular insulating layer, which itself is surrounded by a tubular insulating shield. Because these layers share the same axis, the combination is called a coaxial cable. Coaxial cables are used to transmit signals for cable television, broadband internet networking, telephone trunk lines, and connecting radio transmitters and receivers to their antennas.

The United States military has its own standards and requirements for electric cabling. Due to the rigors and stresses of combat, electronics used in military vehicles and devices must be much more durable and resistant to trauma than those used in civilian life. Mil-C-3432 CO cables, for example, are the classification covering portable power and control cables. Used in a broad range of applications, Mil-C-3432 CO cables must withstand severe physical abuse, including being run over by heavy vehicles and severe flexing.