DIFFERENCE: Wires, leads and cables ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2016, 05:23:59 pm
content: I have my own opinion, but would love to hear other reasons for choice of word when describing a connection...

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 06, 2016, 07:08:18 pm
content: To me, wires are individual (usually insulated) conductors used to make interconnections. Bundle some of them together to go between two things and you have a cable. Leads stick out of components. There are of course occasional exceptions, but this is the gist of things as far as I'm concerned.Leads and cable designations can have different definitions when applied to test gear, but then they're usually referred to (by me anyway) as test leads.FWIW-Pat

author: station240
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 06, 2016, 08:07:15 pm
content: I call single conductors wires.Multiple wires are cables, though big fat wires I also call cables (I have a few setups with big battery cables).Only two things I call leads, test leads and component/jumper leads.

author: PTR_1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2016, 12:01:36 am
content: This is what I will use the 3 terms forHookup wire (small stuff)Test leads or jumper leadsEverything else is cable

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 07, 2016, 12:22:52 am
content: Much the same as everybody else and it depends on the context of the application, we refer to wires as being a lone core either by itself or in a group, cables generally are a group of wires in a single sheath although there are exceptions such as coax and single core cables, leads are cables or wires that are terminated either with a connector or without and an example is a TV fly lead or wires already terminated on a device.Dave grab that box of CAT 6 cable out of the truck, Dave I need a 2 meter HDMI lead for the DVD player, Dave that wire is in the wrong terminal, fix it or else......

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 07, 2016, 12:23:51 am
content: And I should add that wires that are running within the chassis and are bundled together are what I consider to be a harness.-Pat

author: PTR_1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 01:51:20 pm
content: Quote from: Cubdriver on April 07, 2016, 12:23:51 amYes!!! The first time somebody said has the harness come in yet (for a job we were working on) I said no because I thought they were meaning a fall arrest body harness. A day later I realised they meant the wiring loom (Well that is what I used to call them). It was a bit embarrassing, but I was only a young fella and the other guys didn't give me too much grief.Another term that I use is extension cord for 240v ones.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 03:43:45 pm
content: Quote from: PTR_1275 on April 10, 2016, 01:51:20 pmI've been known to refer to several types of wire/cable with matching male/female connectors as extension cords - qualified by type. eg 3.2mm stereo jack male/female as a headphone extension cord. Just saying 'extension cord' on its own refers to mains power ... unless there is a very specific context in which a reference is made that basically excludes the mains.

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 04:12:38 pm
content: Quote from: PTR_1275 on April 10, 2016, 01:51:20 pmFunny how words can have such different yet somewhat related meanings to people in different places. Loom to me is the covering put on a harness or cable to help to protect/bundle it. Examples include the corrugated plastic split loom often seen in automobiles and the woven expandable plastic kind that you slide over a bundle of wire (great fun to slide onto a 40 foot long cable!!).'Extension cord' without any further qualification means mains extension to me, too, though here in the US it's far more likely to be 120 rather than 240V.-Pat

author: sarepairman2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 09:04:00 pm
content: feeder, bus bar, hookup

author: Aodhan145
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 09:08:51 pm
content: In physics, in my school they make a great deal about them being called leads not wires. I'm thinking why the fuck does it matter. They are all synonyms, people know what your talking about no matter what you say.

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 10:29:07 pm
content: I agree with most of the posters.But for cables, if it is over, say, 4ga, I would call a single conductor a cable.I mean, really, when was the last time you heard someone call a Welding Cable, a Welding Wire? (0Ga welding cable (single conductor) I've actually used in car stereos for it's many strands it has)

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 10:32:23 pm
content: Quote from: Aodhan145 on April 10, 2016, 09:08:51 pmI think you're perfectly *fuckin' correct, but also believe there is an objective clarity maintained when 'standards' are applied topotentiallycomplicated things!Of course, saying leads or cords is not going to change the world, but why lose detail unnecessarily?My take:CONDUCTORS: physical electrical paths between endpoints. Maybe single strands of copper, carbon, or massive buss bars.WIRES: (Usually) Insulated conductors. Typically refers to the smaller gauge varieties.LEADS: Usually 'wires', or 'low conductor count' cables that are terminated at either or both end.CABLES: A bundle of 'wires' in an outer jacket of some type - for. shielding, protection, identification etc.FLEX: aspecificallyflexible instance of a 'lead' or 'cable'.SHEATH: A separate slip-on, or slip-off (usually flexible) containment to a bundle of wires, leads or cablesHARNESS / LOOM: An assembly of wires, leads or cables formed to suit a specific application. Maybe be manufactured before installation, or in place - depending on complexity and termination requirements...TERMINATION: notification that an end of the conductor...cable bas been prepared in a specific manner - either as bare-ends, or one/multiple connectors. Also may refer to 'damping' or 'clamping' the signal carried by a conductorI just realised that I havefartoo much spare time!*fuck - as an example in itself may be used in many contexts...EDIT: for some minor tweaks

author: Tandy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 10:47:30 pm
content: I would consider a wire a strand of metal. Consider for example wire mesh that you find on animal cages or fences and wire wool.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 10:50:15 pm
content: Quote from: Tandy on April 10, 2016, 10:47:30 pmStranded or solid conductor? 😉

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 11:21:38 pm
content: Cables also have many uses outside of electronics or electrical wiring. They can be used to hang bridges from or as something to drag trolley cars around with among other things.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 11:28:06 pm
content: Quote from: rdl on April 10, 2016, 11:21:38 pmIndeed... I suppose while the above summary fits - we could be excused for confining the conversation to the EE applications!

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2016, 11:43:09 pm
content: Quote from: rdl on April 10, 2016, 11:21:38 pmCorrect, but if you look at those 'cables' they are made of large diameter wire, all bundled together to make a 'cable', even though they are not insulated most of the time.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 11, 2016, 05:30:04 am
content: I normally refer to single or multiple strands of a particular unshielded metal/alloy as 'wire' or 'wires' (not necessarily for electrical connections), usually preceded with the type of material (e.g.: copper wire, stainless steel wire etc...).I use 'leads' and 'cables' fairly interchangeably. Being from an IT background, I usually refer to short network cables as "patch leads". Anything longer than about 1 metre I refer to as a "network cable". Almost everything else is a 'cable' (e.g.: power cable, serial cable, USB cable).Although interestingly enough, I call them "extension leads" not "extension cables". I guess that just comes down to how they are marketed in the stores.

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2016, 05:51:23 am
content: Inan e;ectrotechnical context, a cable may contain many cores, the cores carry a conductor within insulation and that conductor may have multiple strands.A wire refers to the form a long usually cylindrical extrusion of (usually) ductile material- usually metal could be solder wire, a rope, a conductor intended to carry current. It could also be glass, carbon or something decorative like tinsel. When it is a conductor it may be insulated or uninsulated but not usually sheathed.There's so much opportunity for semantics, I'm out. Look it up in a technical dictionary.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2016, 01:20:39 pm
content: Quote from: SL4P on April 10, 2016, 10:32:23 pmDon't forget the audiophool word for cables and wires that carry sound: interconnects!