Basic characteristics and identification methods of low-quality cloth wires

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Basic characteristics and identification methods of low-quality cloth wires I. Basic characteristics and identification methods of low-quality cloth wires Driven by profit, many unscrupulous merchants reduce product quality and pass off inferior goods as high-quality ones, severely harming consumers’ interests and creating numerous safety hazards in use. Below are some characteristics of low-quality products: 1. Reduction in the conductor cross-section (commonly known as reduced area); the conductors in electrical wires are made of copper intended for electrical use, which is relatively expensive. To reduce manufacturing costs, inferior products intentionally use less copper conductor, which results in a smaller cross-sectional area of the conductor in such products. Methods to determine whether the conductor’s cross-sectional area meets the requirements: measuring the conductor’s resistance and weighing it. 2. Using non-pure copper materials to manufacture conductors: Due to the high cost of electrical copper, inferior products often use recycled mixed copper to make their conductors. Due to the complex composition of mixed copper and its high resistivity, the product generates heat during use. Method to determine whether a conductor material meets the requirements: measure the electrical resistance of the material per unit length. 3. Low-quality insulation/sheath materials: The insulation and sheath materials of electrical wires are made by mixing polyvinyl chloride resin with various additives. Among them, the price of resin is relatively high. To reduce material costs, inferior products contain large amounts of cheap mineral fillers in the mixture, which increases the density of the PVC mixture, leads to a decline in its performance parameters, and shortens its service life. 4. Insufficient length (commonly known as short measure) – this is a form of cheating by giving less than what is promised. The normal length measurement error is within ±0.5%; products that exceed this error range should be considered defective. 5. Appearance, labeling, and packaging: Reputable manufacturers use advanced equipment, qualified materials, and sophisticated manufacturing processes for production. The product has a smooth appearance, uniform color, and clear markings. The identification information includes: manufacturer name, product model, specifications, 3C certification mark and number, manufacturing date, and length. The product is packaged in rolls, with each roll being 100 meters long. II. Hazards of low-quality wires 1. Increased line losses and energy waste: Due to the reduced cross-sectional area of the conductors and the use of substandard materials, the resistance of these conductors increases. As a result, more electrical energy is converted into heat energy and lost within the lines, leading to unnecessary waste of electrical energy. This is inconsistent with the **advocated energy-saving, low-carbon, clean, and environmentally friendly policies, and it also increases the economic burden on users. 2. Reducing the power consumption in the circuit shortens its service life; the increased operating temperature of the conductors accelerates the aging of the insulating and protective materials, thereby reducing the product’s lifespan. 3. Induction of electric shock and fire accidents: When the insulation/sheath materials age, their insulating capacity decreases, their mechanical and physical properties decline, and cracks appear on the surface of the materials. Using it in such situations is extremely unsafe. Insulation damage leads to electrical leakage; electric shock can pose a threat to life safety ； A circuit short occurs when the insulation is damaged. Electric sparks and high temperatures during a short circuit can trigger fire accidents. III. How to properly select and use wires and cables: Proper selection and use of wires and cables is key to avoiding electrical fires. 1. Choose manufacturers of qualified products. There are many wire and cable manufacturing enterprises in our country. The products manufactured by most of these manufacturers are of good quality and meet the relevant standard requirements. However, there are still many manufacturers that produce inferior wire and cable products that do not meet the standards, and these products fill the market. 2. Select wire and cable products of appropriate models and specifications that meet the requirements of product standards, thereby preventing electrical accidents caused by the accumulation and release of energy within the wires and cables during use. 3. Copper wire cores should be given priority as the conductor for household electrical wiring. Due to the low reliability of jointing technology for small-cross-section aluminum conductors, heat is generated at the joints, which can easily lead to fire accidents. 4. To ensure a continuous power supply to electrical circuits before and after a fire breaks out, fire-resistant wires and cables should be used. Such cables enable the circuits to continue supplying power normally for more than 1.5 hours even when the temperature during a fire reaches 750°C to 1000°C. 5. To ensure that a fire in the electrical wiring does not spread, or that any remaining embers or heat can extinguish themselves within a limited area and time frame, flame-retardant wires and cables should be used. The use of flame-retardant wires and cables will directly enhance the fire resistance of building electrical systems, slow down the spread of fires, and create favorable conditions for promptly and effectively extinguishing initial fires, thereby reducing casualties and losses. 6. In applications where it is required that wires and cables emit little smoke during combustion, produce no corrosive gases at all, and meet high fire safety standards, halogen-free, low-smoke flame-retardant wires and cables should be used; in some cases, halogen-free, low-smoke fire-resistant wires and cables are even preferable, in order to effectively reduce casualties caused by toxic gases and dust released as a result of the combustion of such wires and cables.