How to distinguish between "national standard" and "non-standard" wires

With an increasing variety of wires and cables on the market, how can one distinguish between "national standard" and "non-standard" wires and cables? There are five steps to follow: first, look; second, test; third, weigh; fourth, compare prices; fifth, inspect the copper quality. These five steps will help you make a clear distinction.

Nowadays, the application of wires and cables is becoming more and more extensive, and consequently, the types of wires and cables sold on the market are also increasing. So, how can we distinguish between "national standard" and "non-standard" wires and cables? To this end, the editor of this magazine consulted senior industry insiders, who provided insights on distinguishing between wires and cables

Five tips for "standard" and "non-standard" cables:

First, inspect the wire and cable products. Check if they have a quality system certification, if the certification is standardized, and if they include the manufacturer's name, address, inspection seal, and production date. Also, inspect the wires to see if they are printed with trademarks, specifications, voltage, etc. Furthermore, examine the cross-section of the copper core of the wire. High-quality products should have a bright and uniform copper color

It should be soft and smooth, otherwise it is considered a defective product.

Second test. You can take a wire end and bend it repeatedly with your hand. If it feels soft, has good fatigue resistance, the plastic or rubber feels elastic, and there are no cracks on the wire insulator, it is a superior product.

Third, weight. For wires and cables of good quality, the weight per 100m is generally within the specified weight range. For example, the commonly used plastic-insulated single-strand copper core wire with a cross-sectional area of 1.5mm2 has a weight of 1.8-1.9kg per 100m; the plastic-insulated single-strand copper core wire with a cross-sectional area of 2.5mm2 has a weight of

3-3.1kg; 4.0mm2 plastic-insulated single-strand copper core wire, with a weight of 4.4-4.6kg per 100m, etc. Poor-quality wires are either underweight, insufficient in length, or contain excessive impurities in the copper core.

Fourth, compare prices. Due to the low production cost of counterfeit and inferior wires, vendors often sell them at low prices under the guise of being cheap and high-quality, which can deceive people. Therefore, when purchasing, be careful not to be dazzled by the "high quality and low price" touted by the merchants and end up being deceived

Quality. Qualified copper-cored wires should have a purplish red color, be shiny, and feel soft to the touch. However, inferior copper-cored wires are often purplish black, slightly yellow or white, contain many impurities, have poor mechanical strength, lack toughness, and break easily under slight pressure. Additionally, these wires often have broken wires inside. When inspecting, you just need to bend the wire

Peel off a section, then rub a piece of white paper lightly on the copper core. If there is black substance on the white paper, it indicates that there are many impurities in the copper core, and the wire or cable can be identified as "non-standard".