Why are electric wires coated with pvc?
You know that the electrical wires made with good electricity conductors like copper and aluminium. For safety purpose, they are coated with insulating materials.
But one thing came to your mind Why are electric wires coated with pvc? not other materials ? In this article you learn about this. So let’s keep reading…
About PVC
First we will look at information about PVC:
According to wikipedia, pvc or polyvinyl chloride is the world’s third-most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer. About 40 million tons of pvc are produced each year.
PVC comes in two basic forms: one is rigid pvc and other is flexible pvc.
1) Rigid PVC (RPVC):
Rigid pvc is mainly used for pipe, doors and windows. It is also used for non-food packaging, bottle etc.
2) Flexible PVC:
Flexible pvc used for electric wire insulation, flooring etc.
What is the purpose of the PVC coating on the wire?
Electric current is very dangerous and it can kill a human. According to some studies, only 10 mA of electric current can cause a high probability of death. So be careful about electricity.
PVC perform a great job of insulating the conductor used in electrical wiring and electrical systems. Without PVC we can not be run two or more wires in one cable.
Why are electric wires coated with pvc? or rubber-like material, not others?
Two reasons that PVC is preferred for insulating material to electrical wire, they are:
- Flexibility
- Great capability to dissipate heat.
Flexibility
There are numerous insulators materials available like glass, papers, wood, etc. We can’t be makes wires with us. For wire, flexibility is essential to bends wire and go through the corners of houses.
We can’t prefer glass as a coating for the wires. But PVC is a flexible insulator. It is best for the wires covering.
Great capability to dissipate heat
Electric current is a flow of electrons. When electrons flow through a conductor or wire with very high speed is tends to heat.
Due to heat if the wire is surrounded by flammable insulating materials such as paper, wood and sheetrock, it can ignite and cause a fire.
The PVC helps to dissipate the heat as well as the prevent the wire from getting too hot. Like a covering of wire, it prevents the fire at certain points.
Conclusion for Why are electric wires coated with pvc?
PVC is a bad conductor or a good insulator of electricity. So these prevent electrical shocks to the human body from the electrical current and it is play important role in insulating the conductor.
Also, it is flexible and has great capabilities to dissipate heat. It is the best choice for a coating of wires.
I hope you got the answer to why are electrical wires coated with PVC.
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