Does anyone know what the voltage means on electrical wire sheathing? Some 14AWG wires show 600V and others are 800V.I have a burnt wire that shows 1000V.They are all 14AWG, stranded, copper wire. I just don't know what the voltage rating means. Does the wire support up to that many volts or does the sheath resist heat better the higher the number is?
It probably means that the insulation on the wire conforms to some standard, and that the cable may LEGALLY be used for permanent wiring in a building at voltages up to whatever number. It's not about heat. When power wiring in a building gets hot, it's strictly because of the amperage that the circuit is carrying, not the voltage. High voltages are a problem because of the tendency to arc. Electric fields are measured in Volts/meter (i.e., the voltage difference between two conductors, divided by the distance between them.) Any given electric insulator will break down and allow current to flow if the field strength is high enough. Cables that are rated for higher voltages either use an insulating material that has a higher dielectric strength (i.e., able to withstand stronger fields), or they use bulkier insulation, so that the distance between the conductors is greater.
Wires have a whole bunch of specifications. The metal, copper or aluminum…what is the current carrying capacity under a given set of circumstances… The insulator, the jacket For example a wire designed for a heating appliance like a range will not necessarily resist UV, oil…exposure The voltage rating is generally a function of insulation thickness The particular material, rubber, plastic, ceramic, glass, is more related to heat endurance Hope this properly answers your question Guru
