What We Work With

AWG: Short for "American Wire Gauge," this specification is used to measure the diameter of solid and round electrical conducted wire. 

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Cat5e: Short for "Category 5e", this is an Ethernet network cable standard which carries up to one Gigabit per second network speeds. (Its predecessor, Category 5, provided up to 100 megabit per second speeds.) 

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Cat6: Short for "Category 6", this type of Ethernet cable is the next-generation standard following Cat5e. 

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Cat6A: As of 2015, "Category 6A" is the newest standard of Ethernet cable recognized in North America (although standards bodies in Europe have ratified other standards). 

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CL2: This is a cable jacket fire resistance rating defined in Article 725 of the National Electric Code. 

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CL3: CL3 stands for "Class 3" wire and is also defined in Article 725 of the National Electric Code. 

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CM: This is a cable jacket fire resistance rating defined in Article 800 of the National Electric Code. It stands for "Communications Multipurpose" cable, which indicates that the cable is a communications cable suitable for in-wall installation. 

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CMP: This is a cable jacket fire resistance rating defined in Article 800 of the National Electric Code. 

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CMR: This is a cable jacket fire resistance rating defined in Article 800 of the National Electric Code. It stands for "Communications Multipurpose Cable, Riser", which indicates that the cable is suitable for use in a "riser" installation, meaning, it can be installed vertically between stories of a commercial building. 

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CSA: This stands for the Canadian Standards Association. This is the Canadian counterpart of Underwriters Laboratories, and is often responsible for certifying cables and other products for safety in Canada. 

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FTP: This is an abbreviation for a "foiled twisted pair" Ethernet cable. An FTP cable is constructed with a single aluminum shield that surrounds all four pairs of wire inside the cable, creating a cover for all the wires inside the cable as a whole. 

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IEC: Stands for "International Electrotechnical Commission" which is an International non-Governmental organization that is based out of Switzerland. Most developed Nations around the world are currently members (Called National Committees) with developing Nations being encouraged to join an affiliate program. Electrotechnology encompasses electrical and electronic technologies. 

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In-Wall: Usually in reference to an "in-wall rated" cable which is designed to be installed inside a wall safely.

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Insulated Wire: A metal conductor of electricity covered with a non-conducting material such as plastic. The plastic insulation protects the conductor and keeps it a certain distance from any shielding that would go on the outside of the insulation. Any cable for audio video use would have insulated wire.

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Jacket: This is an external layer of insulation that covers and protects everything that make-up any particular cable assembly. If a cable is in-wall rated, it is actually only the jacket that has the rating. Different ratings require different materials with varying burn and smoke requirements. Typical low voltage cables will have a polyethylene or PVC jacket.

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LSZH: Stands for "Low Smoke Zero Halogen" rated cable. Used in areas that are not able to be ventilated sufficiently such as aircraft, the railroad industry or any other enclosed space. Polyethylene or PVC are typical in low voltage cabling. During combustion, these materials emit a dangerous gas. In the event of a fire, a cable with a LSZH rated jacket will not release as much toxic smoke as regular cables.

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NEMA: Stands for "National Electrical Manufacturers Association". In the cabling world, a NEMA connector is part of a group of standards referring to power plugs and receptacles used in North America.

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PVC: This is the abbreviation for "Polyvinyl Chloride," and is the most common jacket material used in cabling. PVC is a synthetic plastic polymer designed for indoor use.

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Riser: A "riser rated" cable is designed for cable runs in non-plenum areas of a building, such as through cable risers between floors. An elevator shaft is also considered a "riser" area. 

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STP: This stands for "shielded twisted pair", and refers to a type of network cable shielding where each individual pair of wires in a four-pair network cable has its own aluminum shield.

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Tinned Copper: Copper wire that has a thin layer of tin, electroplated onto the outside. Tinning copper is usually done for cost-cutting reasons, as less copper is used in place of tin. Tin is also easier to solder than copper. While use of tinned copper does have its place in some wire configurations, most of the time using tinned copper in place of pure copper is seen as cutting corners to save money. With many types of wire, using tinned copper can cause unsafe conditions such as fire risks or may cause the wire to under perform. Ethernet cable, for example, is required to be pure copper in order to pass safety and performance certifications.

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Tolerance: Refers to a manufacturer's rule for allowable size or length of deviation from the specifications set forth for a particular cable. 

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UL: This stands for Underwriters Laboratories. This independent organization sets the standard for both electronic and electrical materials in the United States.

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UTP: This is the abbreviation for "Unshielded Twisted Pair" Ethernet cables, which means the cable has no shield surrounding the twisted pair wires inside of the cable. 

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Voltage Rating: A voltage rating is a numerical number that a wire assembly can safely operate within. The conductor itself and the outer jacket are given a voltage rating number. This number is not the maximum voltage of safe operation, but a smaller percentage of the maximum. 

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VW-1: The VW-1 rating written on a cable specifies the flammability of the outer jacket. It is a standardized test to measure how the outer jacket responds when exposed to a flame in a vertical orientation hence the abbreviation VW (vertical wire). VW-1 will be found on the jacket of the cable if it has a VW-1 rating. The term VW-1 applies to any cable going in a wall vertically.

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W: A jacket labeled "W" e.g. "SJTW" designates it as suitable for outdoor and recreational use. It is designed to resist UV radiation from the sun and a wet environment. A greater temperature rating is present but does not denote a specified temperature. You will see this designation commonly found on outdoor extension cables or power cables that are suitable for outdoor use.

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Wire Gauge: This measures the diameter of a wire. There is a standard wire gauge system in place that is used for measuring the diameter of a solid, round electrically conducting wire.

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As technology changes and new cables are created, this list will change with it.