West Penn Wire Blog

To help you stay up to date on products and trends, we publish monthly blogs with insight and product information. As a result, our blog continues to grow in readership each month!

With 2020 behind us, we take a look back at the topic and posts that were most important to you. After we examined the most-read blogs from 2020, as well as the most-read West Penn Wire blogs of all time, we're sharing your favorite here!

Topics: Low Voltage Cables, Fiber Optic, fire alarm cables, networking, outdoor cable

Certain AV Installations require flexible cables, especially in stage applications. Having cable flexibility also ensures that the cable can withstand to transit, coil up and pack away and redeploy when necessary.. Flexibility also ensures that the cable can withstand repeated pulling, flexing, and bending.

Read below to learn more about the three factors that can impact a cable’s flexibility

Topics: Low Voltage Cables, shielded cable, Solid Cable

In low voltage cabling, we hear the terms solid and stranded on a regular basis. When these two terms are being discussed it generally goes back to the copper material within the cable and how it is arranged.  The main, distinct difference between these two is t he overall flexibility.  In the article below we will be looking at some distinct differences between the two. 

 

Stranded Cable:

Stranded cables are made from several thinner wires that are woven together into one cohesive bunch and are insulated. These cables are used in situations where the wire is installed in cramped space. This cable can also be used when the wire needs to be highly flexible and in areas with a great deal of vibration.  In a low voltage system, a stranded conductor may consist of 7, 19 or even more strands to make an AWG size.  For example, a 7-strand of 26awg will give a DCR of an 18AWG.  Other factors to consider for stranding is skin effect.  Skin effect is a phenomenon where the electrons in a conductor become stimulated and travel on the outside surfaces of the conductor. A stranded conductor compared to a solid conductor of the same AWG has more surface area hence a better, quicker signal.

 

Advantages:

• Highly Flexibility
• Easier to Route
• Can withstand large amounts of repetitive motion
• Replaced less often

Disadvantages:

• Expensive

Solid Cable:

Solid cables use one solid copper wire per conductor and they  should not be bent or twisted repeatedly. They are traditionally used as a backbone cable in walls, conduit, ceilings, where a great amount of flexibility is not needed. This cable is more rigid and transmits signals well over long distances. Also, solid cables are cheaper to manufacture so they are considered  to be more cost-effective. 

 

Advantages: 

• Cost-Effective

Disadvantages:

• Cant withstand large amounts of repetitive motion
• Not highly  flexible

Topics: Low Voltage Cables, bulk cable, Solid Cable, Stranded Cable

When a new installation is taking place or an update is needed, some potential mistakes may be overlooked. Often, trying to get a project done as easy and cost-effective as you can, can sometimes a few areas may be overlooked. If a project is rushed and not properly planned from the beginning that could result in a company facing hidden costs and slower network performance.

Topics: Low Voltage Cables, networking, network

Although wire and cable are referred to as the same thing, they are different with separate characteristics. Both wire and cable are used in the communication and security world, and are designed to carry a message from one point to another. So what are the differences between the two?

Topics: Low Voltage Cables, Fiber Optic, cable construction, coaxial cables

 LEDs have become increasingly popular and it's easy to see why since they offer many benefits over traditional lighting. They have greater lifespans, use less energy, safer alternatives and much more! The following are seven advantages to consider when switching to LED lighting:

Topics: Low Voltage Cables, LED Cables, Lighting, LED Lighting

Category cable or, Networking cable, is essential for networking or multimedia installations in projects such as higher education, government, corporate, conference rooms, healthcare, houses of worship, digital signage, hospitality and large venue applications. This article will go over the most common and different types of category cables.

Topics: Low Voltage Cables, Category 7 Cable, Category Cable, Cat7, Category 6A Cable, networking, Category 5e

Fire alarm systems are very important for any business, school, facility, home and much more. They protect us when alerts arise and deliver notification of potential threat and harm. In previous blogs, we have discussed how fire detection systems work and the differences between conventional vs. addressable fire alarm systems.

Today, we will go over the different types of fire alarm cables with both power limited and non-power limited fire alarm cables. So, let's begin... 

Topics: Low Voltage Cables, fire alarm cables, fire alarm, fire alarm systems

Fiber optic cables have many advantages over traditional copper cables to help with ease of installation. When fiber optic cabling is discussed other terms such as attenuation rates and wavelengths are mentioned to understand how light effectively transmits through the cable. 

We examined discussed in length about fiber optics in previous blog posts, but in this particular article, we will dig deeper into wavelengths and how they affect the strength of the fibers.

Topics: Low Voltage Cables, Fiber Optic Cable, Fiber, Fiber Optic Connector, Fiber Optic

As a business or residential owner the last thing that you need is an electrical fire. Yet, these are common in older buildings and can be severely dangerous. With fall and winter months just around the corner, we are at great risk of electrical fires from increased usage of lights and heaters. To make sure you are prepared, view the top causes of electrical fires below:

 

Topics: Low Voltage Cables, fire alarm cables, fire alarm