Gauge Tables

[cdub260]

I swear I've heard something about how the older a cable gets the more those find strands end up broken, thus reducing the actual load capacity of the cable.

I have cables in my inventory that are older than I am.

 

[techieman33]

I swear I've heard something about how the older a cable gets the more those find strands end up broken, thus reducing the actual load capacity of the cable.

I've heard that as well. I was told a lot of that has to do with how the cable is treated. Coiling over/under is supposed to help with this since the cable isn't twisted as much.

 

[JD]

Breaking strands is yet another consideration, and yes, cable wrapping will determine life.

Here's an odd story; Some of the old Sony camcorders (late 1990's) did not filter IR too well in low light conditions. A friend was replaying a tape he had just filmed and I could see an odd "reflection" on a cable. I couldn't see it with my eye so I went over and checked the cable. It was warm at one spot, the same spot that looked like a reflection! I flagged the cable with duct tape and later cut it down to two shorter cables. The section I had marked, I cut open and found an internal area that was kinked and had about 30% of the strands broken. I suspect at one point it had been given a bad wrap job and got damaged.