All About Wires: Different Types of Connecting Wires

In electronics and electrical field, wire is one of the important common materials used. There are many different types of wires. One example is the wire used in electrical connections. This kind of connecting wires can be classified as solid and in stranded form and have different sizes. There are mostly made of copper with plastic or rubber insulation surrounding it. These wires are commonly used in industry or even in household electrical wirings. Also by electronics technicians and other related professions and by the students of electrical and electronics related courses. Wire as defined by Compton’s Encyclopedia is a strand of metal in the form of a flexible thread or slender rod. This is the most common form of conductors for power transmission, smaller electrical signals, or as resistors. Insulated wires are most often used in electronic circuits. The insulation provides electrical insulation and mechanical and chemical protection. Different Types of Connecting Wires Wires are either solid or stranded. 

Most wires are round, occasionally square or rectangular conductors are used, such as integrated circuit external leads. Metals usually used in making wires are aluminum, alloy and copper. Insulation is made up of rubber or non-conductive materials and can come in different sizes and colors. Solid Wires. These wires are single solid wires with rubber insulation. Usually used in connecting circuits or wiring connections in a protoboard. Stranded Wires. Is a group of wires used as a single wire. Due to their high flexibility, stranded wires are the most commonly used conductors. There’s no sharp distinction between stranded wire and cable wires. Stranded constructions vary in the size, number and configuration of the individual strands. All stranded designation systems relate to the total cross-sectional area of the conductor. The cross-sectional area of metal determines the electrical resistance and current carrying capacity of the conductor and is important for the proper size selection for a specific application.