Why Do Cables And Wires Experience Aging

The operation of power cables is one of the important links in our daily life, work, and production. The safety of cable line operation is related to the safety of enterprise production and the safety of people's lives and property. Due to prolonged use, power cables may also experience certain losses and aging. So what are the reasons for the aging of wires and cables? What are the hazards of cable aging? Next, let me explain to you the causes and hazards of wire and cable aging!
Reasons for wire aging
01. External force damage
Based on operational analysis in recent years, many cable failures are now caused by mechanical damage. For example, non-standard construction during cable laying and installation can easily cause mechanical damage; Civil construction on buried cables can also easily damage the cables during operation.
02. Insulation is affected by moisture
This situation is also very common, usually occurring at cable joints buried directly or in ducts. For example, if the cable joints are not made properly or if they are made under humid weather conditions, the joints may be exposed to water or mixed with water vapor. Over time, under the action of an electric field, water dendrites (dendrites formed when water penetrates the insulation layer under the action of an electric field) will gradually damage the insulation strength of the cable and cause faults.
03. Chemical corrosion
Directly burying cables in areas with acidic or alkaline effects often causes corrosion of the cable's armor, lead sheath, or outer protective layer. The protective layer may fail due to long-term chemical or electrolytic corrosion, resulting in reduced insulation and cable failure.
04. Long term overload operation
Due to the thermal effect of current, when the load current passes through the cable, it inevitably causes the conductor to heat up. At the same time, the skin effect of charges, eddy current loss of steel armor, and insulation medium loss also generate additional heat, resulting in an increase in cable temperature. During long-term overload operation, excessively high temperatures can accelerate insulation aging, leading to insulation breakdown.
05. Cable joint failure
Cable joints are the weakest link in cable lines, and cable joint failures often occur due to poor construction. During the process of making cable joints, if there are reasons such as loose crimping or insufficient heating, the insulation of the cable head may decrease, leading to accidents.
06. Environment and Temperature
The external environment and heat sources in which cables are located can also cause high cable temperatures, insulation breakdown, and even explosions and fires.
07. Hazards
The aging of wires will increase power consumption. After the aging of the circuit, if the outer insulation sheath is damaged, it will not only increase wire consumption and power consumption, but also cause circuit fires, which need to be replaced in a timely manner. Wires will accelerate aging under high temperatures, and when the temperature is too high, it can ignite the outer insulation layer and cause a fire. In practical life, many people who do not understand circuit knowledge only use wire pliers to twist two or three times without tightening, which results in a small contact surface between the two wires at the joint. According to physics knowledge, the smaller the cross-sectional area of a conductor, the greater its resistance, and the heat generation Q=I squared Rt. An increase in resistance leads to an increase in heat generation.
So, we need to regularly conduct line safety inspections. Professional personnel should be invited to conduct a comprehensive and thorough inspection of wires, electrical equipment, etc. at least once a year, especially for circuits with long service life joints. If unsafe conditions such as aging, damage, and poor insulation are found in the wires, they should be repaired and replaced in a timely manner to ensure electrical safety. Finally, I would like to remind everyone that when choosing wires and cables, it is important to identify reputable manufacturers, check the quality carefully, and not purchase substandard wires just because they are cheap.