The home needs decoration. I need a wire. Could you please tell me if you know more about it?

In fact, there are two main aspects to consider when purchasing wires: conductors and insulation layers. As long as there are no problems with these two parts, it proves that it is a good wire.

1. Conductor

Take out a piece of wire, peel off the insulation layer of the wire, and expose the copper wire inside - this is the conductor. We can judge the quality of conductors from two angles:

1. Color

Although they are both called "copper", they are not 100% pure copper, and there are more or less colors in them. Contains impurities. The more impurities it contains, the less conductive a conductor is. The amount of impurities contained in a conductor is generally reflected in its color.

The highest quality copper is called "red copper" or "purple copper" - as the name suggests, the color of this copper is red or purple, showing purple-red or dark red.

The worse the copper, the lighter the color and the more yellow it is, which is called "brass". Some copper has a yellowish color - this copper has a very high impurity content.

But this is not the worst. A few years ago, there was a kind of rough-processed copper that was recycled, and the overall appearance was black, with no red or yellow shadows visible (relatively rare in recent years). This kind of copper must not pass the national standard test. It is a fake and shoddy product and must not be purchased.

2. Thickness

We must first choose the color. Between the same colors, we can compare the thickness to judge which one is better - when the color conflicts with the thickness, the priority is to follow the Choose by color (for example, between finer red copper and thicker brass, red copper is preferred).

When the line squares are the same, the thicker they are, the stronger their conductivity - when comparing thicknesses, you should only compare the conductors and not the thickness of the insulation layer.

2. Insulation layer

The layer of rubber on the outside of the wire is the insulation layer of the wire. Its existence can not only prevent external factors from causing damage to the conductor (protecting the conductor), but also protect the conductor from causing damage to the outside world after a failure (insulation, flame retardant). To judge the quality of the insulation layer, the following three methods can generally be used:

1. Touch

Gently stroke the surface of the insulation layer with your hands. If the surface is rough, it proves that the production process of the insulation layer is poor. Poor, it is prone to leakage and other faults.

Use your fingernail to press the insulation layer. If it rebounds quickly, it proves that the insulation layer is thick and tough.

2. Bending

Take a piece of wire, bend it back and forth several times, then straighten the wire and observe. If there are no traces on the surface of the wire, it proves that the wire has good toughness. If there are obvious indentations and severe whitening on the surface of the wire, it proves that the wire has poor toughness. If it is buried underground for a long time, it will easily age and become brittle, and it will be prone to leakage in the future.

3. Burn

Use a lighter to continue burning the wire until the wire insulation catches fire. Then turn off the lighter and start timing - if the wire can automatically go out within 5 seconds, it proves that the wire is flame retardant. Otherwise, it proves that the flame retardant ability of the wire is not up to standard, and the circuit is overloaded or the circuit is prone to fire.

How should I choose the thickness of home improvement wires?

When we buy wires, we may also encounter such problems. Wires are divided into different squares. Some people say that thick wires are better and have greater current carrying capacity; There is no need to buy such thick wire. How should I choose the thickness of home improvement wires? Listen to what the old electrician said.

1. What is thickness?

Thickness actually refers to the number of squares of the wire. Generally, the common ones are 1 square millimeter (referred to as 1 square), 1.5 squares, 2.5 squares, 4 squares, and 6 squares, which refers to the horizontal width of the copper wire. cross-sectional area. Generally, in our home decoration, the more commonly used wires are 1.5 square meters and 2.5 square meters.

2. How to choose the number of wires?

1. For general lighting, 1.5 cubic meters is enough. Since the wattage of ordinary lighting lamps is not large, it is more suitable to use 1.5 cubic meters.

2. General sockets use 2.5 cubic meters. The electrical appliances on the socket may have a larger wattage than the light. Under normal circumstances, we use 2.5 cubic meters which is more than enough.

3. Cabinet air conditioners use 4 cubic meters.

The power of cabinet air conditioners is relatively large, so it is safer to use a 4-square-meter air conditioner; if it is hung up, a 2.5 square-meter air conditioner can actually be used.

4. The kitchen main line uses 4 square meters, and the branch line uses 2.5 square meters. The kitchen mainly involves some relatively high-power electrical appliances. If it is a branch, generally 2.5 cubic meters can still be driven. However, for the main line, for the sake of safety, it is recommended to use 4 cubic meters.

5. The entrance line uses 6 square meters. The entrance line is the main line of the entire family. Generally, 6 square meters is enough.

3. Why can’t all thick wires be installed?

Some people think that it is safer to install thick wires entirely? But in this case, a lot of money will be wasted. The first is the cost of wire materials. Thick wires are definitely more expensive than thin wires. In addition, since the total cross-sectional area of ??the wires in a wire conduit cannot exceed 40, so if the wire is thick, it will not be able to hold several wires, which will increase the cost of the wire conduit. Therefore, the best solution is to fit it. If you don't use that much electricity at all, installing thick wires is a waste.

I believe that after reading this, everyone will not have too many doubts about the purchase of wires.