SF Cable Blog - Get Expert Tips & Advice on Cables & AccessoriesIn our blog, we educate customers on the various types of cables, components and accesscories for computer, laptops and mobiles. Find More Blog
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SF Cable Blog - Get Expert Tips & Advice on Cables & AccessoriesIn our blog, we educate customers on the various types of cables, components and accesscories for computer, laptops and mobiles. Find More Blog
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Using the wrong type of cord can be vulnerable. According to the U.S Product Safety Commission, extension power cords are among the most dangerous electrical devices in our homes because of improper and overloaded power cord usage. If you use a light-gauge household extension cord to extend the reach of a heavy power consuming appliance, it consumes excessing power than its loading capacity. Which can be disastrous! They are prone to fire, short circuits, leaked currents around your space. It is important to choose extension cords according to its usage. The loading capacity of extension power cords depends on two factors:
Here, Gauge is a numerical rating of copper wire diameter identified by an American Wire Gauge (AWG) number. Make sure to consider that the smaller numeric value indicates thicker wires, while big numeric values indicate thinner wires. The Length of the extension cord affects the voltage drop. The voltage drop is resistance which electricity experiences while flowing through a wire. So, you need a long extension cord with the heavy wire gauge. Therefore, it’s advisable to keep various extension cords of different lengths or you can say a combination of cords to use as per your needs to escape the excessive length of cord. This article explains the safety guidelines for the three major types of extension power cords you use on a daily base. Light Duty The Light-duty extension cords look like a lamp wire. Just like the name, it is advisable not to use these cords with anything except light-duty devices. It is not considered to use these cords with heat-generating appliances like toasters, irons that generates heavy electrical loads. The other thing which needs your attention is an application of third wire for grounding. You should not use them with appliances that have a three-prong grounded cord. You can use these power cords with devices consuming power up to 7 amps like lamps, clocks, and other light-duty electrical devices.
Medium-Duty The Medium-duty cords are the grounded extension cords. They include a third wire for the proper grounding. The plug of these cords contains three-prong grounded appliance cords. The major applications of these devices include televisions, computers, and other devices that usually consume up to 10 amps of power.
Heavy-Duty These are the power cords which are suitable to use for the appliances that consume up to 10 to 15 amps of power. Like the Medium duty cords, these are also the grounded extension cords that include a third wire for grounding and have plugs with three slots to connect the grounded appliance cords. It is considered to use the heavy-duty cords with tools and heating appliances which consume high power voltage.
However, it is important to follow the appliance manufacturers instructions. Some manufacturers of the certain type of ovens, cloth dryers, and space heaters specify not to use certain power cords with their products. GFCI Protection In instances of outdoors or below grade use, plug power cords need into GFCI-protected outlets. If there is no GFCI outlet available, you can use an extension cord with a built-in GFCI protection. With heavy-duty extensions, you get this feature. Final Thoughts When you connect an inaccurate power cord with your appliance, an electrical current flowing through wires generates heat, and it might catch fire in cases of overheating. Therefore, read the instructions twice which indicates the electrical current load. In case if you plug in a light-gauge household extension cord to extend the reach of a certain appliance, it consumes an ample amount of load. To escape such adverse situations, pick the right extension cord to plug in the appliances. This Article is originally posted here. If you found this article useful, here are some others that may be of interest. Power Cords: Connection Types And Regulatory Issues Explained What is the Difference between C13 and C15 Power Cords? What are Power Cords? Which Cord Powers Your Computer?
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Our one and the only requirement is high-speed internet from any network. A successful network and that too in terms of speed depends on its components. That includes switches, controllers, connectors, and Ethernets. Amongst all, Ethernet cables have some extra weightage and are responsible for better performance. They pass data at high-speed rates. For example, CAT 6 cables can operate frequencies up to 250MHz. At the same time, CAT 5 cables operate frequencies up to 100MHz. The CAT 5 cables are also suitable for 100Mbit applications using two-pair cables.
To simply your understanding, the below table specifies all the Industry frequency requirements: (See Image) But when you choose cables for the industrial purpose, you need to understand the industrial requirements to choose the right cable for your network. Size of a Conductor Conductors are one of the reasons behind fulfilling our needs of high data speed over long distances. Especially the conductor size. It is important to note that a standard Ethernet cable doesn’t have the same performance capacities as a solid conductor. Ethernet conductors are 26 and 24AWG size. To get better results, it is advisable to utilize the conductors of bigger size for long distance. Profinet standard has introduced 22AWG cables. They provide even better performance over 26 and 24AWG cables. Coming to conductor’s types, there three defined within the Profinet standard.
If you use 22AWG cables, you will need to correct RJ45 connector. Because many conductors are not compatible with the increased wire size and Profinet cables’ larger outside diameter. Shielded versus Unshielded Cables The selection of industrial cable is dependent on the environment at your workplace. Unshielded cables are used in general for normal work environments. If your work environment is noisy, it is recommended to use shielded cables. Shielding part is made of a foil or a braid to protect the signals. In the case of extra durability and noise protection, you can use a combination of foil and braid shielded cable. Cable Selection Industrial cable requirements expect a high level of security standards. These cables should have robust constructions than the ones used for general use. The most obvious reason is the environment. When it comes to chemical industries, they require an extra level of safety for cables. For example, materials such as polyurethane (PUR) are used to provide mineral oil resistance. Also, they are halogen-free. Ethernet cables for industrial use are available with solid conductors as well. They only suite static applications. If you want to use cables in a flexible way, standard conductors are of a good choice. But, for a continuous application, conductors with even high standards are of the best choice. Packet Stability Data packet drops can cause a great loss of data, money, and energy. Generally, packet drop occurs when one or more packets of data traveling across a computer network don’t reach their destination. When trying to get Ethernet networks for Industrial area, it is important to consider the determinism. When your network has a deterministic Ethernet system, it ensures packet transfer without any drops. Another way is by using quality internet services. It prioritizes the sensitive traffic within the network and makes sure that there are no packet drops in the system. This way you overcome the threats of an Ethernet system to make it more suitable for the factory use. Environment As mentioned above, the environment is one of the biggest factors to consider while choosing Ethernet cables. Several conditions like humidity, vibrations, dust, and similar issues might affect the networking equipment. This may disrupt the signal transmission through switches, damage hardware. It also affects the overall network performance. That’s the reason you have to choose the right ethernet solutions for your industrial use. Identify the Requirement, Then Select the Cable To avoid network failures in your industry, the first step is to identify the requirement. Based on that you can select the right type of cables for which suits your industry requirements. As they are a vital part of network success, choosing the wrong one will never get your industrial network on a right track. This Article is Originally Posted here How to Select the Right Industrial Ethernet Cable? Read Some More Ideas About Ethernet cable: How to Choose the Best Ethernet Cable for Gaming? How to Find Out If Your Ethernet Cables Are Authentic or Not? A power cord is an essential element for all the cord connected electrical devices. It powers up your devices. Generally, power cords are connected in two ways.
Before we begin, it would be good to note that power supply cords typically have two to three wires. ‘line’, ‘neutral’ and ‘ground’. Here are the standard IEC 60446 approved color codes:
Here’s the break down about the power cords and their components: Non-Detachable Power Cords These power cords are hard-wired to the equipment. In general cases, you don’t need to remove the cord from the equipment. To attach the stripped end of a non-detachable power cord there is a lug/ring terminal. One end of the terminal consists of a metallic ring or a loop that is attached to a power terminal post. The other end is generally crimped on the stripped power cord wire. One more important thing to remember is, when utilizing this form of terminal, the crimp tool should be standard. Manufacturers who own large equipment and need to ship power supplies occasionally might have chances that power supply cords get damaged during shipping. In such scenario, U.S recognized NRTLs (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories) allow the shipment under the following conditions:
Detachable Cord It is also known as a line cord, main cord, or power cable. It consists of a flexible cord with electrical connectors male and female. The male end is attached to a molded electrical plug. The female consists of a molded electrical receptacle. This connection method is meant to prevent an exposed live prong or pin that could cause an electric shock. The male plug connects to the electrical source, while the female connector attaches to the piece of equipment. Overcurrent protection fuse is another component of the cord. That’s pretty much it about the power cords connection types. But it’s a vital part to understand the plug and cordage certifications and specifications based on their connection types. In North America, the NEMA 5 family of plugs is the most common type used. The NEMA 5 plug typically has a male plug featuring two flat blades. For example, you can consider buying NEMA 5-15 to C13 power cords as they meet all the industry standards. It does not have a current rating higher than 20 amps. For high-rated current, a NEMA Power Cords featuring the NEMA L14-30P plug and the NEMA L14-30P is rated at 30 amps. Considering Cordage specifications, in North America, most commonly used cables are SVT, SJT, SJTW, ST, SPT-1, and SOW. While in Europe, cables must have approval and carry the “◄HAR►” mark on them. Final Findings We can clearly state that each country has their own standards of approvals. Considering the North American developing standards, NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturer Association) certify and declare the approved cords as NEMA Power Cords. These cables are typically used for ITE. Rest of the countries use IEC 60320 standard cords. It is an international standard for the certification of the power cord components. So, the next time if you want to buy 5-15 to C13 power cords you will find NEMA 5-15 to C13 power cords standardized. In the USA, the standard used to examine power cords is UL 817. As this article has demonstrated, the power cords aren’t easy to understand. There are a number of components used, different regulations followed country wise. It is an essential conduit through which the electricity flows. Therefore, you need to take care while buying. They must meet the maze of international regulations and certifications for the power cords. You can Read More Blogs on Power Cords here. This Blog is Originally Posted here https://www.sfcable.com/blog/power-cords-connection-types-regulatory-issues-explained/ DisplayPort cables make it easier to connect a video source and a display device with each other. These cables are designed to support devices such as a PC, laptop, and monitors. DisplayPorts provide an ultimate display interface for computers. They also carry audio, USB, and other forms of data. These cables are capable of 3,840x2,160-pixel resolution at 60fps. This means that a standard DisplayPort cable will support new systems with the same quality results, possibly supporting systems up to 4k at 60Hz.
However, while you look for buying options, you need to make a note that there are a few RBR (Reduced Bit Rate) cables. They support only up to 1080p. Therefore, unless the cable is identified as RBR, it is a standard DisplayPort cable. Here are some points to consider:
Debunking the above myth, these cables use packetized data similar to USB and Ethernet cables. Therefore, you will get all of the data or you don’t. It is not that you get a better picture only with expensive DisplayPort cables. Although, a poor-quality cable can lead to data errors in video or audio data. So, it is important that you make a choice for standard quality cables. To avoid end up buying bad quality cables, you can consider below things: 1. Connector Type: Before you opt for buying, you need to be clear about connector type according to your requirement. This is the most important thing to consider during the purchase of these cables. For DisplayPort cables, there two types of connectors available:
2. Avoid Non-DisplayPort Certified Cables: We love to shop from our beloved clothing brands like H&M, Forever 21, Asos for good quality products. Then why not to do the same for DisplayPort cables? Just like there are duplicates for every industry brand in the market, the same scenario is there for cables. According to reports from VESA, they received a few complaints regarding the DisplayPort operations. As a result, many users’ systems were affected by improperly made DisplayPort cables. These types of cables are generally non-DisplayPort or off-brand cables. Further, VESA itself purchased a number of non-certified, off-brands cables. They found that a big number of these cables were configured improperly. They were not compatible with all system configurations. Even they wouldn’t pass the DisplayPort certification test. Moreover, these bad quality cables have the tendency of damaging your PC, laptop or monitor. Therefore, whenever you buy cables with a DisplayPort certification, you won’t face such problems. 3. Cable Length An important thing while choosing a DisplayPort cable is to know that which type of DisplayPort connector you will need at each end. Have you finalized the cable length? As it is a vital need. For example, the length of your cable depends upon its use case. When you are looking to connect two monitors together, you won’t need the cable of the same length you need while connecting a monitor to CPU. The standard length of these cables is available of 1 to 3 meters (roughly about 10 feet). Concluding DisplayPort cables are important components when you want a precise connection between your devices. But when buying them, if you opt for a cheaper option, a non-branded cable, it might be vulnerable to your systems. That’s why the very first thing you will need is to avoid low quality and non-branded DisplayPort cables. It may put your system through unexpected visual issues, system power-up problems. It is necessary to remember that, those issues would cost you more than a standard DisplayPort cable price. Hence, consider buying cables from a reputed online shop, and brands with DisplayPort certifications. This Blog is Originally Posted here How to Choose the Standard DisplayPort Cable? Here Read More Article on Displayport cables: It’s a weekend eve. With a slice of pizza, you’re watching your favorite episode from ‘FRIENDS’ on television. Right before, the joey announces his ‘Next Big Hit’ acting debut, there comes an indication of ‘No-signal’ on TV. And we start adjusting our HDMI adapters and cable. Like any good web series lover, we love to watch our favorite characters on bigger screens. Nowadays, people do not rely on TV schedules. As long as they have Netflix, a TV, and an HDMI cable to connect a phone, their life is sorted.
But when suddenly cable ditches in such incidences, it becomes tricky to where to point the blame finger. As there are many cables, connected to devices, it’s not a guessing game of check and error whether which of the cable is not working. While HDMI cables don’t last forever, here are five indications which state that it’s high time to upgrade your HDMI cables. 1. New TV, But Not Cables You’ve decided to buy a new HDR TV, but not with the new HDMI cable. Because you purchased them during the original run of the X-Files. But those old versioned cables may not suffice with the high-speed HDR signals from the new technology TVs. Solution:You need a high-speed cable which is designed to handle the massive data required for HDR content. Just because an HDMI cable is certified for high speed, it doesn’t mean that it’s made well enough to send a 4K HDR signal. All you need to do is to upgrade your cables with the new ones. 2. You’re Unable To Track Cables While you add a new streamer to stack, it becomes a total mess when there’s a clutter of cables behind. You swap out your cable box or upgrade your soundbar. You try to understand what’s there by pulling one of the cables hanging together. Chaos for every one of us. Solution:The quick way to escape this is to stick little pieces of taps on cables with names to track. But the better and permanent solution is upgrading them with spotlight cables. They are based on LED technology which lights up to indicate where a cable is connected. You will need to press the LED button and it will blink on both ends. 3. You’ve Bought The Cheaper One Although these are ‘just’ the cables, they play a key role behind every web series you enjoy through mobiles on big screens. But many times, people prefer buying relatively cheap options. But the truth is that there is a huge difference in terms of materials, lengths, life cycle and thickness. Solution:You need to invest in a good quality cable as they are your behind the scene buddies. Even if there’s a dirt nest behind, investing in a good quality cable help you tame the mess. They just cost a few bucks more. This way, you will never need to spend another Saturday night solving the cable issues. 4. ‘No Signal’ Indication On TV Whenever there’s a ‘No Signal’ indication on your TV screen, it is a dreadful task of troubleshooting it and get the problem solved. And sometimes it becomes next to impossible to track which of your device is causing an issue. Solution:Test them. Swap the HDMI cables of another audio-visual system and see if they work. You will know that they are faulty if the previously working system fails to work with those cables. You can even use a new HDMI cable in the existing setup. You will easily get to know that the originals cables were expired if the current equipment begins to work properly. 5. Color Issues Every HDMI cable has its own work life cycle. With the time passing by, you will experience little dots, mismatched colors or even discolorations on the screen. That indicates the early signs that your HDMI adapter or cable is about to expire. Solution:In such cases, it is wise to upgrade your HDMI cable. Rather than just dragging your cable till it’s dead, upgrade them at earliest. While you already look to buy a new cable, try to invest in the good ones. You can browse through the new versions of cables available online easily and chose the one suitable for your devices. Ready To Upgrade? HDMI cables need to be maintained in a proper way. To ensure smooth working of your devices, it is important to upgrade your cables time-to-time. There’s a motto that you get, what you pay for. Whenever you opt for buying new cables, investment in a good quality product is a necessity. The major thing you need to make sure that, to look for the ones which are tested individually. SFcable offers efficient and quality HDMI cables as per your requirements. You can go to this link to find the cables you are looking for. Read More Blog On HDMI Cable/Adaptors here: This Blog is Originally posed here Indications Tell You That It’s Time to Upgrade HDMI Cable Does your passion for gadgets have covered you in a clutter of cords? Whenever there comes a new appliance in the market, we get an impulse to buy. But what about all the untidiness it may create with the cables? Although cables are an important component for devices, managing them in an organized manner without any damage can be a little tricky. To help you out with this, we have gathered smart hacks described below to hide each and every cable safely. And to make your home look spick and span at the same time.
Hook Cables at the Back of Furniture This hack works best with hanging TV or Ethernet Cables. What you need to do is, fix all the cables at the back of the nearest piece of furniture. Use cord clips at the back edges of furniture. Press the clip on the surface for a while. And after an hour, hook in one or more cords as per choice. And you’re done. There will be a clean sight of a console without any tangles of cables. It is also possible to hide charging cords and cables at a desk the same way. Hide Wires In a Basket This is one of the easiest and quick ways to hide cords altogether. All you need to do is, take a basket, decorate it with colorful ribbons or papers of your choice, and place it under the console. The next step is to find out a Velcro tie to string all the cords together and make a bundle of them. That’s it. You can create as many bundles of cords as required to keep them organized in the basket. Additionally, categorize the cords for well-organized storage. Zip Tie Cords Management of cords depends on the type of console. If there is a console which is of large size, many of the people need to manage all the cords underneath it. This might get even messier. Since, all the cords, power extension boards would be visible together down there. The solution is, to zip-tie the cords together. The next task is to hunt the house for a multiple prong electrical outlets that would whether mount to the wall or plugged directly into the socket. Wrap Cords with Jute Rope Extension Along with hiding the cords, this hack adds a style element to the room. If you do not want to go through the hassle of hiding and zipping cords with hooks, zips, and clips, take a jute rope. Tie it around network cables, TV cables, or Lamp cables and keep the cords as it is. Its natural color and texture will blend easily to other elements from the room. Utilize Docking Creating your own docking station is one of the best things to avoid multiple charging cables. When there are multiple devices available on the desk and need charging, this can lead to an abundance of charging cables. Therefore, the docking station is a handy solution. First, take cardboards and create a square box wherein you can keep all the devices together. Put a multi-cable holder with devices and a docking station is ready. It will make the charging process easier without any need for extra cords. Adopt the Labeling When you bought bulk network cables, it becomes confusing to identify a particular cable. To get over this dilemma, labeling helps. Prepare labels with particular names for each cable. For example, ‘TV cable’, ‘Wi-Fi Cable’ etc. This helps to identify the right cable and prevents you from turning off the TV when you meant to unplug a Wi-Fi. Conceal Router in a Storage Box A router is a device that contains a maximum number of wires. When you conceal them with a storage box, you can organize the router and its cords together in a decorative way. What you need to do is to buy or make a DIY decorative storage box. Make sure that there is a hole behind the box that easily passes all the cables to the plugs. Place router and cords inside it and it’s done. Tissue Roll Cord Holder Don’t throw out used tissue roll in the trash. You can utilize these empty tissue rolls to manage cords individually. If you have Bulk Network Cables, this is the perfect hack to keep them organized. Place the cables inside the tissue holder, and use decorative washi tape. It keeps the rolls look cute in the space. Concluding Cable management is an essential thing to create a clean work environment. At the same time, it helps cables or wires to maintain their functionality. Which hacks are you using to manage your cables in a safe way? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Bonus Tip: Before you start, make sure that you unplug all appliances to do a quick sweep to remove any dust bunnies that may have built a residence in wire pile. This Blog is Originally Posted here 8 Ingenious Hacks to Hide Every Cable in Your Room Read More Blog on Ethernet cable here:
The technology evolution is a dynamic process. It evolves day by day with new twists and turns. For instance, ever since we had USB cables and ports, they made our life easier with steady growth throughout the years. Back in the days, when USB ports didn’t exist, Pentium or Pentium II ports saved us. You will likely remember having multiple colored ports to deal with! And how can we not remember PS/2 connector or serial port to connect a mouse and keyboard? I am sure you must have remembered about having to hook up those bulk printers and scanners with parallel ports and metal clamps. Here we can clearly say that without the revolution of USB ports, we’d still be dealing with those serial connectors in the same old fashion. USB cables and ports achieved a great transformation for the past two decades. But do you ever wonder from where it all began? Today, let’s roll back to 1990s when the USB was invented first… USB 1.1 -The Beginning The first ever USB version USB 1.1 was brought to life in the early 1990s. At that time, it had a maximum transfer rate of 12Mbps. Of course, it’s nothing compared to today’s scenario. But during that time period, it was an era of PS/2, serial and parallel connectors. And this much of data transfer speed was more than enough. It convinced computer users to adopt the USB standard. By the late 1990s, you would find the computers with 1-2 USB ports on the motherland. Following the dynamic process of evolution, manufacturers started manufacturing USB connectors supported mouse, keyboards, and printers. You must have remembered the connection of USB 1.1, the Standard-A to Standard-B cable. They are still in use today. USB 2.0 – Enhanced Speed The USB 2.0 was the second version rolled out in 2000. This came with a massive jump of the transfer speed of 480Mbps, or 60Mbps. A major benefit was its compatibility with the original USB 1.1 standard. That means that even if your devices have a USB1.1 port, you can still plug a USB 2.0 device. But, this way it would work as per the 1.1 speed standards. This time span was part of a major change for USB ports, as they started replacing optical media devices like CDs or DVDs. At the same time, users experienced the dawn of USB adapters, Wi-Fi adapter, Ethernet ports. And these devices could easily match the storage capacity with a smaller footprint as a USB drive. It also helped the Micro-A and Micro-B connectors releases, as they supported digital cameras and cell phones. USB 3.1 Gen 1 – Speeding Things Really Up! USB 3.1 provided a data transfer speed of 5.0 Gbps. The USB 3.1 version increased the bus power of 900 mW. Compared to USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 versions, speed used to be 500 mW! This support came with the new use cases in the industry. Users could handle giant video files, run an entire operating system on a USB 3.1 external hard drive. You can easily recognize these USB 3.1 with its blue trademark inside the connector. USB 3.1 Gen 2 – Supporting SuperSpeed Data Transfer With the advancement in USB, USB 3.1 Gen 2 brings us in present time. It doubled the data speed transfer capacity to 10Gbps. At present, we all majorly use this USB. Other than that, there are no other remarkable enhancements to note in this generation. USB C – A New Era Of USB Ports? Many users seems to have confusion for this ‘type-c’ generation. USB type-C is a new connector and a USB port type. USB specifications like USB 1.1, 2.0, and 3.1 are a set of protocols that control how efficiently those USB connectors can pump data. In the most simplified manner, USB type-C is another connector type of USB 3.1. With type-c standard, USB adapters, ports, cables everything looks different than the previous generations. The good part is that this can be inserted in any direction which eliminates the port orientation. It offers the speed of 10Gbps on a single cable. If we look at the upcoming events, USB Type-C is expecting to be the go-to standard that would end up streamline all of our connection needs. For instance, Apple, one plus three and other brands have started to support only USB-Type C connectors in their newly launched devices. The Future Apart from the USB ports, there are other options which have marked their presence in the market. If you make a list of all of your cloud services, there are Bluetooth, Wi-Fi direct replacing the wire-based data transfers. But then we think of speed. I am sure you will still use USB cables to transfer your heavy wedding videos and pictures to your friends. Why? Because wireless is still lagging at USB 2.0 speed standards. USB is here to stay, being the data transfer champion. As industry call it a one port revolution, USB Type-C is leading the charge already. Source: https://www.sfcable.com/blog/usb-speeding-up-data-transfer-rapidly/ |
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