Can a damaged cable start a fire?

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asked Apr 16, 2024 in Other-Home/Garden by pschyosse (2,490 points)
Can a damaged cable start a fire?

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answered Dec 1, 2024 by Flocraz (21,430 points)
A damaged cable can start a fire, especially if the damaged cable has exposed wires.

The exposed wires of the damaged cables can make contact with each other and start a fire when they short out and they can also shock you as well.

Cords with damaged insulation or damaged plugs should never be used and should be replaced.

Things that can damage electrical cords are pulling them out of the outlet without grasping the plug, bending the cord, aging, abrasion, walking or driving on electrical cords, mechanic stress, overheating and overloading the electrical cords.

The most common cause of cable failure is damage to the insulation.

Damage to the cables or wires insulation can occur from aging, bending, abrasion and mechanical stress.

Over time as cables age the insulation can break down and start to crack and even come part which makes the cable no longer safe for use with electricity.

Electrical overloading can also damage the insulation on cables and wiring and cords as the overloading of the wires and cables can melt the insulation and start a fire.

Wire corrosion can look like a flaky layer of discoloration that can be green brown or white, especially on battery terminals and a general discoloration on other electrical wires.

Corrosion also weaken the integrity of the wire and make it more likely to fail and even be a fire hazard as the corrosion wires can cause electric failures.

Wire corrosion can look either white and powdery or even green or blue depending on the wire and the corrosion.

The wires in cables such as copper can develop a powdery substance that is lead sulfate when it's white and copper sulfate when the powdery substance is green or blue.

The copper in the wires is being eaten away, which leads to excessive electrical resistance and can voltage loss.

Cables are coated in plastics like PVC, polyvinyl chloride, nylon or polyethylene for insulation.

A popular coating and insulation for cables that are used outdoors is PVC as it's resistant to heat, UV rays, water, acids and alkalies.

Polyethylene is used as a protective cover and insulation for electrical cables as it's resistant to impact and abrasion.

Nylon is also a popular coating material for some cables as it has a melting point of 180 F.

Aluminum is also used in shielded cables to protect the internal wires from electromagnetic disturbances and interference.

Some cables are also coated in a layer of talcum powder that is applied inside the cable jacket to act as a lubricant and separate the individual wires and improve flexibility during movement.

It's a common practice to coat cables in a layer of talcum powder when they have multiple conductors inside.

Talcum powder is sometimes used in some low current low voltage wires like computer power cables to make them more flexible and to stop the internal wires from becoming stuck to the outer rubber casing.

When cables are used over a long period of time the outer rubber can get sticky and break down.

The wires in cables such as copper can also develop a powdery substance that is lead sulfate when it's white and copper sulfate when the powdery substance is green or blue.

The copper in the wires is being eaten away, which leads to excessive electrical resistance and can voltage loss.

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