Frequently Asked Questions

Key factors to consider: voltage rating, current capacity, installation method, environmental conditions, and performance requirements.

1. Determine Voltage Rating

• What is the system voltage? Common ratings: 220V, 380V, 750V, 1000V, etc.
• The cable's insulation rating must be equal to or higher than the system voltage.

2. Determine Current Capacity

• Calculate the required current based on load power.

3. Installation Method

• Fixed installation or moving/bending application?
• Different installation methods require different cable constructions.

4. Environmental Conditions

• Indoor or outdoor? High temperature? Humid? Oil exposure? Chemical corrosion? Mechanical impact?
• For humid environments, choose a cable with good jacket protection. For oily environments, choose oil-resistant cable.

5. Performance Requirements

• Do you need seawater resistance, high/low temperature resistance, low smoke halogen-free, oil resistance, tensile strength, or abrasion resistance?
• Do you need shielding (EMI protection)?
• Do you need flexibility (frequent movement)?

Common Cable Designations

• TRVV — PVC jacket, PVC insulated flexible cable
• TRVVP — Shielded flexible cable
• TRVVSP — Twisted pair shielded flexible cable
• PUR/TPU — Polyurethane jacket, oil and wear resistant
• FW2000 — Anti-seawater cable series
• DRUM500 — Reel/drum cable series
• DRAG300 — Drag chain cable series
• FL020 — Floating / zero buoyancy cable series

Tell us your actual application scenario (e.g., motor control, equipment power supply, outdoor installation) and we can help you select the right cable with exact model and specifications.

Published: 2025-04-28 | Selection GuideHigh-Flexibility

Seawater-resistant cables are specially designed for marine environments such as ships, offshore platforms, port facilities, and underwater equipment. Their construction is optimized to resist salt spray, seawater corrosion, humidity, and mechanical wear.

Key Construction Features:

• Conductor: Tinned copper (preferred) to prevent galvanic corrosion from seawater electrolysis.
• Insulation: Special marine-grade insulation (XLPE, PE, or special rubber compounds) with excellent electrical properties in humid conditions.
• Filler & Binding: Water-blocking fillers and tapes to prevent longitudinal water migration along the cable.
• Shielding: Tinned copper wire braid + aluminum foil for EMI protection in sensitive signal applications.
• Inner Sheath: Provides additional mechanical protection and water barrier.
• Armor (optional): Steel wire or Kevlar braid for tensile strength and deep-sea pressure resistance.
• Outer Jacket: Polyether-type TPU/PUR (hydrolysis-resistant), CPE, or special marine rubber — resists salt spray, UV, microbial growth, and abrasion.

Typical Applications:

• Shipboard power and control systems
• Offshore oil & gas platforms
• Port and harbor equipment
• Underwater ROV/AUV tethers
• Marine aquaculture monitoring
• Subsea observation systems

Published: 2025-04-28 | MarineTechnical

Selecting a tether cable for tethered drones (UAVs) requires careful consideration of several critical technical requirements:

1. Lightweight Design

• The lighter the cable, the less payload impact on the drone.
• Use ultra-lightweight insulation materials and fine-strand conductors.

2. High Tensile Strength

• The cable must withstand its own weight over long tether lengths (100m-500m+).
• Kevlar/Aramid fiber reinforcement is essential for the tensile member.
• Anti-twist construction prevents cable damage during drone rotation.

3. Voltage Rating & Power Delivery

• Tethered drones typically use high-voltage DC (200V-1000V) to reduce current and voltage drop over long distances.
• The cable's insulation must be rated for the operating voltage with appropriate safety margins.

4. Signal & Data Transmission

• For real-time video and control signals, consider shielded twisted pairs, coaxial cable, or fiber optic.
• Fiber optic is preferred for long distances (eliminates EMI, near-zero signal loss).

5. Environmental Resistance

• UV-resistant jacket for outdoor operation
• Water-resistant (IP67/IP68) for all-weather use
• Flexibility for repeated winding on winch systems

NY-CABLE Recommendation:

Our TDC Series tether UAV cables combine power conductors + signal/data lines in a lightweight, high-strength PUR-jacketed design. Options include hybrid (power + fiber optic + signal), rated for tethered drone operations up to 500m+ altitude.

Published: 2025-04-29 | UAVSelection Guide

Floating cables (also known as buoyancy cables or zero-buoyancy cables) are specially designed for surface water and underwater applications. They are widely used in ports, underwater robots, marine operations, and floating solar platforms.

Key Design Features:

Buoyancy Principle

• The cable's overall density is precisely controlled to be close to water (1.02-1.05 g/cm³), achieving near-neutral buoyancy.
• Special lightweight filler materials (foamed polyethylene, micro-balloon filled polymers) are used to reduce density.
• In some designs, the jacket itself has a cellular/foamed structure to provide additional buoyancy.

Construction Layers

• Conductor: Fine-strand tinned copper for flexibility and corrosion resistance
• Insulation: PP/PE/TPE with excellent dielectric properties
• Buoyancy Layer: Foamed TPE, PE, or special low-density compound
• Tensile Member: Kevlar/Aramid braid or served yarn (handles cable weight in water)
• Outer Jacket: Hydrolysis-resistant TPU/PUR or TPE — smooth, hydrophobic, UV-resistant

Key Characteristics:

• Near-neutral buoyancy — does not sink or float aggressively
• Excellent flexibility — bending radius as low as 5x OD
• Hydrolysis and salt-spray resistant for long-term marine use
• Abrasion-resistant jacket for contact with underwater structures
• High tensile strength with Kevlar reinforcement

Applications:

• ROV/AUV tether cables
• Underwater camera systems
• Pool and marine cleaning robots
• Oceanographic monitoring equipment
• Floating solar panel arrays
• Sonar and sensor arrays

Published: 2025-04-30 | Floating CableTechnical

The main difference between lateral (radial) watertight cables and longitudinal (axial) watertight cables lies in the direction of their waterproof design and the mechanisms used.

1. Lateral (Radial) Watertight Cable

• Definition: Waterproofing that prevents water from penetrating through the cable jacket and layers radially (from outside toward the core).
• Mechanism: Uses water-blocking tapes, water-swellable powders, and tight-jacket construction to block radial water ingress.
• Key Feature: The cable can withstand external water pressure without water reaching the conductors.
• Testing: Subjected to hydrostatic pressure tests (e.g., 100m water depth for 24 hours).

2. Longitudinal (Axial) Watertight Cable

• Definition: Waterproofing that prevents water from spreading longitudinally (along the cable length) if the jacket is damaged.
• Mechanism: Uses water-blocking yarns, swellable powder-filled tapes, and water-blocking compounds between conductor strands and layers.
• Key Feature: If the outer jacket is cut or damaged, water will not travel along the cable length beyond the damaged area.
• Testing: Subjected to longitudinal water penetration tests (e.g., 1m water head for 24 hours, water travel limited to <50mm from cut).

Selection Guide

Requirement	Choose
Direct burial in wet soil	Longitudinal watertight
Submersible / underwater operation	Both lateral + longitudinal
Shipboard / deck exposure	Lateral watertight
Deep-sea ROV cables	Both (fully water-blocked)
Portable / mobile submersible cables	Longitudinal watertight

Published: 2025-05-14 | TechnicalWaterproof

Appearance & Feel Comparison

Property	Glossy PUR Cable	Matte PUR Cable
Surface	Smooth, reflective, glossy	Matte, non-reflective, soft texture
Feel	Smooth, slightly harder	Soft, slight friction feel

Materials & Processing

• Glossy Type: After PUR jacket extrusion, the surface is processed through a smooth polishing die. Uses standard polyether or polyester TPU with higher hardness (Shore A 90-95). Better surface finish for clean environments.
• Matte Type: Uses specially formulated PUR with matting agents or textured die. Typically polyether TPU with slightly lower hardness (Shore A 85-90) for better flexibility and grip.

Performance Comparison

Property	Glossy	Matte
Abrasion Resistance	Good	Excellent (slightly better)
Flexibility	Moderate	Better
Scratch Visibility	Visible	Less visible
Grip/Friction	Lower	Higher (anti-slip)
Chemical Resistance	Good	Good
Surface Cleanability	Easy	Moderate

How to Choose

• Choose Glossy PUR for: Clean room environments, visible cable routing where appearance matters, applications requiring easy wipe-down cleaning.
• Choose Matte PUR for: Drag chains and cable carriers (better flexibility), applications where cables rub against each other (better abrasion), outdoor/ rugged environments where scratches are less visible.

Published: 2025-10-23 | PURTechnical

Q1: What is the difference between anti-seawater cables and ordinary cables?

Anti-seawater cables are optimized in both materials and construction for seawater, salt spray, and humid environments. They feature better corrosion resistance, water penetration prevention, and longer service life in marine conditions compared to standard cables.

Q2: What scenarios are anti-seawater cables suitable for?

• Marine engineering (offshore platforms, subsea equipment)
• Offshore wind power
• Port and harbor facilities
• Shipboard power, control, and communication
• Underwater ROV/AUV systems
• Marine aquaculture monitoring
• Coastal and tidal energy systems

Q3: What jacket materials are used for anti-seawater cables?

The most common outer jacket materials are:

• Polyether TPU/PUR — Excellent hydrolysis resistance, good for long-term seawater immersion. Our FW2000 series uses this material.
• CPE (Chlorinated Polyethylene) — Good chemical resistance, cost-effective for less demanding marine environments.
• CSM (Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene) — Superior weather and ozone resistance.
• Special Marine Rubber — For extreme flexibility requirements.

Q4: Are tinned copper conductors necessary for anti-seawater cables?

Yes, strongly recommended. Bare copper conductors are susceptible to galvanic corrosion in seawater. Tinned copper provides a protective layer that significantly extends service life in marine environments.

Q5: Can anti-seawater cables be used for long-term underwater immersion?

Yes, when properly designed. Our FW2000 series anti-seawater cables are rated IP68 and designed for continuous submersible operation. Key features include water-blocked conductors, hydrolysis-resistant PUR jacket, and pressure-resistant construction for depths up to 6000m.

Published: 2026-04-28 | Anti-SeawaterFAQ

Reel/drum cables are widely used in port machinery, hoisting equipment, automated production lines, mining equipment, and mobile power supply systems. Due to their complex working environment and frequent winding/unwinding, they require special design considerations.

Q1: What causes reel cables to fail prematurely?

• Conductor breakage — from repeated bending fatigue at the drum entry point
• Jacket tearing — from abrasion against the drum flanges or other cables
• Twisting and kinking — from improper coiling or lack of anti-twist design
• Water ingress — from outdoor/wet environment operation without proper sealing

Q2: What are the key features of a good reel cable?

• Anti-twist construction: Braided layer or counter-helical design to prevent twisting
• High tensile strength: Steel wire or Kevlar reinforcement for self-weight support
• Wear-resistant jacket: PUR/TPE jacket for abrasion against drum surfaces
• Flexibility: Fine-strand conductors for small-bending-radius drums
• Large cross-section capability: For high-current power transmission

Q3: What is the typical lifespan of a reel cable?

With proper selection and maintenance, a high-quality reel cable can achieve:

• 1-2 million bending cycles for standard designs
• 3-5 million cycles for premium designs with optimized conductor stranding
• Actual lifespan depends on drum diameter (ratio of drum OD to cable OD), tension, speed, and environment

Q4: How to choose the right reel cable for my application?

• Determine the required conductor cross-section based on current and voltage drop
• Consider the number of control/signal cores needed
• Check the drum diameter and required bending radius
• Evaluate the environment: outdoor? wet? oily? abrasive?
• Consider if anti-twist or tensile reinforcement is needed

Published: 2026-04-29 | Reel CableFAQ