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Components and Circuits For discussions about component types, alternatives and availability, circuit configurations and modifications etc. Discussions here should be of a general nature and not about specific sets.

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Old 14th Jan 2019, 10:54 pm   #1
Restoration73
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Default Polythene (Polyethylene) insulated mains cable

Most of us have come across pvc or rubber insulated flexible mains cable.

We also know polythene as an insulator for audio and radio screened cables,
TV eht leads, and 2 or 4 core external telephone cable. In fact some later
cables use PTFE (Teflon) insulation, sometimes in marine environments.

I have acquired an old Band 3 TV converter which has an "old" colours 3 core
mains lead with the three conductors and the outer sheath all made of
polythene. I never remember seeing this for sale in retail and wonder why
it was used, although it's a great insulator it is not very flexible.

The converter was made in the 1950's so that might be relevant.
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Old 15th Jan 2019, 2:28 am   #2
Refugee
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Default Re: Polythene (Polyethylene) insulated mains cable

I have seen that too but I am pretty sure it was short lived due to cracking if exposed to sun light.
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Old 15th Jan 2019, 7:16 am   #3
Boater Sam
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Default Re: Polythene (Polyethylene) insulated mains cable

Polythene insulation was not easy to strip either. It tends to go hard with aging.
A lot of aluminium cable used when copper was short in the '80s? was polythene insulation.
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Old 15th Jan 2019, 3:24 pm   #4
Lucien Nunes
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Default Re: Polythene (Polyethylene) insulated mains cable

I have seen PE flex but it's quite unusual. PE-insulated installation cable was more common, often with a PVC sheath that was more durable although maybe not as good an insulator.

AFAIK aluminium domestic wiring cables were used briefly in the late '60s / early '70s in the UK, although much more extensively in the USA. Al and PE are still standard for heavy power cables of course.
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Old 15th Jan 2019, 8:56 pm   #5
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Default Re: Polythene (Polyethylene) insulated mains cable

I recall that Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich includes a standard ritual for newly arrived prisoners- making an aluminium spoon from a piece of purloined utility cable, suggesting that it was also widely used in the Soviet Union.
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Old 15th Jan 2019, 10:21 pm   #6
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Default Re: Polythene (Polyethylene) insulated mains cable

I have never seen polythene mains cable, but do have several metres of silicone rubber 3 core mains flex that dad got from work in the 1960's. Red, black and green in a white sheath. Extremely flexible and still in excellent condition, presently used on an inspection lamp that I used to use when doing car maintenance as it doesn't go stiff in frosty weather.
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Old 16th Jan 2019, 2:35 am   #7
Boater Sam
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Default Re: Polythene (Polyethylene) insulated mains cable

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucien Nunes View Post
I have seen PE flex but it's quite unusual. PE-insulated installation cable was more common, often with a PVC sheath that was more durable although maybe not as good an insulator.

AFAIK aluminium domestic wiring cables were used briefly in the late '60s / early '70s in the UK, although much more extensively in the USA. Al and PE are still standard for heavy power cables of course.
Gracious Lucien, was it so long ago that we had to use aluminium cable because there was no copper? It must of been mid to late '70s when we were doing house refurbs.
Rhodesia crisis caused the shortage?
I remember the accessories with clamps rather than screw down terminals.

Last edited by Boater Sam; 16th Jan 2019 at 2:36 am. Reason: Added
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