The phenomenon of "losing square" in the cable industry and its harm: Why low-section cables are not desirable

The phenomenon of "losing square" in the cable industry and its harm: Why low-section cables are not desirable

In the foreign trade cable industry, price is often the key factor for customers to make purchasing decisions. However, in order to reduce production costs, some merchants adopt the strategy of "losing square" - that is, producing cables with a cross-sectional area lower than the customer's requirements while ensuring the price. For example, the customer requires a 30 square millimeter cable, and the merchant provides a 25 square millimeter cable. Although this practice may reduce costs in the short term, it will bring a series of safety hazards and long-term cost increases. This article will explain the harm of the phenomenon of losing square and help customers identify the potential risks behind this low price.

1. What is "deficient square meter"?

"Deficit" means that when the merchant produces cables, the actual cross-sectional area of the product is deliberately reduced, usually producing with specifications lower than the customer's requirements. For example, if the customer requires a 30 square millimeter cable, the merchant may provide a 25 square millimeter cable. Since the cross-sectional area is directly related to the conductivity, the phenomenon of deficient square meter makes the cable unable to meet the actual load and transmission requirements.

2. Common manifestations of the phenomenon of insufficient
cross-section: Merchants reduce costs by providing cables with a cross-section lower than the specified one. For example, the customer requires a 30 square millimeter cable, but the merchant provides a 25 square millimeter cable.

Weight reduction: As the cross-sectional area of the cable is reduced, the total weight of the cable will also be reduced. When weighing the cable, the customer may find that the actual product is different from the standard specifications.

Appearance discrepancy: Due to the small cross-sectional area of the cable, the external dimensions may not match the specifications required by the customer. Although the outer skin may be the same, the number and thickness of the conductors inside have been reduced.

3. Disadvantages of the phenomenon of undercutting

Although undercutting products may seem cheap in the short term, they actually bring a series of adverse effects to customers and end products. The following are several major disadvantages of undercutting:

Reduced conductivity: The conductivity of a cable is closely related to its cross-sectional area. If a merchant makes a 30 square millimeter cable into a 25 square millimeter cable, the carrying capacity of this cable is greatly reduced, and it may not meet the actual current load requirements, resulting in overheating and damage.

Increase in power loss: Cables with insufficient cross-sectional area will lead to greater resistance, and additional energy loss will occur when current passes through, ultimately reducing the operating efficiency of the equipment and increasing power consumption.

Safety hazards: Cables with a cross-section lower than the standard cannot effectively carry the designed current. Long-term overload operation is prone to cause safety accidents such as overheating and fire, especially in high-power equipment or important electrical systems, the risk is greater.

Shortened service life: Because the cable fails to meet the design standards, long-term overload operation will accelerate the aging and damage of the cable, resulting in frequent equipment shutdowns or cable replacements, thereby increasing maintenance costs.

Impact on project progress and cost: Line failures or equipment damage caused by quality problems may require additional time for repair or replacement, which in turn affects the overall progress and total cost of the project.

Loss of customer trust: If low-priced products have problems in actual applications, it will seriously affect customer trust and reputation, and even lead to the termination of long-term cooperation.

4. How to avoid choosing cables with a loss of cable?

In order to avoid the various risks caused by the "loss of cable" phenomenon, customers can take the following measures when purchasing cables:

Check the specifications provided by the supplier: Before purchasing, be sure to confirm the cable specifications and actual cross-sectional area provided by the merchant, and ask the supplier to provide detailed technical parameters and certification documents.

Check the quality certification of the product: Make sure that the cable meets the relevant industry standards and safety certifications, such as IEC, UL and other certifications, which means that the actual specifications and quality of the cable have passed rigorous testing.

Conduct sampling inspections: Before purchasing bulk cables, a small number of sampling inspections can be conducted to measure their cross-sectional area and weight to ensure that they meet the required specifications.

Choose reputable suppliers: Long-term suppliers usually provide higher quality products and promise to produce according to the standards required by customers to avoid the phenomenon of loss of cable.

Consider the long-term use cost: Although low-priced loss-making cables may seem cheap at the beginning, they may cause the total cost to rise during use due to failures and maintenance costs. Therefore, when choosing cables, more attention should be paid to their long-term use effects and costs.

5. Conclusion

Although the "loss-of-sale" phenomenon may make the price of cables look more competitive, it actually greatly reduces the quality of the product, increases safety hazards and maintenance costs during use. Selecting qualified cables and ensuring that their specifications meet the requirements is the key to ensuring project safety, stable operation and reducing long-term costs. As a purchaser, you should carefully identify the products provided by suppliers and choose guaranteed high-quality cables to avoid the negative impact of "loss-of-sale" products.

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