What are Instrumentation Tray Cables?
Instrumentation tray cables (ITC cables) are used widely for signal and energy transmission in a variety of industries. We see instrumentation tray cables used often, so it will be helpful to know a little more about them.
Instrumentation tray cables are still relatively new. They appeared in the National Electric Code (NEC) in 1996 as part of Article 727. When they were first put on the market and included in the NEC, they were used to replace standard 600V power cables which were used for low power circuits in industrial plants. These cables are installed in order to adhere to strict signal limits included in NEC guidelines.
These limitations could not be met by the available power-limited cables, though they would have cost much less to install and run. With the approval of ITC cables, many industrial plants were able to save money and run more efficient cable systems. Now, instrumentation tray cables and their power-limited counterparts are interchangeable for most applications.
Construction
ITC cables are identical to power-limited tray cables in both structure and materials. They are constructed using two or more copper or thermocouple alloy conductors and they may be shielded or armored if the application requires. Sizes range from 22 to 12 AWG. All ITC cables are rated to 300V, but they may only be used on circuits that operate at 150V or less and at 5 amps of current or less. ITC cables may be used in hazardous locations when installed in a tray or conduit. However, they can not be installed in a tray or conduit shared by other cables operating above 150V and 5 amps.
If an Instrumentation Tray Cable is what you need for your next product, submit an RFQ here.