Factors Affecting

Copper Cable Performance

Factors Affecting Copper
Cable Performance
 Impedance
- Resistance
- Reactance
 Electrical Interference
- Crosstalk
- EMI/RFI
 Cable Resistance

 Opposes current flow

 Is measured in ohms
 Can be measured with an ohmmeter
 Is directly proportional to cable
length
 Cable Reactance
 Opposes changes in voltage or
current
 Is rated in ohms but cannot be
measured with an ohmmeter
 Is the result of capacitance and
inductance between conductors
 Determined by theirrea diameter
inductanceand
spacing c ta
n
ce

capasitance
 Impedance
 Impedance is the vector sum
of resistance and reactance.
Resistance
Im
pe d
an c
e

Reactance
 Electrical Interference
 Degrades data signals
 Can result in data errors
 Types of electrical interference:
 Crosstalk
 EMI/RFI
 Crosstalk Between
Conductors
 The interference generated when a
magnetic field from one wire induces
current into another wire.
 Fields of opposite phase tend to cancel
each other. Insulation

Electromagnetic Copper Conductor

Fields
+
-
 EMI/RFI
 Results from the cable being placed in an
external magnetic field.
 Shielding blocks external magnet
interference

Conductor
Magnetic Field
Grounded
Shield