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A Guide To Cable Care and Maintenance

What Is A Cable

A cable is one or more wires or optical fibers bound together in a protective covering or sheath. The individual wires inside may vary from one kind to another: some can be copper because of its superior conductivity, or aluminum as it is fairly economical. Regardless of whatever kind of cable is being used, we must remember that it is not just efficiency that counts but longevity as well. To determine efficiency, longevity, and durability of a cable, a consumer must be familiar with certain cable specifics. There are factors that must be considered when purchasing a cable. This way, a consumer will avoid repetitive and unnecessary cable replacements.

Cable Care Tips

Unplug all cables, particularly power cables, before starting to clean anything. Keep power plugs from nearby sockets and avoid using cleaning products not prescribed by the manufacturer of the cable.

Cleaning products or other solvents can be used provided that dry cleaning is performed first. Clean away as much hair, dust, and other dirt without using solvents first. Solvents are advisable if and when cables (that are with white sheathe/protective covering) are smudged or yellowing.

When using a cleaning product, make sure it is not directly applied on the equipment; rather, apply it to a soft, clean cloth. Connector insulators, support beads, and seals are susceptible to solvent damage. Solvents can produce permanent physical damage that is why Isopropyl Alcohol is recommended for cleaning interfaces. It should be noted that connector interfaces should not be immersed in solvents and cleaning products of any kind because liquids trapped within the connector assembly can cause short circuits and can eventually damage equipment.
Always keep cables clean and properly lubricated where necessary. Inspect them on a regular basis for torn or worn housing, frayed wires, and signs of bending or split or splinters. If the cable is equipped with rubber covers, be sure no water or any kind of dirt has become trapped in them.

If you roll your cables back into the natural circle they came in you will put far less wear and tear on your expensive cables by bending them less in a direction they have not been bent before. It takes a few more minutes to do that but it can be well worth your time.
Do not coil power wires (speaker wires or AC power cords).
Once cables are attached to specific equipments, let cables hang to avoid breaking of wires from the inside.

Keep a ready supply of nylon and Velcro cable ties as well as rubber grommet pieces on hand in your home, office, garage or work site for those emergencies when nothing else will work. You will be surprised at how many uses they have!

Cable Set Up/Installation

Installing cable ties may seem simple enough, but doing the job with your bare hands can put an undue amount of stress on the cables you are bundling, and add some unnecessary wear-and-tear as well.

Examine the cable and make sure that you have the correct cable ends, proper size casing ferrules (a type of metal cap), correct size of adjusters, shape and thread size, as well as the overall cable length.

Examine which cable is to be used. This is especially when a cable is for general use. Hence, it is advisable to check hardware stores for specific cable for specific equipment or use.

Consider the workplace. It is advisable not to have many people in the work area, no fluids (this is for tests. In case there are minor mishaps injuries can be avoided). Also check your switchbox. Make sure a specific power line for a cable set up is switched off.
For minor set ups such as game systems, TV, wireless networking and among others, it is advisable to use latex gloves or any protective hand covering to prevent moisture from your hands which may result in minor electrical shock.

It is also best to label each cable used. Or group sets of cables by using a rubber band or coated wire. Do not coil cables for it may eventually break the wires inside or may fray sheathes and expose wires that can be potentially harmful.

By using an installation tool, you can prevent the over-tightening of cable ties, an occurrence that may not exactly sound dangerous, but can damage your cables’ jackets and inhibit proper signal transmission in Category 5 or 6 and fiber optic cables. Cable tying aids such as tensioning and cutoff tools can also physically benefit the installer: they not only ensure that the job will be completed quickly, but also protect hands and wrists against injury.

When it is time to replace cables?

One must know exactly when the right time to replace cables is. There shouldn’t be any physical damage to indicate that the cable is already malfunctioning. After considerable amount of troubleshooting and performed diagnostics and problems still persists the following are indicators that it is time for cable upgrade or replacement.

• Always replace a generic cable as there is no definite lifespan for them. It is a temporary replacement but never rely on it. Cables that come with the system are still best as there is a warranty attached to them and has usually passed stringent requirements.
• When you’re A/V equipment starts displaying flickering or choppy sounds, perform a plug in or plug out step. If problems persist then it is best to replace cables.
• When cables are affected by a certain defect from the equipment it was used with, such as burning or melting, replace it.
• When wires display abrasive cuts on the sheath or show fray, immediately replace cables.

Old or new, service cables can be nicked, torn, cut, or damaged in some other way. These types of deterioration require the cable to be replaced, or in a few cases, fixed. While the cable may have been broken in some other way, it is highly unlikely that it simply deteriorated as the result of cable age. In this case, fixing it is not the best option.

The way the cable ages is a function of its design. Cable reliability goes hand in hand with maintenance and proper care. Regardless of the durability being offered, it may eventually break down if mishandled. Internal wires are still metal. In this case, they are still prone to corrosion or tarnishing as they age. They could last for a great number of years but regular inspection should be carried out and if the cables are no longer within the accepted standards, they should be replaced.

Cable Organization (Cable Taming)

You can eliminate the eyesore and the tripping danger caused by loose cables with: split tubing that tucks wires neatly away, raised flooring units that hide cables below your feet, cord caddies, computer cable organizers, cable clips and wraps of all sizes, power distribution units, and more. Cable clutter is the last thing you would want to see on your workstation. Power cables, computer cables peripheral cables, cable Internet or telephone lines and even speaker cables when all tangled will turn it into a “rat’s nest”.

This collection of cables is open to physical damage by crimping or breaking, potentially getting drenched with a chocolate spill and even accidentally being disconnected when tripped on. If they are behind your desk and out of site, they possibly have a good coating of dust on them. Not only is this mess unpleasant, the dust can cause heat to build up in your computer equipment. Lastly, that “rat’s nest” of cables is a potential fire hazard which is very dangerous.

Here are some tips on how you can resolve cable clutter.

• Start by unplugging and disconnecting all the cables and power cords, then vacuum and clean them to get rid of any built up dust.
• Figure out how many components you have that need their own AC power connection. A great idea is to get a couple of power bars (with surge protectors) for your components. These will allow you to physically group the pieces that need power (i.e. left side of your desk, right side of your desk) plug them directly into the power bars that can connect to different wall outlets. Try to group the components so you don't need to use extension cords to reach the power bars.
• Computer peripherals all come with cords, which are sometimes longer than they need to be for your set up. Different lengths of cables are available at computer and other retail outlets. Replacing long cords with shorter ones can get rid of a lot of clutter.
• Since many peripherals now connect by USB cables, you may be able to get rid of a lot of the cables running back to your computer by installing a USB hub running back to your computer then plugging your peripherals into the hub.
• On the other hand, USB connections can be "daisy chained" so you might be able to essentially plug some of your peripherals directly into each other leaving only one cable running back to your computer.
• Cable hooks that look a little like an upside down letter "T" (only with curved ends) can be fastened to the underside of your desk and keep cables up and away from your feet.

Once you have figured out how to run your cables, your next step is to keep the cables themselves organized. Here are some of your options.

• Cable clips or cable ties that wrap around a group of cables. The cable clips can usually be opened up and then closed again so you can modify your set up over time. Most cable ties lock together for security and are designed for one time use, so would need to be replaced if opened.
• Reusable Velcro straps are similar to cable clips but may be easier for some people to open and close.
• Split tubing (just as the name says) is a tube about 1/2" to 1" in diameter that is split along one side to allow for easy insertion of cables. The split side allows for individual cables to be added or broken out in various locations, depending on your physical installation.
• Try not to run AC power cables in close proximity to other cables.

If your cable clutter is on top of your desk and not underneath or behind it, consider drilling a hole at the back corner of the desk to install a color coordinated plastic grommet. You can use cable wraps or split tubing to corral all your cables and run them all together to the hole rather than having them drape over the edge of your desk.

You can also go wireless if these options sound like a lot of work. Keyboards, mice and other peripherals that do not need any cables to work readily accessible, and once set up for wireless, cable clutter will be a thing of the past.