What are the differences between power cables and control cables in terms of performance and application?

Core Performance Differences

Load-carrying requirements: Power cables must handle high currents, so their conductor cross-sectional areas are larger—typically ranging from 10 mm² to several thousand mm²—while control cables transmit only weak signals with minimal current, resulting in conductor cross-sections usually between 0.5 and 6 mm².

Insulation and Shielding: Power cables prioritize insulation strength to withstand high voltages, featuring thicker insulation layers; control cables, on the other hand, place greater emphasis on anti-interference capabilities, with some products incorporating additional shielding layers (such as copper mesh shielding) to prevent signals from being disrupted by external interference.

Voltage rating: Power cables have high voltage ratings, commonly 1 kV, 10 kV, 35 kV, and even higher, to accommodate power grids of varying voltage levels; control cables, on the other hand, feature lower voltage ratings—typically 450/750 V—sufficient only for low-voltage signal transmission needs.

Structural and Aesthetic Differences

Core types: Power cables typically have fewer cores—commonly 1, 2, 3, or 4—to accommodate single-phase or three-phase power supply. In contrast, control cables feature a wider range of core configurations, from 4 to as many as 61 cores, enabling the simultaneous transmission of multiple independent signals.

Protection Layer: To withstand outdoor or underground environments, power cables often come with steel tape or steel wire armor; in contrast, control cables typically feature a plastic jacket without armor, making their structure lighter and more portable.