Cable failures are concentrated in four categories: excessive temperature rise due to insufficient current capacity or poor heat dissipation, insulation material aging under thermal-oxidative and media effects, local overheating from excessive contact resistance due to poor terminal crimping, and conductor breakage from bending and vibration-induced mechanical stress. Most failures can be avoided in advance through selection calculations and factory testing.

Related Topics

• Why Cables Burn
• Causes of Cable Aging
• Consequences of Poor Terminal Crimping
• What Causes Cable Breakage

Cable failures often appear sudden, but their causes accumulate over time. Identifying the four main causes can avoid most risks at the design stage.

Failure Cause 1: Excessive Temperature Rise

• Causes: undersized gauge, bundled installation without derating, underestimated ambient temperature, poor heat dissipation.
• Consequences: accelerated insulation aging, and in severe cases softening, short circuits, and fire.
• Prevention: calculate current capacity for the worst operating conditions with margin, and verify by measuring actual cable surface temperature.

Failure Cause 2: Insulation Aging

• Causes: long-term overtemperature operation, thermal-oxidative aging, UV exposure, humidity and chemical media, plasticizer migration (PVC).
• Manifestations: insulation hardening, cracking, declining insulation resistance, dielectric breakdown.
• Prevention: select the right insulation material (PVC / silicone rubber) based on temperature and media; use weather-resistant structures outdoors.

Failure Cause 3: Poor Terminal Crimping

• Causes: crimp height deviation, worn crimping dies, terminal/gauge mismatch, no pull-out force testing after crimping.
• Consequences: excessive contact resistance, local overheating, and eventual burnout.
• Prevention: perform crimp cross-section inspection and pull-out force testing, and calibrate crimping dies regularly.

Failure Cause 4: Mechanical Stress

• Causes: bending radius below allowable value, long-term vibration, repeated bending, sheath wear, tensile loading.
• Consequences: conductor breakage, shielding layer fracture, insulation damage.
• Prevention: use extra-flexible structures (such as AGRT) for moving parts, add protective conduits, and control bending radius.

How Factory Testing Intercepts These Problems

Fahua Cable's laboratory is equipped with internationally advanced testing equipment, with routine test items including:

• Conductor resistance testing: intercepts insufficient conductor cross-section and material issues.
• Dielectric testing: intercepts insulation defects.
• Insulation resistance testing: reflects insulation material quality and condition.
• Aging tests: verify service life by simulating long-term thermal-oxidative environments.
• Structure and dimension inspection: ensures consistency with certified samples.

By simulating various extreme environments (high temperature, high humidity, corrosion, etc.), the laboratory ensures product reliability and durability in actual applications.

Recommendations for Purchasers

After delivery, it is recommended to sample-test conductor resistance and structural dimensions, as these two items best reveal whether cost-cutting material substitution has occurred. Consultation: 13355985769.

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Updated: 2026-09-18 | Sources: Xiangshan Fahua Cable product specifications and public certification documents