Some Facts about Welding Cable

A welding cable consists of fine copper strands inside a tough, synthetic or natural rubber insulating jacket. Although it is an excellent conductor of electricity, copper has a degree of resistance to the electrons flowing through it.

It is normal for some amount of resistance heating to occur in the cable. Properly sized welding cables may feel warm to the touch after prolonged welding.

When the diameter of the cable is too small for the level of current flowing through it, the cable may overheat. This can result in a potential fire hazard, as well as damage to the cable itself.

Breakdown of the insulation jacket can create an electrical shock hazard.

An oversized cable for a given amperage level does not conduct current more effectively than a properly sized cable.

A cable with a larger diameter typically costs more per foot or meter than a cable with a smaller diameter because it has a greater number of copper strands.

Olympic Wire & Cable Corp Olympic Wire & Cable Corp. manufactures and supplies a comprehensive range of welding cables. We are technical experts and have been serving the wire and cable industry for over 35 years. For all your welding cable needs, call us at or email us at sales@olympicwire.com.