2. cables
  3. 193109-198816

Directional wires/cables

Is there any reason to support the idea that cables, interconnects or any other kind of wiring can be considered directional? It seems that the theory is that carrying current will alter the molecular structure of the wire. I can't find anything that supports this other than in the case of extreme temperature variation. Cryo seems to be a common treatment for wire nowadays. Extreme heat would do something as well, just nothing favorable. No idea if cryo treatment works but who knows. Back to the question, can using the wires in one direction or another actually affect it's performance? Thanks for any thoughts. I do abide by the arrows when I have them. I "mostly" follow directions but I have pondered over this one every time I hook up  a pair.

billpete
jea48
4,510 posts
 

@rodman99999 Said

The ’S’ stands for Sinousoidal electric field, which when combined with it’s magnetic field, results in the Poynting vector that determines the direction and strength of an electromagnetic wave’s energy* flow.

*our systems’ AC or musical signals

 

Does the green arrows represent the signal traveling from the source to the load through the dielectric insulation?

Is the EM wave the signal, or does the EM carry the signal? Or is the signal embedded in the EM wave?

I would really like to nail this thing down.

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Post removed 
jea48
4,510 posts
 

Wow, all this technobabble is giving me a splitting headache.  I received my EE in 1976.

@stereo5 

Were you taught the signal travels in the wire or travels in the spaces between the wires?

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immatthewj
2,314 posts
 

I first learned how electricity works here on Agon in 2010. Oddly the thread was titled "directional cables?".

laugh

erik_squires
16,389 posts
 

The only bit of cable directionality I believe in is the shielding.

Shields should be connected to ground at the active end, which is the source. Hence shielded IC’s should have an arrow pointing from the source to the destination.

If you are using a shielded cable, then noise performance will be better when this is adhered to. Otherwise, no. Makes no difference at all.

Most homes aren’t near enough sources of noise for this to matter either way, but if you are, then pay attention to the direction.

Of course, this applies only to 2 conductor + shield wires.  If your shield is the ground, then its' the same either way.

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