Knowing about the fundamental features of a cable will allow you to make better cable and wire choices. A tray cable is a flexible cable that can be installed in cable trays. It comes in various styles, and you can use it for control, lighting, signals, etc.

A tray cable is versatile, and you can use it in dry or wet, outdoor, or indoor places and even leave it in an open area. It is essential for a variety of industries ranging from light to heavy ones. VNTC and PLTC are two common types of tray cables.

VNTC

VNTC or Vinyl Nylon Tray Cable is the most commonly used type of tray cable. This tray cable has nylon-coated PVC insulation, and it’s also known as THHN/PVC or TFFN/PVC based on the type of its insulation. A VNTC tray cable is flame resistant and has approval for installation in a cable tray. It is perfect for use in class I and II, and Division 2 hazardous locations.

A VNTC cable is sturdy, economical and can adapt to both wet and dry locations. It has a lot of applications, and you can install it in cable trays, ducts, conduits, and raceways. Being flame and sunlight resistant, it is fine to use it in direct burial applications. If it has the –ER rating, you can use it as an exposed run.

A VNTC tray cable carries a temperature rating of 75°C and is rated 600V. This makes it ideal to use VNTC tray cables for commercial buildings, massive factories, industries, and many more places. The cable has somewhere between 2 to 50 conductors, including multi-triads and multi-pairs. The size of a VNTC tray cable ranges from 22 AWG to 750 MCM. Usually, the wires don’t have any shielding, but if shielding is needed, aluminum foil is used with a drain wire.

PLTC

PLTC or Power Limited Tray Cables are also a type of tray cables that are approved for use in a cable tray. A PLTC tray cable has a temperature rating of 105ºC and is limited to 300V of power. It is possible to use them in Class I or II and Division 2 hazardous locations. You can substitute CL2 and CL3 cables with PLTC tray cable.  

PLTC retains its efficiency even when encased in concrete and used through direct burial, troughs, in free air, in open trays, etc. The tray cables are available in different configurations. They are generally used in burglar alarms, business machines, limited power circuits, sensors, petrochemical refineries, cash registers, point of sale systems, intercom systems, industrial control systems, utility substations, etc. The PLTC cable comes in multiple sizes, has multi-pair conductors, and can be both shielded and unshielded.

Conclusion

It is essential to know about the various wires and cables available. You should use the right cable type at the right place so that there is proper functioning, and the risk of breakdown decreases. Electrical mishaps can cause shocks or major fires, so it is necessary to take appropriate precautions.