Ideal Length for cables?

[Innovations]

What do you use for your 30' or your 22' or heck what about those 6'??

obviously he uses a 20 and a 10 for 30 and 2 20's for 40.

Frankly the bit about shrink wrap seems overly complicated compared to a Sharpie pen.

 

[punkin]

I label them all at both ends using a wrap around label, here's an example;

ID:24
20' XLRM/XLRF
ISO

Another...

ID:21
6' .25RCAM/XLRM
Control

One more;

ID:04
6' RCAM/RCAM
Live

First line is the cable ID
Second ID describes the cable ends (both ends)
Last line is the room where the cable is supposed to be.

Hey...it's not the only way to do it...probobly not the best way but It's my way. And sure...a sharpie works just fine too. My day job requires me to manage huge (tons and miles) of cables on a given project. This is just a technique I've carried out to this part time tracking studio/music lesson thing I've got going on.

 

[noisedude]

Innovations made my point again. Maybe my comparison was a little off though.

Crazydoc - I would say this - resistance increases with temperature which means in theory you COULD melt the reel because the increased resistance would in turn make the mains supply work 'harder'.

I am making sense, I just don't have the physics terminology to explain it any more

 

[lpdeluxe]

Another way of labeling cables is to buy a set of vinyl stick-on alphanumerics and put the length of the cable on the shell at one end (it's a good practice to always use the same end) with them: i.e., a cable marked "20" is a 20' one. This allows for odd lengths, and you can also apply the principle to dedicated cables (i.e., "the cable I use for the blonde chick").

 

[mshilarious]

obviously he uses a 20 and a 10 for 30 and 2 20's for 40.

Frankly the bit about shrink wrap seems overly complicated compared to a Sharpie pen.

Well as I said the cables I buy have the heatshrink already. I used a pen on my snake (that sounds filthy, doesn't it), but the ink wears off in time, whereas the plastic doesn't. Also I have terrible handwriting, so that wouldn't help others.

I only use those length of cables, generally in the studio I use mostly 10's, and a couple of 20's for overheads. I have a very small studio!

 

[Dracon]

Last line is the room where the cable is supposed to be.

Room number???? OK! Now who's the snob??? You're just showing off now. Room number, yeah! Since I have 1 cable, it came in blue, it's 20' and I only have one room. This is how I label mine

Blue Bluberry -
Came like that from the factory - Yeah... now, that's classy! What's this DIY stuff of shrink wrap, labels, sharpie, etc. I mean really, how un-snooty. I would hire a highschool kid pay him 1/2 the minimum wage and let him figure out which cable goes to what.

All I have to say, is thank God I'm not the only Anal Rententive guy in the forum.

 

[Dracon]

I am making sense, I just don't have the physics terminology to explain it any more

I'm not sure anyone really disagreed with you! Crazydog was just saying that as far as microphone cables is concerned, there would not be a significant difference in the signal 'cause the build up is just too small.

I agree with you, when it comes to real power (especially A/C) be as careful as you can. Why take chances when you don't need to. I ran my power tools all through one cable 15amp rated, and I use it coiled. However, I only have two hands, and I usually need both hands to either operate the machinery or hold what I'm working on and operate the machinery.
So since I run one power tool at a time, I'm not running the cable to the capacity.
The only time I task the Cable (not really) is when I use my compound miter saw. But since it's on a trigger switch, and I only make one cut at time (you know measure twice cut once) and then I double check my measurement.
I'm not too worried about melting my cable.

Oops! I meant Crazydoc..... Sorry man!

 

[crazydoc]

Crazydoc - I would say this - resistance increases with temperature which means in theory you COULD melt the reel because the increased resistance would in turn make the mains supply work 'harder'.

I am making sense, I just don't have the physics terminology to explain it any more

For most materials, the resistivity changes with temperature. If the temperature range is not too large, the resistance is a linear function of the temperature, T, and can be expressed as

R(T) = R(T0) * [ 1 + a(T - T0) ]

= R(T0) + R(T0)*a*(T - T0)

where

T0 = reference temperature (deg Celsius)
T = temperature of interest (deg Celsius)
R(T0) = resistance at reference temperature (ohm)
R(T) = resistance at temperature of interest (ohm)
a = temperature coefficient of resistivity (1/deg Celsius) - (For copper the value is approximately 0.00427)

So, for example, for an extension cord with a resistance of about 1 ohm (I measured mine), if you increased the temperature by 100 degrees Celsius, the resistance would go up to approximately 1 1/2 ohms - not enough to burn it up.

R(T) = 1 + 1*0.00417*100
= 1.417 ohms

Of course, if you raised the temperature of the cord from 20 to 120 degrees Celsius, the insulation might start melting on its own. The point being that the temperature increase from the increased resistance is negligible in this situation.

BTW, I'm finding this thread very helpful. I have only 2 mic cables, each 20 feet long, but I get quite confused trying to tell them apart. Your suggestions above should be quite helpful.

 

[Dracon]

Of course, if you raised the temperature of the cord from 20 to 120 degrees Celsius, the insulation might start melting on its own. The point being that the temperature increase from the increased resistance is negligible in this situation.

BTW, I'm finding this thread very helpful. I have only 2 mic cables, each 20 feet long, but I get quite confused trying to tell them apart. Your suggestions above should be quite helpful.

Hey Doc... sorry about the Crazydog thing.... I just fatfingered that in.
It is possible to melt a cable (not a mic cable - not enough juice going through it) and I think noisedude was just referring to the extension cords he has (for A/C power).
I can see it happen at a job site (construction site) of some sort. I've seen guys blow the circuit breaker on a generator (usually job sites don't have power) 'cause they are running the air compressor, along with the nail gun, the Circular Saw, and the Radio. Then some guy decides to plugin the Vacum and bam! Generator goes off. In a case like that it might happen.
Even then (and even the site that Innovations gave) states that you will either kill the power tool or something else before you melt the cable.
Weather is a big factor. In places like Arizona where the temperature in mid day can surpass the 100 Degrees, and the cable is laying on the hot pavement in the sun, and you run a couple of power tools.

Now I'm sure if I tried to melt a mic cable (not using it for its specified purpose), I could manage the task and I wouldn't even have to use fire or gasoline either.
I mean if that were a big factor in microphone cables, or any other electronic or audio cables we would all be screwed. I would have to begin to deduce the gravitational pull of all the objects on my desktop, and find out how they affect the electromagetic fields of my cables and viceversa.

In summary you are both correct! It could happen but not in Microphone cables.

 

[crazydoc]

Hey Doc... sorry about the Crazydog thing.... I just fatfingered that in.

That's OK - crazydog is good too.

It is possible to melt a cable (not a mic cable - not enough juice going through it) and I think noisedude was just referring to the extension cords he has (for A/C power)...

Oh, I'm sorry. I thought this thread was about AC power cables. That's what I've been talking about anyway.

 

[Dracon]

That's OK - crazydog is good too.


Oh, I'm sorry. I thought this thread was about AC power cables. That's what I've been talking about anyway.

LoL !!!! Okay! Either way it's negliable!

 

[chessrock]

I've always been a firm believer in using very long cable runs.

... strategically placed, haphazzardly, where they will become entangled in a spaghetti-like heap, and where you and everyone else will most assuredly become entangled and trip over yourself frequently.

If you're actually using different colors, then I'm afraid you're far too structured and organized to be an engineer. Artists need a certain element of chaos in order to optimally function. At least that's what I've heard somewhere. Kidding aside, though, there may actually be some drop of truth to that.

 

[scrubs]

... strategically placed, haphazzardly, where they will become entangled in a spaghetti-like heap, and where you and everyone else will most assuredly become entangled and trip over yourself frequently.

How did you get into my studio???

 

[boingoman]

If you're actually using different colors, then I'm afraid you're far too structured and organized to be an engineer. Artists need a certain element of chaos in order to optimally function. At least that's what I've heard somewhere. Kidding aside, though, there may actually be some drop of truth to that.

A myth perpetrated by slobs. And one I sort of believe.
That's why I label everything. I tend towards sloppiness. Man, when I get done with a project the mess is epic, except when I cook.

I think some people have a higher tolerance for messiness, which is definitely a requirement for some arts.

 

[Dracon]

I've always been a firm believer in using very long cable runs.

... strategically placed, haphazzardly, where they will become entangled in a spaghetti-like heap, and where you and everyone else will most assuredly become entangled and trip over yourself frequently.

No, I think we are all slobs maskerading as neat freaks!
Actually right now, the cleanest rooms (yes plural) are my studio/office and the kitchen. The rest of the house looks like we just moved in.