View Single Post
Old 5th Oct 2017, 11:24 pm   #33
emeritus
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,316
Default Re: 'Cable Break In' - I never knew that!

The only type of cable I have come across where it actually is advantageous to break it in before use, is the coax cables employed for long distance HVDC power transmission. Subjecting the cable to what is conceptually a very low frequency indeed AC (periodic smooth polarity reversals of voltage taking what from memory was hours per cycle) was found to be beneficial by conditioning the insulation to relieve dielectric stress at any voids or imperfections so that insulation breakdown was less likely to occur. No personal experience, but I did read some technical papers on the topic in the 1980's in connection with a project at work.
emeritus is offline   Reply With Quote