General Cable has launched the new line of Gepco HydroBloc water-resistant cables, which are UL rated and in compliance with the TIA-455-82-B Water Penetration Test and thus are well suited for indoor/outdoor applications and for use in wet locations inside conduit.
HydroBloc cables feature an advanced water-blocked construction, a sunlight- and moisture-resistant jacket and a ripcord for ease of stripping for audio/control versions.
The advanced water-block construction of HydroBloc cables starts with a 2-ply water-blocking tape for superior protection. In contrast to 1-ply tape in which water-blocking polymer is attached to one side of a fiber filament tape, the 2-ply tape has the water-blocking polymer sandwiched between two fiber filament tapes, which allows for increased volume of the polymer.
In addition, HydroBloc cables (with the exception of coax versions) utilize water-swellable fillers for added protection. This construction results in greater swell heights to better fill any voids and prevent water from migrating down the cable and disrupting any electrical characteristics should there be a cut or slit in the jacket.
The HydroBloc line comes in a variety of cable types, in both shielded and unshielded versions, to cover an array of applications such as data or power control, multi-pair audio, general purpose audio, speaker, communications, power-limited circuits (fire alarm and tray cable), low-voltage industrial process control, CATV and HDTV.
“HydroBloc cables provide an excellent solution for indoor/outdoor applications,” said Joe Zajac, sales and applications engineer for Gepco. “The 2-ply water-blocking tape and water-swellable fillers provides superior water protection in all environments.”