Drain wire

Illustrated explanation

Screens, braids and coaxial geometry

3Drain wire
Screens, braids and coaxial geometryCallout 1: Cable screen. Callout 2: Woven braid. Callout 3: Drain wire. Callout 4: Unscreened / foil. Callout 5: Coaxial cable. A screen can be a foil or braid with an optional drain wire. A coaxial cable has a concentric signal and return arrangement; pair-cable shielding follows a different geometry. Current term: Drain wire, callout 3. 1Cable screen 2Woven braid 3Drain wire 4UTPFoil exampleUnscreened / foil 5Coaxial cable
  1. Cable screen

    The conductive screen surrounds selected conductors. Check how it is exposed, terminated and continued through the entry.

  2. Braid

    Interwoven strands form a flexible screen or covering. Coverage and termination quality affect the resulting function.

  3. Drain wireThis term

    A wire runs in contact with the screen where specified. It does not automatically provide a low-inductance circumferential termination.

  4. UTP / FTP

    The examples distinguish an unscreened pair from a foil-screened arrangement. Read the complete cable designation for its actual screen layers.

  5. Coaxial cable

    Concentric conductor, dielectric and return geometry support the specified impedance. Match the cable and connector termination.

A screen can be a foil or braid with an optional drain wire. A coaxial cable has a concentric signal and return arrangement; pair-cable shielding follows a different geometry.

Conceptual cross-sections. Cable impedance, screening performance and conductor functions depend on the specified cable and termination.