Interpreting specs printed on USB Cable: 28AWG/1P+24AWG/2C)

[jrichrds]

A lot of my USB cables have slightly different specs, such as:
28AWG/1P + 24AWG/2C
28AWG/2C + 24AWG/2C
28AWG/2C + 20AWG/2C

The first set is for the data and the second is for power. Just curious what "1P" and "2C" stand for?

 

[natto fire]

The first number is the diameter of the conductor wires. Not sure what 1P stands for, and was guessing that 2C meant 2 conductor but there are more wires than that. Thats how AC house wire is labeled anyways.

 

[jrichrds]

My initial guess was 1P = 1 pair, 2C = 2 conductor...but then that'd be the same thing. The higher quality USB cables use 2C instead of 1P for the data line.

 

[DigitalCoke]

You are correct "1P = 1 pair, 2C = 2 conductor"

This is not correct "The higher quality USB cables use 2C instead of 1P for the data line." as 1P and 2C are the same thing in USB Cables. Example is your first 2 cables

28AWG/1P + 24AWG/2C
28AWG/2C + 24AWG/2C

these 2 are exactly the same. just like 2+2=1+1+1+1 both of these are 4.

Shielding and ferrites are also important. (Length as well but i wont get into that)

 

[Paperdoc]

A USB2 cable has four conductors: two are for 5VDC power (one line + called VBUS, one line Ground), and the other two for data are a TWISTED PAIR covered with its own shield for noise reduction. Data transmission is done by Differential signalling, so the lines are labelled D+ and D-. I strongly suspect the "28 AWG/1P" is the twisted pair of data lines consisting of 28 gauge wire, and the "24 AWG/2C" is the two conductors for DC power, at 24 gauge wire.

Actually, the labels are different because "1P" is NOT the same as "2C". The "1P" label is for a TWISTED PAIR of wires with surrounding shield, NOT just a plain pair of wires for the signals. The "2C" denotes two wires (conductors) with no special arrangement or shielding.

 

[DigitalCoke]

Great info. thanks for explaining dif for 2c and 2p