When cables must run where exposed to mechanical damage (industrial sites), they may be protected with flexible steel tape or wire armor, which may also be covered by a water-resistant jacket. Asbestos was used as an Insulator (electricity) in some cloth wires from the 1920s to 1970s, but discontinued due to its health risk. IEC connectors are also sometimes referred to as "cloverleaf", "kettle lead" or by the uninitiated as "computer power cords". Cables for direct burial or for exposed installations may also include metal armor in the form of wires spiraled around the cable, or a corrugated tape wrapped around it. They feature overall jackets with appropriate amounts of filler materials to improve their flexibility, trainability, and durability.

Electrical power cables are sometimes installed in raceways, including electrical conduit and cable trays, which may contain one or more conductors. One thing to note though, is that because many of these devices are unique in nature, the power cords they work with are unique to their specific design. All factories and other industrial workplaces have a wide variety of machinery that needs to be powered.

A power cable is an electrical cable, an assembly of one or more electrical conductors, usually held together with an overall sheath. Flexibility is an important factor in determining the appropriate stranding class of the cable as it directly affects the minimum bending radius. The cable may include uninsulated conductors used for the circuit neutral or for ground (earth) connection.

The most common type of outlet you'll find in both domestic and commercial settings is the 3-pronged outlet. Cables of 10 kV or higher may be insulated with oil and paper, and are run in a rigid steel pipe, semi-rigid aluminum or lead sheath. Extension cords are often used in domestic settings when an appliance is too far away from a wall outlet to be plugged in directly. Cable materials for a transit application may be specified not to produce large amounts of smoke if burned (low smoke zero halogen). The most common appliances that use power cords in the home include televisions, computers, and lamps.

pronged outlets are less common than 3-pronged outlets but can still be found in some older homes and businesses. Power cords enable all the devices we rely upon daily basis, as it plays a massive role in our lives. One of the most important things to consider when selecting a power cord is the type of appliance, you'll be using it with.