• Steel cables are smaller strands of cable and wires.Roll of steel cable ready to wire a power line image by JCVStock from Fotolia.com
  
  Steel cable is made of several strands of smaller steel cable twisted together. This combination offers greater strength to the cable. Single-strand cables are also made which do not combine groups of stands; these wire or core-steel cables are more flexible than stranded cables but are not as strong.
  
  

Construction

• The more steel wires in a strand, the less flexible the steel wire will be. Standard steel cable sizes are 7x7 and 7x19. The first number is the number of strands which create the cable and the second number is the number of steel wires in each of the strands. So a 7x19 constructed steel cable contains seven strands with each of those strands consisting of 19 steel wires.
  
  

Diameter

• Steel cables come in a variety of diameters. The diameter is a fraction representing the size of the cable in relation to 1 inch. Some common steel cable sizes for 7x7 construction are 1/32, 3/64, 1/16, 3/32 and 1/8 inch. Common 7x19 construction sizes are 1/16, 3/32, 1/8, 5/32 and 3/16.
  
  

Coating

• A variety of coatings are available for steel cables. Stainless- and galvanized-steel cables appear in the standard silver color and often are difficult to see. Vinyl coatings are available in almost any color imaginable. Nylon coatings are also an option for steel cables, but they are not used as often as vinyl or stainless-steel.
  
  

Load Limit

• Every manufacturer determines the working-load limit for their steel cables. Larger diameter steel cables have a larger load limit. Another load-limit factor is the construction of the steel cable; a 7x19 constructed steel cable uses more individual steel wires in each steel strand and results in a stronger overall wire. Load limits for a 7x19 cable ranges from 162 pounds for a 3/32 cable to 2,400 pounds for a 3/8 steel cable. Each manufacturer lists load limit recommendations in the packaging.
  
  

Breaking Strength

• The breaking strength of a steel cable is the absolute maximum force a cable can take before snapping. The diameter, construction and coatings of a steel cable will affect the breaking strength. Breaking strengths for a 7x19 constructed cable ranges from 810 pounds for a 3/32 cable to 11,000 pounds for a 3/8 cable.