Drain wires in a shielded cable are used to ground which component?

Drain wires in a shielded cable are used to ground which component?

• A. Foil shield
• B. Core conductor
• C. Outer jacket
• D. Shield connector

Answer: (A)

Drain wires provide a ground path for the shielding layer of a shielded cable. They are bonded to the shielding, typically the foil shield, so the shield can be connected to equipment ground and kept at ground potential. This grounding of the shield helps shunt interference away from the inner conductors and reduces noise coupling. The drain wire is not intended to ground the core conductor, the outer jacket, or a shield connector, but specifically to ground the shielding itself.

Drain wires provide a ground path for the shielding layer of a shielded cable. They are bonded to the shielding, typically the foil shield, so the shield can be connected to equipment ground and kept at ground potential. This grounding of the shield helps shunt interference away from the inner conductors and reduces noise coupling. The drain wire is not intended to ground the core conductor, the outer jacket, or a shield connector, but specifically to ground the shielding itself.