Leading manufacturers of lighting cables
Looking for lighting cables for more complex lighting applications? While it may be easy to buy simple lighting cables for domestic and commercial lighting applications from electrical wholesalers, things get a little more complicated when searching for cables to power complex and custom lighting installations. These complex installations commonly involve moving parts, such as retractable masts, poles or lighting pendants that can extend outwards or move into different positions.
If traditional lighting cables aren’t going to suit your requirements, you need to get in touch with a custom cable manufacturer. Here at Custom Designed Cables, we supply a wide range of pre-existing cable solutions in addition to designing and manufacturing custom cables for bespoke projects. We’ve manufactured thousands of custom cables for our clients, so whatever kinds of custom lighting solutions you need, we can design them for you following strict national, international and industry standards.
Contact us now to see how we can help with a custom cable for the lighting industry.
Uses for custom lighting cables
When might you need custom cables for lighting? Whilst common lighting cables, such as braided flex cables, DMX lighting cables and PVC flex cables, can be bought from electrical wholesalers, these products may not be suitable for non-standard lighting fixtures. This is typically the case if your lighting fixture is movable or retractable, as you’ll need specially designed cables that are able to move with the lighting fixture and retract as needed without sustaining damage over time. Retractable cables are also commonly used for ceiling-mounted lighting fixtures.
You may also need custom lighting cables if you’re working in outdoor environments, as your cables will have to be able to withstand environmental factors to perform safely. Custom outdoor lighting cables should have a durable and waterproof outer sheath, and if direct burial is required, cable armouring will also need to be added to provide the necessary mechanical strength.
So, in which situations would you need a specialist lighting cable from a custom cable manufacturer? Here are a few examples:
Moveable lighting fixtures
For any movable or adjustable lighting fixture, standard cables do not provide the flexibility and durability needed. Rather than a standard lighting cable, you’ll need a specially designed cable with the mechanical strength and flexibility necessary to bend and flex along with the lighting fixture. For example, this could be a large lighting pendant that extends down from the ceiling or moves along into a new position when activated. Retractable lighting cables are ideal for this type of application as they are able to operate in varying positions and have the ability to retract back to their original position without issue.
Airfield lighting cables
Airfield lighting cables are designed specifically for safety-critical airport and airfield lighting systems. They are a specialist type of industrial cable predominantly used to illuminate airport runways. These cables are used extensively throughout the many differing types of airfield lighting, such as runway identification lights, runway end, edge and centreline lights, and approach lights for takeoff and landing.
These products are available in a range of materials and colours and offer differing levels of EMC protection.
Telescopic masts
Another common application for custom lighting cables is in telescopic masts, which are often used in defence, commercial and industrial applications for surveillance and security lighting. These pieces of equipment are designed to extend as the tubular sections slide within each other. This mechanism can make it challenging to affix lighting that can extend and retract along with the mast, which is why highly flexible and durable custom cable solutions are often required to suit each individual application. Retractable cables are commonly used here, and we have designed and manufactured several products for this type of application working within the tightest of tolerances. Our products have a proven track record operating in the harshest of environments within the defence and renewable energy sectors.
CCTV
You’ll also see custom lighting cables in use in a wide variety of CCTV systems. These systems range from simple PTZ security systems to automatic number plate recognition systems (ANPR). Complex and flexible lighting cables are needed to power these systems while allowing freedom of movement. It is common that power, video and data will be combined within a single flexible cable, enabling full operation of the system in question.
Types of cables for lighting
To suit these various applications, there are many types of lighting cables manufactured according to different specifications and industry regulations. Here are some of the main lighting cable types:
- Three-core lighting cables (often used for simple light switch circuits)
- Two-core flex cables (same as above)
- Retractable cables (often used for custom commercial lighting or industrial lighting involving complex setups and moving parts)
- Combination cables (commonly used for security systems that combine power, video and data signals within a single flexible cable)
- DMX cables for lighting (often used in stage productions as stage lighting power cables)
- Custom cables (ideal for any application where common lighting cable types, such as lighting flex cables, aren’t fit for purpose)
Why choose Custom Designed Cables for bespoke lighting cables?
Custom Designed Cables should be your first choice for high-quality, bespoke lighting cables. We pride ourselves on our expertise and attention to detail, which allows us to manufacture a huge range of lighting cables and combination cables in-house that are guaranteed to last for years to come. After researching your particular application, we can design and create custom lighting cable solutions to suit even the most complex fixtures, so no matter what your project is, we can manufacture high-quality lighting cables that suit your exact requirements.
Our excellent customer service and fast turnaround times are the cornerstone of the service that we offer. We maintain constant communication with our clients throughout each project to ensure that all products are delivered on time and to the highest quality standard, even for the most challenging deadlines.
In addition to exceptionally fast turnaround times and high-quality cable construction, we offer:
- Full adherence to cable industry standards
- Access to a comprehensive material and component library
- Free consultation and advice
Contact us today to get a quote for your lighting cable requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What is a lighting cable?
A lighting cable safely delivers electrical power to lighting equipment, such as lamps, softboxes, LED strips and more. Depending on the lighting equipment used, different types and sizes of lighting cables will be needed to provide the appropriate amount of power, giving sufficient brightness without overheating.
For most domestic lighting equipment, the right cables will be provided for you, or if you need another cable, you can purchase a generic model in a general electrical shop. However, for highly specialised or larger-scale lighting applications (such as those involving moving equipment), a totally bespoke lighting cable may be required to deal with these unique challenges.
What are lighting flex cables?
Generic lighting cables often consist of flexible wire attached to a lamp that connects to mains power. This is called ‘flex’ or ‘flex cable’. On the other hand, fixed wiring that runs between a lighting fixture and its power supply is often referred to as simply ‘cable’.
As explained above, these generic flex cables are typically purchased with portable lighting fixtures or can be purchased separately from electrical wholesalers. However, if you need custom lighting cables for a more complex lighting cable solution, you will need a custom cable manufacturer like us to design lighting cables that are specifically manufactured and tested for your application and environment. A generic flex cable from an electrical retailer won’t be fit for purpose.
