Although the specs for welding cable closely resemble those of entertainment feeder cable, it’s not the same thing. Entertainment cable is jacketed with thermoset, which is a polymer that is cured with heat. Once it’s set, it is very durable. Welding cable is jacketed with ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), which is a type of synthetic rubber. It’s not as durable as thermoset, although it is much more flexible, which is why it’s easier to wrangle than entertainment feeder cable and why some people will ignore the regulations and use it for feeder cable anyway. But in the production environment, with 800-pound stage hands tossing it around like the Minnow on Gilligan’s Island, the insulation is bound to be compromised. But the best reason not to use welding cable for feeder cable is that there are consequences for misapplying equipment. Should you have a problem and someone ends up getting hurt, or you burn down a venue, then you’ll be held accountable.
From “Focus on Fundamentals” by Richard Cadena, PLSN, Nov. 2009
