18AWG 2-Core Double Shielded Control Cable

Signal drift, unexpected machine stops, and intermittent data errors in automated systems share a common root cause: electromagnetic interference penetrating your control circuits. This cable is designed to block that interference. It keeps your command signals intact across long cable runs, which directly reduces unplanned downtime and the long-term cost of rewiring.

We supply this 18AWG 2-core double shielded control cable to electrical contractors, panel builders, and maintenance teams operating in electrically noisy environments. No inflated claims. Just predictable, repeatable signal integrity built around a dual-layer shielding architecture.

Why Dual Shielding Matters for Control Signals

Foil Tape Shield with 100% Coverage
A bonded aluminum/polyester tape wraps the insulated conductors completely. No gaps. This creates a continuous conductive barrier that intercepts high-frequency radiated noise — the type generated by VFDs, switching power supplies, and nearby motor cables.
-> The result: capacitively coupled interference is shunted to ground before it can reach your signal conductors. For your PLC I/O loop, this means clean 4-20mA or digital signals without unexplained offsets or bit errors.

Tinned Copper Braid Shield
Over the foil sits a tightly woven tinned copper braid. Low DC resistance. High mechanical flexibility. This layer handles low-frequency magnetic interference, the kind that hums from transformers and large motor windings. Tinning is not cosmetic. It prevents oxidation of the copper strands, maintaining consistent shield performance in humid or mildly corrosive atmospheres.
-> What this gives you: Reliable low-impedance path to ground that does not degrade over installation life. Your commissioning engineers spend less time hunting down elusive ground-loop problems.

Direct Burial & Outdoor Rated PVC Jacket
The outer jacket is a UV-resistant, moisture-resistant PVC compound printed with sequential foot/meter markings. It can go into cable trays, conduit, or directly into earth (if applicable per local code) without the jacket embrittling after two summers of sun exposure.
-> For your project: One less SKU to manage. Same cable works indoors in the control cabinet and outdoors in the cable trench.

Technical Specifications

Where This Cable Is Deployed

• Factory Automation & PLC Systems: Connects sensors, actuators, and HMIs to PLC I/O modules in packaging lines and machining centers. Solves intermittent signal dropouts triggered by adjacent VFD motor cables.
• HVAC & Building Management: Links DDC controllers to field sensors (pressure, temperature, CO2) across large commercial buildings. Long parallel runs next to high-voltage power lines require the dual-shield isolation.
• Water & Wastewater Treatment Plants: Carries analog instrument signals from flow meters and level transmitters back to SCADA systems. Tinned copper braid resists corrosion in high-humidity pump galleries and outdoor monitoring stations.
• Renewable Energy & Substations: Used inside solar inverter skids and wind turbine nacelles for low-voltage control wiring. Braid provides mechanical toughness against vibration; foil blocks RF noise from power conversion electronics.
• Conveyor & Material Handling: Run alongside power cables in cable festoons and drag chains on automated warehouse cranes. Shield durability under constant flex cycles prevents the number one cause of cable-related conveyor downtime: worn shielding that shorts to ground.

Compliance & Quality Markers

• ✅ RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU — lead-free, mercury-free construction
• ✅ CE Marking — conforms to applicable EU Low Voltage Directive requirements
• ✅ ISO 9001:2015 — manufactured in a facility with certified QMS
• ✅ VW-1 Flame Test — meets vertical flame propagation resistance per UL 1581
• ✅ UL 1581 Reference — conductor and jacket materials tested to recognized method

We provide batch-specific test reports with each shipment. These reports detail spark test results, conductor resistance values, and shield coverage checks. You do not need to request them; they ship with the packing list by default.

Answers to Common Technical Inquiries

Can this cable carry 24V DC power alongside a 4-20mA signal in the same 2-core construction?
It can, but that changes the application from pure signal to a combined power-and-signal topology. The 18AWG conductor handles the current easily for most field instruments. However, we recommend this for instruments with low power draw (under 2A total loop at 24V DC). For higher loads, consider a composite cable to avoid self-heating inside the jacket.

Do you offer pre-terminated lengths with connectors, or only bulk reels?
Standard supply is 100m and 305m (1000ft) reels. We can provide pre-cut lengths with stripped, tinned ends ready for your panel shop on a per-project basis. This is not catalog stock. You send us a cut list during the quotation stage. Lead time adds 2-3 working days.

What differentiates this cable from a standard single-shielded (foil only) control cable?
The single foil-only version blocks high-frequency electric fields adequately in static installations. It has no defense against low-frequency magnetic fields and minimal mechanical toughness. The dual-shield version adds the tinned copper braid. That braid handles magnetic interference and can survive the small shield currents that build up when multiple drives share a cable tray. If your runs exceed 30 meters in proximity to variable frequency drives, the double shielded variant is the correct selection.

Request full specifications and a sample coil.

Submit your inquiry by email or use the contact form on this page. Specify the total linear meters per reel, your target delivery date, and whether you require a certificate of conformance (CoC) with the batch test data.

We ship cable stock weekly from our warehouse to North American, European, and Southeast Asian logistics hubs. Standard catalog SKUs dispatch within 48 hours of confirmed order.