Will the Power Connection Cable age or lose performance if stored for a long time?

During long-term storage, the power connection cable may indeed age or degrade due to environmental factors, material properties, and storage conditions. The following is a detailed analysis of the causes of aging, manifestations, and how to extend its service life.

Causes of aging
Material properties
Conductor materials: Copper and aluminum are common conductor materials. Copper has good oxidation resistance, but if it is exposed to a humid environment for a long time, copper oxide may still be generated, resulting in reduced conductivity. Aluminum is more easily oxidized, forming an insulating aluminum oxide layer, which affects electrical connections.
Insulation materials: The insulation layer and sheath of the cable are usually made of materials such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) or rubber. Although these materials have a certain degree of durability, the following changes may occur during long-term storage:
PVC: It is easily affected by ultraviolet rays, high temperature or humidity, causing brittleness, cracking or loss of elasticity.
XLPE: It is relatively more heat-resistant and aging-resistant, but performance may still degrade after long-term exposure to extreme conditions.
Rubber: It is easy to harden or crack, especially in dry or high-temperature environments.
Environmental factors
Temperature: High temperatures accelerate the aging process of insulation materials, causing them to harden, crack, or lose flexibility.
Humidity: A humid environment may cause corrosion of metal conductors, and also cause the insulation materials to absorb moisture, reducing insulation performance.
Ultraviolet rays: If the cable is stored in direct sunlight, ultraviolet rays will cause the sheath material to degrade, causing surface powdering or cracking.
Chemical substances: Contact with acids, alkalis, or other corrosive substances will accelerate the aging of cable materials.
Storage method
If the cable is randomly stacked, compressed, or excessively bent, it may cause deformation of the internal structure, affecting its mechanical and electrical properties.
Aging manifestations

Appearance changes
Cracks, discoloration, powdering, or hardening of the insulation layer or sheath.
Rust or oxide layer appears on the surface of the metal conductor.
Degradation of mechanical properties
The sheath material becomes brittle and easily breaks or peels off.
Cracks occur when bending or cannot be restored to its original shape.
Degradation of electrical performance
The insulation resistance decreases, which may cause leakage or short circuits.
The conductor resistance increases, affecting the current transmission efficiency.
Functional failure
In actual use, problems such as overheating, short circuit or open circuit may occur.
How to judge whether the cable is still usable
After a long period of storage, the following methods can be used to judge whether the cable is suitable for continued use:
Appearance inspection
Check whether there are cracks, discoloration, deformation or other obvious damage on the surface of the cable.
Bending test
Gently bend the cable and observe whether the sheath is cracked or peeled. If the sheath material becomes brittle, it indicates serious aging.
Insulation test
Use a megohmmeter to measure the insulation resistance of the cable. If the insulation resistance is lower than the standard value (usually not less than 1000Ω per volt of working voltage), it means that the insulation performance has deteriorated.
Continuity test
Use a multimeter to detect the continuity and resistance value of the conductor. If the resistance increases significantly or the continuity is poor, it indicates that the conductor may be damaged.
Smell judgment
If the cable emits a pungent odor (such as burning or plastic degradation), it may indicate that the material has aged.

Power connection cables that have been stored for a long time may indeed lose some performance due to material aging, environmental influences or improper storage. In order to ensure that the cable can still be used normally after storage, a suitable storage environment should be selected and its status should be checked regularly. If signs of aging (such as cracks, discoloration or performance degradation) are found, it should be replaced in time to avoid safety hazards.
Through scientific storage and maintenance methods, the service life of the power connection cable can be effectively extended to ensure its safety and reliability in future applications.