# TheCableCode Cable Designation Decoder

> TheCableCode Cable Designation Decoder is a paid API for AI agents from thecablecode.com, paid per call via x402, $0.1/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-10-22).

Decodes a cable type designation string across 39 international coding systems and returns structured construction details including materials, symbols, and layer-by-layer composition.

## Facts

- Endpoint: GET https://thecablecode.com/api/v1/decode?utm_source=zero.xyz
- Price: $0.1/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-10-22
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/thecablecode-cable-designation-decoder-ba22a7c6
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_4kSx1mg6R7pdom_Klb9k3

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability thecablecode-cable-designation-decoder-ba22a7c6
```

Example prompt: What does the cable designation 'N2XSEYRY' mean? Decode it for me in English — I need to know what each symbol stands for, what materials are used, and which standard it belongs to.

## When to prefer this

Use this endpoint when you need to programmatically decode a cable type designation string into its component materials and construction layers according to international standards. It covers 39 coding systems across multiple regions (e.g. German DIN VDE, US NEC, IEC) and is deterministic — not LLM-based — making it reliable for engineering and compliance workflows. Prefer this over general-purpose LLMs when accuracy, standard traceability, and structured output are required.

## Known failure modes

- status 'no_match' when the designation is not recognized across any of the 39 coding systems
- status 'ambiguous' when the code could match multiple standards
- status 'unreadable' when the input cannot be parsed at all
- empty or malformed code string returns an error
- code exceeding 120 characters is rejected by schema validation

## How this service works

Type the designation as printed on the cable, its drum label or its datasheet. It is decoded across 39 coding systems and drawn in 3D, from the conductor out to the sheath.

## Output

Returns a structured JSON object with: the parsed designation and detected family, a status indicating whether a single or ambiguous match was found, and an array of matches each containing the applicable standard (e.g. DIN VDE), region, ranked match basis, layer-by-layer construction breakdown (conductor, insulation, screen, armour, sheath, metal sheath, tapes), list of materials, and decoded symbol meanings. Also includes links to a visual 3D cable page and API docs.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
 "required": [
  "input"
 ],
 "properties": {
  "input": {
   "type": "object",
   "required": [
    "type",
    "method"
   ],
   "properties": {
    "type": {
     "type": "string",
     "const": "http"
    },
    "method": {
     "enum": [
      "GET"
     ],
     "type": "string"
    },
    "queryParams": {
     "type": "object",
     "required": [
      "code"
     ],
     "properties": {
      "code": {
       "type": "string",
       "maxLength": 120,
       "description": "A cable type designation as printed or listed, e.g. \"NYY-J 3x1,5\", \"N2XSEYRY\", \"12/2 NM-B\", \"H07RN-F 3G2,5\"."
      },
      "lang": {
       "enum": [
        "en",
        "tr"
       ],
       "type": "string",
       "description": "Language of the meanings. Default en."
      }
     }
    }
   },
   "additionalProperties": false
  },
  "output": {
   "type": "object",
   "required": [
    "type"
   ],
   "properties": {
    "type": {
     "type": "string"
    },
    "example": {
     "type": "object",
     "required": [
      "schema",
      "input",
      "status",
      "match_count",
      "matches",
      "decoder",
      "links"
     ],
     "properties": {
      "input": {
       "type": "object",
       "required": [
        "raw",
        "designation",
        "lang",
        "size",
        "family"
       ],
       "properties": {
        "raw": {
         "type": "string"
        },
        "lang": {
         "enum": [
          "en",
          "tr"
         ]
        },
        "size": {
         "type": [
          "null",
          "object"
         ]
        },
        "family": {
         "type": "string"
        },
        "designation": {
         "type": "string"
        }
       }
      },
      "links": {
       "type": "object",
       "required": [
        "page",
        "docs"
       ],
       "properties": {
        "docs": {
         "type": "string"
        },
        "page": {
         "type": "string"
        }
       }
      },
      "schema": {
       "const": "thecablecode.decode/v1"
      },
      "status": {
       "enum": [
        "single",
        "ambiguous",
        "no_match",
        "unreadable"
       ]
      },
      "decoder": {
       "type": "object",
       "required": [
        "data",
        "deterministic",
        "llm"
       ],
       "properties": {
        "llm": {
         "const": false
        },
        "data": {
         "ty
… (truncated)
```

## Response schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "json",
 "example": {
  "input": {
   "raw": "N2XSEYRY",
   "lang": "en",
   "size": null,
   "family": "N2XSEYRY",
   "designation": "N2XSEYRY"
  },
  "links": {
   "docs": "https://thecablecode.com/api/v1/openapi.json",
   "page": "https://thecablecode.com/c/N2XSEYRY"
  },
  "schema": "thecablecode.decode/v1",
  "status": "single",
  "decoder": {
   "llm": false,
   "data": "aa9693a47aee",
   "deterministic": true
  },
  "matches": [
   {
    "rank": 1,
    "basis": "grammar",
    "cores": {
     "count": 3,
     "earth_core": true
    },
    "system": {
     "id": "din-vde-0271-0276",
     "name": "DIN VDE 0271/0276",
     "region": "Germany"
    },
    "symbols": [
     {
      "part": "standard",
      "source": {
       "kind": "legacy_2016"
      },
      "symbol": "N",
      "meaning": "VDE Standard",
      "materials": []
     },
     {
      "part": "insulation",
      "source": {
       "kind": "legacy_2016"
      },
      "symbol": "2X",
      "meaning": "Cross Linked Polyethelene (XLPE)",
      "materials": [
       "xlpe"
      ]
     },
     {
      "part": "screen",
      "source": {
       "kind": "legacy_2016"
      },
      "symbol": "SE",
      "meaning": "Copper Screen, Over Individual Core",
      "materials": [
       "copper"
      ]
     },
     {
      "part": "insulation",
      "source": {
       "kind": "legacy_2016"
      },
      "symbol": "Y",
      "meaning": "Polyvynil Chloride (PVC)",
      "materials": [
       "pvc"
      ]
     },
     {
      "part": "armour",
      "source": {
       "kind": "legacy_2016"
      },
      "symbol": "R",
      "meaning": "Round Steel Wire",
      "materials": [
       "steel"
      ]
     },
     {
      "part": "sheath",
      "source": {
       "kind": "legacy_2016"
      },
      "symbol": "Y",
      "meaning": "Polyvynil Chloride (PVC)",
      "materials": [
       "pvc"
      ]
     }
    ],
    "materials": [
     "xlpe",
     "copper",
     "pvc",
     "steel"
    ],
    "construction": {
     "other": [],
     "tapes": null,
     "armour": {
      "symbols": [
       "R"
      ],
      "meanings": [
       "Round Steel Wire"
      ],
      "materials": [
       "steel"
      ]
     },
     "screen": {
      "symbols": [
       "SE"
      ],
      "meanings": [
       "Copper Screen, Over Individual Core"
      ],
      "materials": [
       "copper"
      ]
     },
     "sheath": {
      "symbols": [
       "Y"
      ],
      "meanings": [
       "Polyvynil Chloride (
… (truncated)
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/thecablecode-cable-designation-decoder-ba22a7c6/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from thecablecode.com](https://www.zero.xyz/host/thecablecode.com/llms.txt)