How to read a cable code: guides per coding system · ABNT NBR (Brazil) · Brazil

ABNT NBR (Brazil): how to read the cable type names

Each name in ABNT NBR (Brazil) stands for a whole cable type: ATOX, for example, comes with its own construction, standard and rating. The decoder knows 12 types of this system. Below: how the names are built, every type with its rating, and the sources the table names.

How a name is built

The type table splits each name into parts and records what each part means. A few names taken apart:

`SINTENAX`

SINTENAX	Prysmian PVC power cable family
FLEX	Class 5 extra flexible conductor

Prysmian Sintenax Flex: class 5 extra flexible, PVC/A 70 C insulation, PVC ST1 cover

`HEPR 90 C`

HEPR	High-modulus ethylene propylene rubber insulation, thermoset, 90 C (page does not expand the letters; reading from catalogues)
90 C	Continuous conductor temperature 90 C

HEPR insulated, PVC sheathed power cable (names: Silnax-type "Cabo Flexivel HEPR 90 C", Nambeinax, Indusflex, Ibraflex, Eproflex, Heprocord)

`PVC 70 C`

PVC/A	PVC insulation compound type A, 70 C (Flexicom page)
70 C	Continuous conductor temperature 70 C

PVC/A insulated cable for 70 C (thermoplastic, up to 1 kV)

`SILNAX`

SILNAX	Sil brand for HEPR (EPR/B) insulated cable; class 5 from 10 mm2, class 4 for 1 to 6 mm2
HEPR	High-modulus ethylene propylene rubber insulation, thermoset, 90 C (page does not expand the letters; reading from catalogues)

Sil (Eletrica Danubio) Silnax: flexible HEPR 90 C power cable

Every part used in the names

Part	Meaning	Used in
HEPR	High-modulus ethylene propylene rubber insulation, thermoset, 90 C (page does not expand the letters; reading from catalogues)	`HEPR 90 C` `SILNAX`
90 C	Continuous conductor temperature 90 C	`HEPR 90 C`
PVC/A	PVC insulation compound type A, 70 C (Flexicom page)	`PVC 70 C`
70 C	Continuous conductor temperature 70 C	`PVC 70 C`
SINTENAX	Prysmian PVC power cable family	`SINTENAX`
FLEX	Class 5 extra flexible conductor	`SINTENAX`
SILNAX	Sil brand for HEPR (EPR/B) insulated cable; class 5 from 10 mm2, class 4 for 1 to 6 mm2	`SILNAX`
FLEXICOM	Cobrecom brand for flexible 450/750 V wire without sheath	`FLEXICOM`
ANTICHAMA	Flame-retardant (not propagating the flame)	`FLEXICOM`
PP	Product suffix for the round multicore (parallel) cord; letters UNVERIFIED	`SILFLEX PP`
CABO	Cable (Portuguese)	`CABO PP`
PP	The trade's name for the round multicore PVC/PVC cord (Lapp Brasil sells it as ÖLFLEX CLASSIC PP BR, "similar to H05VV-F"); the makers do not spell the letters out	`CABO PP`
PVC/D	PVC insulation compound type D (meaning UNVERIFIED)	`CORDAO PARALELO`

What the type table says about the names

Quoted from the notes of the type table, with the types they belong to.

Bare "HEPR" is the keyword Brazilian trade uses for this product, with or without the temperature. (HEPR 90 C)

Every type in ABNT NBR (Brazil)

Type	Description	Rating
`HEPR 90 C`	HEPR insulated, PVC sheathed power cable (names: Silnax-type "Cabo Flexivel HEPR 90 C", Nambeinax, Indusflex, Ibraflex, Eproflex, Heprocord)	0.6/1 kV, 90 C (Silnax adds 130 C overload, 250 C short circuit)
`EPR`	EPR insulated power cable (Saint Germain "EPR Nax Flex Atox")	0.6/1 kV, EPR 90 C UNVERIFIED
`XLPE`	XLPE 90 C insulated power cable (keyword with the temperature; bare XLPE is a European construction word and is not claimed)	0.6/1 kV, 90 C (UNVERIFIED)
`PVC 70 C`	PVC/A insulated cable for 70 C (thermoplastic, up to 1 kV)	70 C; 450/750 V or 0.6/1 kV by product
`SINTENAX`	Prysmian Sintenax Flex: class 5 extra flexible, PVC/A 70 C insulation, PVC ST1 cover	0.6/1 kV, 70 C
`SILNAX`	Sil (Eletrica Danubio) Silnax: flexible HEPR 90 C power cable	0.6/1 kV, 90 C (130 C overload, 250 C short circuit)
`AFUMEX`	Prysmian Afumex: halogen-free, low smoke cable (NBR 13248); Green = bio-polyethylene compound, Flex VFD = drive cable with concentric earth	0.6/1 kV, 90 C (UNVERIFIED for Green)
`ATOX`	Halogen-free, low smoke flexible cable (NBR 13248): Atoxflex, Cortox Flex, Superatox Flex	0.6/1 kV (Atoxflex, Cortox) or 450/750 V (Superatox, halogen-free polyolefin 70 C)
`FLEXICOM`	Flexible PVC/A 450/750 V single-core wire, antichama (Flexicom, Cord-Flex Firestop, CB Duflex, Flexsil, Corfio "Cabo Flexivel Antichama")	450/750 V, 70 C
`SILFLEX PP`	Flexible PVC cord with common PVC cover (Silflex PP, Corfio Cabo Flexivel PP): printed 247 NM 53	300/500 V
`CABO PP`	Cabo PP: round flexible cord, two to five PVC insulated class 5 copper cores under a common PVC cover, 300/500 V (247 NM 53, the H05VV-F of the Mercosur standard); not the flat "cordão paralelo"	300/500 V; 70 °C continuous, 100 °C overload, 160 °C short circuit (Lapp Brasil)
`CORDAO PARALELO`	Flexible parallel (flat) PVC/D cord without sheath, 300/300 V	300/300 V

Marks written next to the name

Words and marks the decoder reads next to a type name of this system: each adds a property to whatever type it is written with.

Mark	Meaning	Written as
FLEXIVEL	Flexible conductor, class 5 stranding (class 4 on some small sizes)	`FLEXIVEL` `FLEXÍVEL` `FLEX`
RIGIDO	Rigid conductor, class 2 stranding	`RIGIDO` `RÍGIDO`
ANTICHAMA	Flame-retardant	`ANTICHAMA`
MULTIPOLAR	Multicore cable	`MULTIPOLAR`
UNIPOLAR	Single-core cable	`UNIPOLAR`

Common questions

What is ATOX cable?

ATOX: Halogen-free, low smoke flexible cable (NBR 13248): Atoxflex, Cortox Flex, Superatox Flex. Rating: 0.6/1 kV (Atoxflex, Cortox) or 450/750 V (Superatox, halogen-free polyolefin 70 C). Standard: NBR 13248; NBR NM 280.

What is SINTENAX cable?

SINTENAX: Prysmian Sintenax Flex: class 5 extra flexible, PVC/A 70 C insulation, PVC ST1 cover. Rating: 0.6/1 kV, 70 C. Standard: NBR 7288; NBR 5410. The name reads: SINTENAX (Prysmian PVC power cable family) + FLEX (Class 5 extra flexible conductor).

What is the difference between HEPR 90 C and SILNAX?

HEPR 90 C: HEPR insulated, PVC sheathed power cable (names: Silnax-type "Cabo Flexivel HEPR 90 C", Nambeinax, Indusflex, Ibraflex, Eproflex, Heprocord), 0.6/1 kV, 90 C (Silnax adds 130 C overload, 250 C short circuit). SILNAX: Sil (Eletrica Danubio) Silnax: flexible HEPR 90 C power cable, 0.6/1 kV, 90 C (130 C overload, 250 C short circuit). The names differ in: HEPR 90 C: 90 C (Continuous conductor temperature 90 C); SILNAX: SILNAX (Sil brand for HEPR (EPR/B) insulated cable; class 5 from 10 mm2, class 4 for 1 to 6 mm2).

ABNT NBR (Brazil): what does HEPR mean in a cable name?

HEPR means: High-modulus ethylene propylene rubber insulation, thermoset, 90 C (page does not expand the letters; reading from catalogues). Used in HEPR 90 C, SILNAX.

ABNT NBR (Brazil): what does FLEXIVEL mean next to a cable name?

FLEXIVEL: Flexible conductor, class 5 stranding (class 4 on some small sizes). Written as FLEXIVEL, FLEXÍVEL, FLEX.

What is HEPR 90 C cable?

HEPR 90 C: HEPR insulated, PVC sheathed power cable (names: Silnax-type "Cabo Flexivel HEPR 90 C", Nambeinax, Indusflex, Ibraflex, Eproflex, Heprocord). Rating: 0.6/1 kV, 90 C (Silnax adds 130 C overload, 250 C short circuit). Standard: NBR 7286 (HEPR/EPR power cable); NBR NM 280 (conductors); NBR 5410; NBR 6251. The name reads: HEPR (High-modulus ethylene propylene rubber insulation, thermoset, 90 C (page does not expand the letters; reading from catalogues)) + 90 C (Continuous conductor temperature 90 C).

Sources the type table names

Standards named in the table

NBR 7286 (HEPR/EPR power cable)
NBR NM 280 (conductors)
NBR 5410
NBR 6251
NBR 7286
INMETRO homologation mentioned
NBR 7286 (XLPE up to 35 kV, UNVERIFIED on a fetched page for XLPE)
NBR 7288 (PVC power cable)
NBR NM 247-3 (450/750 V)
NBR 7288
NBR 13248
NBR 13570
NBR NM IEC 60332-3-24 cat C
NBR NM 280
NBR NM 247-3 (PNA-NM 247-3:2002)
NBR NM 247-3 / -5 (PNA-NM 247-3/-5:2002)
ABNT NBR NM 247-5 (247 NM 53
IEC 60227-5 MOD)
conductor NBR NM 280 class 5
NBR NM 247-5 (PNA-NM 247-5:2002)

Documents and pages the readings were taken from

Taken from the type table of this site, with the sources named above. Check the manufacturer's datasheet before you specify a cable.

Every type in ABNT NBR (Brazil) · Decode your own designation