How to read a cable code: guides per coding system

How to read a IEEE 1580 cable code

A IEEE 1580 designation (International (marine)) is a row of letter groups, and each group stands for one part of the cable: conductor, insulation, screen, armour, sheath, or the standard it follows. The decoder knows 39 symbols for this system. Below: real designations read step by step, then every symbol grouped by the part of the cable it describes.

Real designations, read step by step

C14PCP-20

C20 Core Control Cable, 14 AWG
PCross Linked Polyolefin (XLPO)
CPChlorosulphonated Polyethylene (CSM)

Designation people searched for on this site.

TP(OS)18PNBS-2

TP2 Twisted Pair, 18 AWG
(OS)Overall Screen
PCross Linked Polyolefin (XLPO)
NChloroprene Rubber
BSBronze Armour And Sheath

Designation people searched for on this site.

TPNBS-313

TThree Conductor Distribution, 313 kemil
PCross Linked Polyolefin (XLPO)
NChloroprene Rubber
BSBronze Armour And Sheath

Designation people searched for on this site.

C14PCP

CCore Control Cable, 14 AWG
PCross Linked Polyolefin (XLPO)
CPChlorosulphonated Polyethylene (CSM)

Designation people searched for on this site.

C14TCPB-20

C20 Core Control Cable, 14 AWG
TPolyvynil Chloride (PVC)
CPChlorosulphonated Polyethylene (CSM)
BBronze Armour

Designation people searched for on this site.

Every symbol, by part of the cable

Conductor

TThree Conductor Distribution
SSingle Conductor Distribution
DTwo Conductor Distribution
FFour Conductor Distribution
QFive Conductor Distribution

Insulation compound

TPolyvynil Chloride (PVC)
T/NPolyvynil Chloride (PVC) / Nylon
XCross Linked Polyethelene (XLPE)
PCross Linked Polyolefin (XLPO)
LSLow Smoke
EEthylene-Propylene Rubber (EPR)
NChloroprene Rubber
CPChlorosulphonated Polyethylene (CSM)
SSilicone Rubber
LLow Smoke, Zero Halogen Cross Linked Polyolefin
TPOLow Smoke, Zero Halogen Thermoplastic Polyolefin
CPEThermoset Chlorinated Polyethylene
LSXLow Smoke, Halogen-Free Crosslinked Polyolefin
LSELow Smoke, Halogen-Free Ethylene Propylene Rubber
LSSLow Smoke, Halogen-Free Silicone Rubber

Screen and braid

OBSCopper Screen As Braid
(OBS)Copper Screen As Braid
OSOverall Screen
ISIndividual Screen
IS-OSIndividual And Overall Overall Screen
(OS)Overall Screen
(IS)Individual Screen
(IS-OS)Individual And Overall Overall Screen

Armour (wire and tape)

TTinned Copper Armour
CWCMCCorrugated Metal Armor
AAluminium Armour
BBronze Armour
ASAluminium Armour And Sheath
BSBronze Armour And Sheath
TSTinned Copper Armour And Sheath

Other

CCore Control Cable
TPTwisted Pair
TTTwisted Triangle
VComplies With Vw-1 Flame Test (Used With Preceding Letter)

Common questions

What does P mean in a IEEE 1580 cable code?

P means Cross Linked Polyolefin (XLPO).

What does T mean in a IEEE 1580 cable code?

T means Polyvynil Chloride (PVC); or Tinned Copper Armour; or Three Conductor Distribution.

What does C mean in a IEEE 1580 cable code?

C means Core Control Cable.

What does N mean in a IEEE 1580 cable code?

N means Chloroprene Rubber.

What does X mean in a IEEE 1580 cable code?

X means Cross Linked Polyethelene (XLPE).

What does S mean in a IEEE 1580 cable code?

S means Silicone Rubber; or Single Conductor Distribution.

Read by the deterministic decoder of this site from its symbol tables. Check the manufacturer's datasheet before you specify a cable.

All IEEE 1580 symbols · Decode your own designation