How to read a cable code: guides per coding system
How to read a KEMA cable code
A KEMA designation (Netherlands) 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 126 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
VG-YMvK sszh
| V | Polyvynil Chloride (PVC) |
| G- | Armoured (Round Or Flat Steel Wire) |
| Y | Cross Linked Polyethelene (XLPE) |
| MvK | PVC Sheathed Cable |
| ss | Highly Flexible Multi Fine Wires, Class 2 |
| zh | Halogen Free |
Designation people searched for on this site.
VG-YMvK
| V | Polyvynil Chloride (PVC) |
| G- | Armoured (Round Or Flat Steel Wire) |
| Y | Cross Linked Polyethelene (XLPE) |
| MvK | PVC Sheathed Cable |
Designation people searched for on this site.
VG-YMvK ss
| V | Polyvynil Chloride (PVC) |
| G- | Armoured (Round Or Flat Steel Wire) |
| Y | Cross Linked Polyethelene (XLPE) |
| MvK | PVC Sheathed Cable |
| ss | Highly Flexible Multi Fine Wires, Class 2 |
Designation people searched for on this site.
VG-MvK
Designation people searched for on this site.
Every symbol, by part of the cable
Conductor
Insulation compound
| S | Silicone Rubber |
| V | Polyvynil Chloride (PVC) |
| V4 | Cross Linked PVC |
| E | Polyethelene (PE) |
| Y | Cross Linked Polyethelene (XLPE) |
| Z | Low Smoke Cross Linked Compound |
| Z1 | Low Smoke Zero Halogen Compound |
| HV | Low Smoke Zero Halogen Compound |
| B | Ethylene-Propylene Rubber (EPR) |
| C | Chloroprene Rubber |
| H | Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) |
| P | Paper Insulation |
| T | Thermoplastic Elastomer Insulation |
| X | Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE) |
| zh | Halogen Free |
| R | Vulcanised Rubber (Natural, SBR Or EPR, 60 °C) |
Screen and braid
| c | Concentric Conductor (Screen) |
| O- | Braid |
| S- | Metallic Foil/Wire Screen |
| as | With Earthing Screen |
| af | With Shielding (Screen), Earth Shield |
| sc | Split Concentric |
| a | With Uninsulated (Bare) Protective Conductor (Older Text: Bare Cable Shield) |
| sas | With S-Shaped (Meandering) Copper Earthing Screen, Wave-Formed Concentric Copper Conductor |
Tapes and water blocking
Armour (wire and tape)
| G- | Armoured (Round Or Flat Steel Wire) |
Metal sheath
Sheath compound
| z | Sheathed for Heavy Constuction |
| c | Polychloroprene Sheath, Vulcanised |
| MbK | Ethylenepropylene Rubber (EPR) Sheathed Cable |
| MBK | Ethylenepropylene Rubber (EPR) Sheathed Cable |
| MeK | Polietilen (PE) Sheathed Cable |
| MEK | Polietilen (PE) Sheathed Cable |
| MgK | Ethylene Vinylacetate (EVA) Sheathed Cable |
| MGK | Ethylene Vinylacetate (EVA) Sheathed Cable |
| MhK | Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) Sheathed Cable |
| MHK | Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) Sheathed Cable |
| MqK | Polyurethane Sheathed Cable |
| MQK | Polyurethane Sheathed Cable |
| MrK | Rubber Sheathed Cable |
| MRK | Rubber Sheathed Cable |
| MsK | Silicone Sheathed Cable |
| MSK | Silicone Sheathed Cable |
| MvK | PVC Sheathed Cable |
| MVK | PVC Sheathed Cable |
| Mv4K | Cross Linked PVC Sheathed Cable |
| MV4K | Cross Linked PVC Sheathed Cable |
| MzK | Low Smoke Cross Linked Sheathed Cable |
| MZK | Low Smoke Cross Linked Sheathed Cable |
| Mz1K | Low Smoke Zero Halojen Sheathed Cable |
| MZ1K | Low Smoke Zero Halojen Sheathed Cable |
| MbS | Ethylenepropylene Rubber (EPR) Sheathed Cord |
| MBS | Ethylenepropylene Rubber (EPR) Sheathed Cord |
| MeS | Polietilen (PE) Sheathed Cord |
| MES | Polietilen (PE) Sheathed Cord |
| MgS | Ethylene Vinylacetate (EVA) Sheathed Cord |
| MGS | Ethylene Vinylacetate (EVA) Sheathed Cord |
| MhS | Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) Sheathed Cord |
| MHS | Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) Sheathed Cord |
| MqS | Polyurethane Sheathed Cord |
| MQS | Polyurethane Sheathed Cord |
| MrS | Rubber Sheathed Cord |
| MRS | Rubber Sheathed Cord |
| MsS | Silicone Sheathed Cord |
| MSS | Silicone Sheathed Cord |
| MvS | PVC Sheathed Cord |
| MVS | PVC Sheathed Cord |
| Mv4S | Cross Linked PVC Sheathed Cord |
| MV4S | Cross Linked PVC Sheathed Cord |
| MzS | Low Smoke Cross Linked Sheathed Cord |
| MZS | Low Smoke Cross Linked Sheathed Cord |
| Mz1S | Low Smoke Zero Halojen Sheathed Cord |
| MZ1S | Low Smoke Zero Halojen Sheathed Cord |
| MbL | Ethylenepropylene Rubber (EPR) Sheathed Conductor |
| MBL | Ethylenepropylene Rubber (EPR) Sheathed Conductor |
| MeL | Polietilen (PE) Sheathed Conductor |
| MEL | Polietilen (PE) Sheathed Conductor |
| MgL | Ethylene Vinylacetate (EVA) Sheathed Conductor |
| MGL | Ethylene Vinylacetate (EVA) Sheathed Conductor |
| MhL | Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) Sheathed Conductor |
| MHL | Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) Sheathed Conductor |
| MqL | Polyurethane Sheathed Conductor |
| MQL | Polyurethane Sheathed Conductor |
| MrL | Rubber Sheathed Conductor |
| MRL | Rubber Sheathed Conductor |
| MsL | Silicone Sheathed Conductor |
| MSL | Silicone Sheathed Conductor |
| MvL | PVC Sheathed Conductor |
| MVL | PVC Sheathed Conductor |
| Mv4L | Cross Linked PVC Sheathed Conductor |
| MV4L | Cross Linked PVC Sheathed Conductor |
| MzL | Low Smoke Cross Linked Sheathed Conductor |
| MZL | Low Smoke Cross Linked Sheathed Conductor |
| Mz1L | Low Smoke Zero Halojen Sheathed Conductor |
| MZ1L | Low Smoke Zero Halojen Sheathed Conductor |
| zz | Sheathed for Very Heavy Constuction |
Other
Common questions
What does Y mean in a KEMA cable code?
Y means Cross Linked Polyethelene (XLPE).
What does E mean in a KEMA cable code?
E means Polyethelene (PE).
What does V mean in a KEMA cable code?
V means Polyvynil Chloride (PVC).
What does r mean in a KEMA cable code?
r means Round Conductor; or Vulcanised Rubber (Natural, SBR Or EPR, 60 °C).
What does B mean in a KEMA cable code?
B means Ethylene-Propylene Rubber (EPR).
What does C mean in a KEMA cable code?
C means Chloroprene Rubber; or Concentric Conductor (Screen); or Polychloroprene Sheath, Vulcanised.
Read by the deterministic decoder of this site from its symbol tables. Check the manufacturer's datasheet before you specify a cable.