Project requirements for cables

What a cable specification adds on top of the base standard: 37 requirements in 6 groups. Each page names the constructions makers meet the requirement with and the tests that prove it, and opens the requirement in the cable designer, where the specification is written.

Cable specification builder · Open the specification builder

Environment

• Rodent protection: The cable resists gnawing by rats, mice, gophers or squirrels well enough to keep working.
• Termite protection: The cable resists attack by termites in buried or ducted runs in regions where they occur.
• Ants and other insects: The sheath resists chewing or nesting damage by ants and similar insects.
• UV and sunlight resistance: The outer sheath keeps its mechanical properties after long exposure to sunlight outdoors.
• Low temperature (bending, impact, installation): The insulation and sheath do not crack when bent or struck in the cold, and the cable can be installed at a stated minimum temperature.
• High ambient or conductor temperature: The cable runs in hot surroundings or at a conductor temperature above the base standard's 70 or 90 °C.
• Ozone resistance: Rubber insulations and sheaths do not crack in ozone (outdoors, near electrical discharge).
• Fungus resistance, tropicalisation: The materials do not support mould growth in warm, humid storage and service.

Chemical

• Oil resistance (mineral oil): The sheath keeps its strength and elongation after contact with mineral oils.
• Drilling mud and hydrocarbon resistance (offshore, NEK TS 606): Offshore cables survive drilling fluids, brines and base oils on drill floors and mud areas.
• Chemical resistance (acids, alkalis): The sheath withstands acids and alkalis in soil, plants or cleaning.
• Lead sheath (hydrocarbon and chemical barrier): An extruded lead sheath keeps aromatic hydrocarbons and chemicals out of the insulation in contaminated ground.
• Anti-corrosion of armour and metal layers: Armour wires and metal sheaths are protected from corrosion in soil, sea water or wet ducts.

Water

• Longitudinal watertightness: Water that enters at a damaged point does not travel along the cable (screen area and/or conductor).
• Radial watertightness: A metal barrier stops moisture diffusing through the sheath into the insulation.
• Wet locations and submersion (AD7, AD8): The cable may lie in water temporarily or permanently, to a stated depth.
• Water tree resistant insulation (TR-XLPE): The MV insulation compound slows water treeing for long life in wet ground.

Fire

• Flame retardance, single cable (IEC 60332-1-2): A single vertical cable stops burning by itself after a 1 kW flame.
• Flame retardance, bunched cables (IEC 60332-3 categories): Flame does not spread up a vertical bunch of cables with a stated fire load.
• Fire resistance, circuit integrity: The cable keeps its circuit working for a stated time in a fire (emergency lighting, alarms, smoke extraction, pumps).
• Low smoke (IEC 61034): Burning cable gives little smoke, so people can see escape routes.
• Halogen free, low acid gas (IEC 60754-1 / -2): Fire gases contain little halogen acid and are not corrosive.
• Toxicity of fire gases: The combustion gases of the cable materials are below a toxicity index.
• CPR reaction-to-fire class (EN 50575, EN 13501-6): A declared Euroclass for cables in buildings in the EU, with smoke (s), droplets (d) and acidity (a) classes.

Mechanical

• Abrasion resistance: The sheath resists wear from dragging, pulling and rubbing.
• Mechanical protection (crush, impact, direct burial): The cable survives crushing and impact in service, or direct burial without ducts.
• Torsion (wind turbine loop): The cable in a wind turbine drip loop survives repeated twisting as the nacelle yaws.
• Continuous flexing, drag chain: The cable survives millions of bending cycles in an energy chain at a stated speed, acceleration and bend radius.
• Tensile strength, vertical suspension: The cable carries its own weight hanging in a shaft or lift well, or a pulling load, without damage.
• EMC, screening effectiveness: A screen limits emission and pick-up, e.g. for VFD motor cables and instrument cables.

Application

• Marine and offshore (IEC 60092, DNV): Ship and offshore cables to IEC 60092 with class society type approval.
• Railway rolling stock (EN 50264, EN 45545-2): Cables in trains meet the fire hazard level of the vehicle and the rolling stock cable standards.
• Nuclear qualification (mention): Cables in nuclear plants are qualified for ageing, radiation and design basis accidents (LOCA).
• Solar PV DC cables (EN 50618, IEC 62930): DC string cables for PV systems, 1500 V DC, outdoor and halogen free.
• Hazardous areas (Ex, IEC 60079-14): Cables in explosive atmospheres suit the glands and limit flame and gas paths.
• Sheath colour, marking, metre marking: The specification fixes the sheath colour and the text, method (print, emboss, indent) and spacing of the marking, and often a sequential metre mark.
• RoHS and REACH compliance: Materials meet EU restricted substance rules (lead, cadmium, some phthalates) and REACH SVHC declarations.