This document discusses types of electrical cables used in house wiring. It describes several types of cables including heat resistant flame retardant cables, flame resistant low smoke cables, and halogen free low smoke cables. It also discusses cable components like the conductor, insulation, auxiliary elements, and outer sheath. Various types of insulations are described including thermoplastic and thermosetting insulations. Cable nomenclature and color coding standards are also summarized along with common units of measurement and tests performed on cables.

1. Electrical Works – House Wiring & Cables
S.Sudha Velan B.E (Civil)

2. TYPES OF CABLES
• Heat Resistant Flame Retardant (HRFR) Cables
• Flame Resistant Low Smoke (FRLS) Cables
• Halogen Free Low Smoke (HFLS) Cables
• HFLS Fire Care Thermosetting Cables
• Size Of Cables (Conductor) in Sq.mm –
0.5/0.75/1.0/1.5/2.5/4/6/10/16/25/35/50/70/95/120/150/185/240 Sq.mm

3. Heat Resistant Flame Retardant
(HRFR)

4. Halogen Free Low Smoke Cables
(HFLS)

5. Halogen Free Low Smoke Cables
(HFLS)
PVC Cable

7. Cables Manufacturing Process

10. • Twin and Earth (1) – This is the most common cable used in
domestic electrical installations, it is a flat grey thermo-
plastic sheathed cable
• Flex (2) – A flexible cable that has a soft rubber or
thermoplastic outer sheath and individually insulated
conductors inside it. Each individual conductor is made up of
very fine strands of copper to allow the cable to repeatedly
flex.
• SWA (3) – Steel Wire Armour, this is a cable that is
surrounded by a layer of armour made up of steel wire, it is
generally used where the cable requires a high degree of
protection.
• LSHF (4) – Low Smoke Halogen Free cable is a cable with a
particular type of insulation that is designed so that it emits a
small amount of smoke and zero halogen when exposed to
fire or heat.

11. Insulation For Electric Cables
• The insulation consists of placing an insulating coating
on the conductor to prevent current leakage.
Thermoplastic Insulation
• PVC: Polyvinyl chloride
• Z1: Polyolefins
• PE: Linear polyethylene
• PU: Polyurethane
Thermosetting Insulation
• EPR: Ethylene Propylene
• XLPE: Crosslinked Polyethylene
• EVA: Ethyl Vinyl Acetate
• SI: Silicone
• PCP: Neoprene
• SBR: Natural Rubber

12. THERMOPLASTIC INSULATION
• A material which will soften, flow, when subjected to
sufficient heat and pressure. These compounds are heated
and extruded over conductor. Likewise, the insulation on the
finished product can be re-melted or soften if exposed to
heat.
• Easy to manufacture
• Normally less expensive
• No cure required
• Will melt when subjected to heat
• Can be extruded in very thin walls

13. HERMOSETTING INSULATION
• A material which will not soften, flow, when subjected to
heat and pressure. Once extruded over conductor,
these compounds will not re-melt, however, they can be
burnt or deteriorate due to heat.
• Will harden and age when overheated
• Forgiving when exposed to overloads
• Better low temperature properties
• Higher temperature potential
• Usually more expensive
• Requires a cure process when extruded

15. Components - Electrical
Cable
•Conductor: which channels
the flow of electricity
•Insulation: it covers and
contains the electric flow in
the conductor.
•Auxiliary
elements: protect the cable
and guarantee its longevity.
•Outer sheath: covers all the
mentioned materials
protecting them from the
outside.

16. Types of Electric conductors
• Bare wire conductor: single wire in solid state, not
flexible and without coating.
• Aluminum electrical conductors: aluminum
conductors are 60% worse conductor than copper.
• Copper electrical conductors: the most commonly
used material.
• Flexible copper wire conductor: it is a set of fine
wires covered by an insulating material. They are
flexible and malleable.
• Single-core cable: a cable with a single conductor.
• Multi-core cable: a cable that has several conductors.

17. Nomenclature of Electrical Cables

18. Nomenclature Cable type
R
Crosslinked polyethylene
(XLPE)
X
Cross-linked polyethylene
(XLPE)
Z1
Halogen-free
thermoplastic polyolefin
Z
Halogen-free
thermosetting elastomer
V Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
S
Halogen-free
thermosetting silicone
compound
D
Ethylene-propylene
elastomer (EPR)
Designation according to type of Insulation

19. Nomenclature Cable type
C3
Copper wire screen,
helically arranged
C4
Copper shield in the
form of a braid, on
the assembled
insulated conductors.
V
Polyvinyl chloride
(PVC)
Z1
Halogen-free
thermoplastic
polyolefin
Screen designation, Interior lining, Armature seat

20. Nomenclature Cable type
F
Steel strapping
arranged in a helical
pattern.
FA
Aluminium strapping
arranged in a helical
pattern
FA3
Longitudinally
corrugated
aluminium strip
M Steel wire crown
MA
Aluminium wire
crown
Designation of the different types of Armor

21. nomenclature Cable type
V
Polyvinyl chloride
(PVC)
Z1
Halogen-free
thermoplastic
polyolefin
Z
Halogen-free
thermosetting
elastomer
N
Vulcanized
chlorinated polymer
Designation of the outer sheath

22. Nomenclature Cable type
K
Flexible copper (class
5) for fixed
installations
F
Flexible copper (class
5) for mobile services
D
Flexible for welding
machine cables.
When there are no
letters on it, the
conductor is made of
solid copper, class 1
or 2.
AL
AL If the conductor is
made of aluminium,
(AL) is indicated.
Conductor’s
Designation

23. Nomenclature Cable type
nGS
Number and cross-
section of wires, in
mm2 , with
Yellow/Green
conductor
nxS
Number and cross-
section of
conductors, in mm2 ,
without conductor
Yellow/Green
Explanation of the Number of Conductors

27. Electrical Wires Colour Code

28. Units of Measurement
• Ohms – An Ohm is the electrical unit used for measuring
resistance; its symbol is Ω.
• Watt – This is a unit of power and is denoted by use of the
letter W.
• Voltage – Voltage is the difference in electrical potential
between two different points, it can be thought of as
electrical pressure, and it is denoted by the letter V or U.
• Amperes – This is the term used to describe the flow of
electrical current, it is denoted by the letter A.
• AC- Alternating Current is an electric current which
reverses direction periodically. AC current is the way that
electricity is distributed through the power network in the
UK.
• DC – Direct Current is an electric current that travels in
only one direction, this is the type of current that a battery
produces.

29. Type test of electrical power cable.
1. Persulphate test (for copper)
2. Annealing test (for copper)
3. Tensile test (for Aluminium)
4. Wrapping test (for Aluminium)
5. Conductor resistance test (for all)
6. Test for thickness of insulation (for all)
7. Measurement of overall diameter (where specified) (for all)

30. Tests for Insulation and Sheath
1. Tensile strength and elongation at break
2. Ageing in air oven
3. Ageing in air bomb
4. Ageing in oxygen bomb
5. Hot set
6. Oil resistance
7. Tear resistance
8. Insulation resistance
9. High voltage (water immersion) test
10.Flammability test (only for SE-3, SE-4)
11.Water abortion test (for insulation)

31. Cable Cold Bend Testing

32. Cable Insulation Resistance Testing

33. Vertical Flame Testing for Cables

34. Cable Construction & Dimensional Testing

35. Cable Hot Set Testing for Cross-Linked Materials

36. Conductor Resistance Testing

37. Tensile & Elongation Measurement for Cable Insulation
Materials

38. Very Low Frequency testing for Medium Voltage and High Voltage
cables

39. Shrinkage Tests for Cable
Insulation

42. Thanks & Regards
S.Sudha Velan