CHAPTER 20

PVC Insulated Cables

PVC rapidly replaced rubber for wiring cables in the 1940s and was introduced in
Europe for power cable insulation in the late 1950s, initially in significant commercial
quantity in Germany. For corrosion protection, particularly with aluminium sheathed
transmission cables, extruded PVC oversheaths became firmly established in the
mid-1950s.
At that time, paper insulated cables were being used for industrial distribution and as
fully impregnated non-draining paper had not then been completely accepted it was
necessary to adopt some form of limitation of the amount of impregnating c o m p o u n d
in the cable to minimise compound drainage problems. This caused either reduction in
quality or increased insulation thickness. The use of PVC provided cables o f excellent
quality which were clean and much easier to handle. Being little affected by moisture
they do not require a metal sheath and this also simplifies jointing and terminating.
Consequently they quickly became adopted for industrial power applications.
A particular feature of the early development was associated with the fact that,
whereas wiring cables have circular conductors, the conductors of power cables were
sector shaped and the larger sizes pre-spiralled. Shaped-solid aluminium conductors
had emerged as a strong competitor to copper at the same time. The use of shaped dies
to extrude PVC to the profile of the conductor presented great concentricity problems
which led to the 'float-down' or 'tubing-on' extrusion technique. This involves
extruding the PVC as an oversize circular tube which is drawn to a snug fit on the
conductor by a combination of vacuum and controlled conductor/extrusion speeds.
It can be said that PVC power cables truly became established in the U K by the l E E
Symposium on Plastic Insulated Mains Cable Systems in November 1962 and the
papers presented provide an interesting record.

APPLICATIONS

The fields of use fall into four distinct categories as discussed below. Especially as PVC
from the outset had to compete with impregnated paper, the most important factor to
be taken into account was the amount of softening at raised temperatures due to its
thermoplastic nature. This can result in deformation of the insulation due, for example,

326
 P V C Insulated Cables 327

to conductor thrust at bends. Paper cables will withstand fairly high short time
overloads and consequently the fuse co-ordination does not need to be particularly
refined. PVC cables need adequate protection against overload or alternatively a
reduced rating has to be assigned to them. The situation in relation to the sixteenth
edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations (BS 7671: 1992) is discussed in chapter 10.

Industrial cables
Industrial usage covers distribution in and around factories at voltages up to 3.3 kV.
Except possibly in North America, PVC cables have been almost universally used
throughout the world since around 1960 and overcurrent protection does not present
any serious problem. In the UK the conductors have been stranded copper or solid
aluminium. In some other countries, stranded rather than solid aluminium has been
preferred, but this has been due to some extent to economic factors relating to
conductor manufacture rather than strict technical preference. Standard designs
comprise single-core (stranded and solid sectoral) construction (fig. 20.1) and multicore
constructions of 2, 3 and 4 cores (fig. 20.2) of equal shaped conductor sizes.

Public supply
Apart from house service cables, PVC has not been used for public supply in the UK
because of the overcurrent protection problem. Normal distribution systems provide
little or no protection for the cables, e.g. two electricity supply companies operate with

Fig. 20.1 600/1000V, single-core sectoral aluminium conductor, PVC insulated cable

Fig. 20.2 600/1000V, 4-core copper conductor, PVC insulated SWA cable with extruded bedding
328 Electric Cables Handbook

a solid mesh and many others have a very coarse fuse at the substation at the end of a
cable which may be tapered in cross-section along the route. This is not so in many
other countries and there has been widespread use of PVC, even sometimes in tropical
regions, where its use would be unexpected because of the undesirable effects o f
derating etc. However, PVC clearly has drawbacks for any public supply system and
X L P E is taking over in this field.

Coal mining
Much power cable is used for fixed installation along underground roadways to take
the supply from a main colliery shaft to the working face. Because the point of use is
constantly changing, the individual cable lengths are fitted with couplers to enable the
distribution system to be moved around as required. In the U K the standard voltages
are 3.3 kV and 6.6 kV, with some requirement at 11 kV.
Paper cables were conventional until the 1960s but were then replaced by PVC
primarily because of the better resilience o f PVC in withstanding rock falls. U K
requirements for 3.3kV and 6.6kV cables in the later 1970s were at the rate o f about
650 km/year. Similar use at 11 kV has largely been the only application o f PVC at this
voltage in the UK, but, as with other high voltage applications, it has now given way to
XLPE-insulated versions. At 6.6 kV, the trend from PVC to X L P E is well advanced and
a similar movement is expected at 3.3 kV in due course. In recent years, the decline in
coal mining activity in the U K has been reflected in a large reduction in cabling needs.
Initially the conductors were copper, but for economic reasons solid aluminium was
introduced. After some years there was a further change to stranded aluminium because
of flexibility problems in coiling the cables to take them down the mine shafts. Until the
time that more attention was paid to flexibility (mid-1970s) it had been traditional for
all such roadway distribution cables to be double wire armoured. This provided high
earth conductance and a rugged construction. Subsequently both D W A and SWA
designs have been used with earth conductances of 75% and 60% respectively. Shaft
cables always have D W A and with single-point suspension the top section has
quadruple armour. Figure 20.3 shows a typical PVC insulated mining cable.

Fig. 20.3 3.8/6.6 kV, 3-core aluminium conductor, PVC insulated cable for roadway distribution
in coal mines
 P V C Insulated Cables 329

High voltage cables

Reference to the use of PVC for HV cables is made in a later section.

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

PVC cables may be unarmoured or armoured. If unarmoured they have an extruded

PVC sheath over the single core or laid-up cores. If armoured the bedding may
comprise plastic tapes or extruded PVC and an extruded PVC sheath is applied over the
armour. Dimensions, weights, electrical characteristics and ratings of cables to BS 6346:
1989 are given in appendix A13.
Prior to the first issue of IEC 502 in 1975, there were some small differences between
National Standards, but since then most have been amended to become almost
identical.

Insulation
In the 1-3kV range the insulation thickness required is largely dependent on
mechanical considerations, e.g. the physical loading which might be imposed on the
cable. Such loading may result in some deformation of the insulation at raised
temperatures, e.g. during emergency conditions in service operation. This is why there is
more variation of thickness with conductor size than with voltage. At higher voltages
electrical requirements predominate.
The general characteristics and properties of PVC insulation are discussed in
chapter 3 and the special formulations for further reduction in flame propagation,
together with reduced generation of acid gas and smoke, in chapter 6. For the normal
run of cables BS 6346:1989 stipulates a 'general purpose' compound from the types
listed in BS7655. However, BS6346:1989 caters only for cables up to 3.3kV. For
higher voltages the reduction in insulation resistance and increase in dielectric power
factor at the top end of the operating temperature range become important to avoid
instability (chapter 3). IEC 502 caters for this by stipulating PVC/A up to 3 kV and
PVC/B for higher voltages. The essential requirement for PVC/B is that the product of
the permittivity and the power factor must not exceed 0.75 between ambient
temperature and 85°C; also the power factor at 80°C must not exceed the value at 60°C.
A matter which causes some confusion is that three essential limits dictate the service
operation of PVC insulation: (a) a sustained maximum temperature of 70°C, which is
determined by the thermal ageing characteristics of the material; (b) a temperature of
the order of 120°C which governs the maximum degree of deformation permissible in
the time/temperature range required for the circuit protection to operate; and (c) a limit
of 160°C used for the calculation of short-circuit ratings. The performance of the
material can be assessed by tests on the material but overload and short-circuit limits
have to be defined by tests on complete cables because they are at least partially
dependent on the performance of the cable as a whole. Much work on these aspects has
been carried out by ERA Technology Ltd.l
The confusion arises particularly with heat-resisting grades of PVC because, whilst
they give some benefits in better resistance to ageing at temperatures above 70°C, they
may be little or no better in relation to deformation at these higher temperatures.
330 Electric Cables Handbook

BS7655: Part 3: 1993, 'PVC insulating compounds' gives requirements for heat-
resisting PVC compounds for a maximum conductor temperature of 90°C. References
may also be found to compounds for 100°C or even 105°C. The latter are generally not
for power cables and relate to applications where the service at these temperatures is o f
relatively short duration and a limitation on cable life is recognised.
The essential point is that although heat-resisting compounds cannot be used to
obtain higher sustained ratings, because of the circuit protection issue, they do have a
value if cables have to be derated due to operation at higher ambient temperatures. If
the ambient temperature is 25°C the permissible temperature rise for standard PVC
cable is 45°C and this governs the sustained rating value. With a 90°C c o m p o u n d the
same temperature rise and rating can be obtained from an ambient temperature o f
45°C. The situation on circuit protection remains the same at 1.45 times the rated
current.
Such heat-resisting compounds are, o f course, significantly more expensive and when
high temperature operation is important, ambient or otherwise, it is now usually more
economic to use insulation of the thermoset type (e.g. X L P E or EPR) as this has a
sustained conductor temperature limit of 90°C.
Considerations relating to the flexibility of PVC also apply to cables required for
installations at low temperatures, i.e. in countries with severe winters. It is not
recommended to install normal PVC cables below 0°C because standard PVC
compounds become increasingly stiff and brittle at low temperatures. Special
compounds with increased amounts of selected plasticisers can be formulated but
here again it is now generally preferable on economic and technical grounds to use
polyethylene or thermoset materials.

Core identification
The cores are normally identified by the colour o f the insulation but there is no
international standardisation. British practice is based on table 20.1, with red, yellow
and blue indicating phase conductors and black the neutral.

Fillers and armour bedding

Fillers are required mainly with cables having circular cores so as to provide a
reasonably circular profile. The armour bedding may comprise either (a) non-
hygroscopic tapes of around 0.8mm thickness or (b) an extruded layer o f suitable
material (usually PVC) of thickness 1.0-2.0 mm according to cable diameter.

Table 20.1 Core identification in PVC cables

Cable type Colours

Single-core Red or black

2-core Red, black
3-core Red, yellow, blue
4-core Red, yellow, blue, black
 PVC Insulated Cables 331

The extruded bedding provides a more robust construction and is normally

recommended for cables buried in the ground. It is also essential if certain types o f
termination gland are used in flame-proof enclosures.

Armour
Standard specifications cater for a wide range of choice for armour, e.g. IEC 502 covers
galvanised steel wire, plain or galvanised steel tape, plain or galvanised steel strip and
aluminium strip. Comments on design considerations relevant to the different forms o f
armour used are given in chapter 18, and much depends on individual customer
preferences or what had traditionally become accepted practice with paper cables. This
has varied widely in different countries and established practices remain.
In the U K only two types of armour have been adopted and recognised by BS 6346:
1989 - galvanised steel wire and aluminium strip. Steel tape armour, as commonly used
with paper cables, is more frequently used in continental Europe, and in some countries
it is galvanised when the users have a preference for preserving the armour in aggressive
environments. With PVC cables there is a greater tendency to use galvanised tapes, thus
avoiding the need to use bitumen. The armour can also act as an earth conductor,
though steel tape is not very efficient in this respect. Steel strip armour is also widely
used in continental Europe and the strip is normally galvanised.
The use of aluminium strip armour came early in the development of PVC cables and
with the backing of the aluminium industry was associated with the introduction o f
solid aluminium conductors to produce an all-aluminium cable. The incentive at the
time was also towards the use of the armour as a concentric neutral conductor. The
strip type neutral never came to fruition, but for a time many users adopted aluminium
strip armour, either because of the reduced cable price then prevailing or to obtain
higher armour conductance in the earthing system. Also in the U K a view prevailed for
a time that the lEE Wiring Regulations should be interpreted as requiring that in any
cable the armour should have 50% o f the conductance of a phase c o n d u c t o r -
a situation which did not exist with many sizes of lead sheathed cable or PVC cables
having galvanised steel armour. It was eventually established that such a requirement
was not necessary. Nevertheless, there are occasions when the extra conductance of
aluminium strip armour is beneficial and nowadays it is mainly only in such instances
that it is used. The price advantage compared with galvanised steel wire has been lost,
although it must be recognised that relative prices vary from time to time and from
country to country.
Aluminium in strip or wire form also has an advantage for single-core cables because
of the need to use non-magnetic material. A factor to be taken into account with
aluminium armoured cables is that the termination glands should also be made from
aluminium or be otherwise designed to be compatible.
A final point about the comparison between steel wire and aluminium strip armour is
the resistance of the cable to impact blows. The aluminium strip is o f much lower
thickness and provides less resistance to damage.

Oversheath
IEC502 allows for galvanised steel armour to be left bare or for cables to be
oversheathed with PVC, polyethylene or similar material. Specific test requirements are
332 Electric Cables Handbook

quoted for PVC and polyethylene. Crosslinked elastomeric materials such as PCP and
CSP are allowed in IEC 502, but these materials are not intended for use with PVC
cables because of the risk of deformation and degradation during the vulcanisation
process.
BS 6346:1989 excludes bare armoured cables and stipulates only a PVC oversheath
of the same grade of material as the standard general purpose insulating compound.
In practice bare armoured cables would only be suitable for clean dry indoor conditions
and apart from the improved visual appearance the small extra cost for the oversheath
is well worthwhile. It is believed that very little bare cable has been used throughout
the world.
When PVC cables were first developed it was c o m m o n practice to apply bitumen over
the armour to obtain additional corrosion protection, i.e. following conventional paper
cable practice. However, the bitumen extracted plasticiser from the PVC, so becoming
a thin mobile liquid. Many industrial cables are installed with terminations below a
vertical run of cable and the result was a nasty dripping of black liquid at the
termination. The plasticiser migration can be avoided by having a separation layer o f
suitable tape between the bitumen and oversheath but such a layer is not easy to apply
effectively and the value of the bitumen is doubtful. It was subsequently discarded for
standard types of cable, although retained for special applications such as mining cables
where the use of bitumen has been considered to be beneficial.

H I G H V O L T A G E PVC CABLES

IEC Specification 502 covers designs of PVC cables up to 15kV but with a few
exceptions the amount of cable used above 3.3 kV has been relatively small. These
exceptions consist mainly of the mining cables discussed earlier and those used in
Germany. Chapter 24 deals with the subject of high voltage polymeric insulated cables
and only the main significant features are outlined below.

Table 20.2 Comparative dielectric losses in cables

Voltage Conductor Insulation Dielectric loss

(kV) size (mm2) (kWh/km year)

3.8/6.6 50 PVC 3109

1000 PVC 11658
50 XLPE 11
1000 XLPE 30
50 Paper 57
1000 Paper 224
6.35/11 50 PVC 8955
1000 PVC 29258
50 XLPE 23
1000 XLPE 78
50 Paper 145
1000 Paper 546
 P V C Insulated Cables 333

In comparison with the alternative materials, such as impregnated paper and

polyethylene, the electrical losses in PVC are high. Table 20.2 gives figures for some
typical cables. Nevertheless, the dielectric loss is still only a small proportion of the total
losses, thc conductor loss being predominant.
However, as PVC is not competitive with X L P E the previous limited use has now
almost ceased. A higher operating temperature can be sustained by XLPE, and hence
higher ratings, and it is a more universal material in that it can be used up to much
higher voltages.
Some interest in PVC has derived from the fact that it has much better resistance than
PE or XLPE to partial discharge. Thus whilst PE and X L P E cables need to have
conductor and dielectric screens above 3.3 kV, they are only required above 6.6 kV with
PVC (and also with EPR).

OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS

Ground containing hydrocarbons (oil refineries)

One o f the few situations requiring special attention with PVC cables concerns
installation in ground containing a significant quantity of petroleum hydrocarbon. This
arises most often in oil refineries but it can happen in any place where such hydrocarbons
are being handled. As discussed in chapter 5, PVC oversheaths are comparatively
resistant to attack by petrol or similar hydrocarbons. All that happens from occasional
spillages is that some plasticiser is leached out, with corresponding hardening, but if the
cables are not subsequently subjected to severe bending this has little effect. The loss o f
plasticiser is not detrimental to the protective properties of the PVC.
However, whilst surrounded by hydrocarbons in this way, some of the hydrocarbon
can diffuse through the PVC and will be present in any air spaces within the cable. It
can then travel along the cable to leak out at joints or terminations and this could create
a hazard. Consequently it is a common practice for PVC insulated cables in oil
refineries to be lead sheathed. An alternative solution in some circumstances is to seal
the cable and conductors at joints and terminations.

Operational life of PVC cables

As PVC insulation for power cables has only been in general use since the early 1960s it
is perhaps still a little early to judge whether the ultimate life of PVC power cables will
match that of paper insulated cables. There is no doubt that operating performance has
been good and very few failures have occurred due to overheating. Problems due to
softening at raised temperatures have already been referred to. A few failures have also
occurred due to overheating resulting in thermal degradation. Some may have been due
to inadequate attention to formulation to obtain the required stability but inevitably, if
the standard PVC compound is heated for long periods much above its rated
temperature, degradation is likely. The extent o f degradation depends on temperature
and time. The PVC becomes hard and brittle and darkens in colour and, due to the
liberation of hydrochloric acid, copper conductors will be attacked with the production
of green chlorides.
334 Electric Cables Handbook

Loss of plasticiser due to heating in normal service or due to contact with other
materials, such as bitumen in joint boxes, is rarely a problem. Some hardening of the
PVC occurs but the electrical properties do not deteriorate. Providing the cables do not
have to be moved subsequently, the loss of flexibility is not usually of importance.

Flame retardance
PVC cables in general, and the standard PVC compound as a material, are, to a degree,
intrinsically flame retardant. However, under some conditions they may burn and it is
even possible for flames to travel along the cable. Alternative compounds and
construction are available when improved flame retardance is required, as described in
chapter 6.

REFERENCE

(1) Parr, R. G. and Yap, J. S. (1965) 'Short-circuit ratings for PVC insulated cables'.
ERA Report No. 5056.