3/18/23, 12:12 PM CABLES | GUIDE TO ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

9th October 2012 CABLES

Simpatico: What are the standard metric sizes for cable conductors from 1mm2 to 1000mm2?
What is the minimum size for aluminium conductor cables?

A red cable is marked 6/10(12)kV XLPE/CTS/PVC/SWA/PVC what does this nomenclature mean and how hot could you
run the conductors this cable (steady state and also under short circuits)?

Simplicio: First the R10 series for 1 to 1000:

1, 1.25, 1.6, 2, 2.5, 3.2, 4, 5, 6.3, 8, 10, 12.5, 16, 20, 25, 32, 40, 50, 63, 80, 100, 125, 160, 200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 630,
800, 1000
Now, the R5 series for 1 t0 10:
1, 1.5, 2.5, 4, 6

The standard cable sizes (IEC 60228 / AS 1429)

1, 1.5, 2.5, 4, 6
10, 12.5, 16, 20, 25, 32 35, 40, 50, 63 70, 80
95 100, 120 125, 150 160, 185 200, 240 250, 300 320, 400, 500, 630, 800, 1000
10^(1/10) = 1.2589 = multiplying factor of R10 series
Starting from 95, and multiplying by 1.2589, we get the series:
95, 120, 150, 185, 240, 300

I don’t know how and why they selected 95.

Minimum size of aluminium conductor cables: 2.5 mm2 (AS 1125)

However, on talking to some people, I found that they have rarely seen 2.5mm2 Al conductors. 10mm2 or 16mm2 seem
to be more common.

6/10 kV = phase-earth and phase-phase voltage for which cable is designed for
12 kV = highest phase-phase voltage than can be sustained under normal operation

[http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-
ociHkLopnRQ/UHQBwvekK_I/AAAAAAAAAoA/qImHzOvXF98/s1600/1.jpg]

Operating temperature:
Normal condition – 900 C
Short-circuit condition – 2500 C (for maximum of 5 seconds)
There is a white mesh type layer around the 3 conductors. I am not sure what its purpose is. I think it acts like a cushion
for the conductors?

Simpatico: Yes, the cable sizes are a curious series of numbers, not sure if they are based on the R series numbers.
The point of the exercise is more to familiarise yourself with the sizes available.

16mm2 seems to be the minimum size for aluminium.

In the UK IET Wiring regulations Table 52.3 quotes 16mm2 as the minimum size.
In AS 3000 a similar table (Table 3.3) exists.
I think (confirmed source) this is because aluminium work hardened easily when bent and so small sizes are prone to
snap.

SWA means Single Wire Armour, but this is usually steel and SWA is generally taken as meaning steel wire armour.

The clear plastic tape is probably only there to keep the three cores together in the manufacturing process and to provide
a smooth profile over which to lay the PVC which helps keep the inner PVC thickness constant and makes it easier to
strip the inner PVC off the cores when making cable joints/terminations.

Useful Links (opens in a new window):

Medium Voltage Cable - XLPE/CTS/PVC/SWA/PVC [http://kablespecjalistyczne.pl/img/RE4H10RFR.pdf]

Prysmian Cables [http://www.prysmian.com/]

-Please share and leave your valuable comments if you like the article

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3/18/23, 12:12 PM CABLES | GUIDE TO ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Posted 9th October 2012 by Kunal
Labels: Cables, Conductors, CTS, IEC 60228, Prysmian Cables, PVC, SWA, XLPE, XLPE/CTS/PVC/SWA/PVC

1 View comments

Priyamudan S August 30, 2019 at 9:36 PM

Very Useful information. Thanks for sharing this article
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