Cables & Wiring Accessories

A short guide to Cables & Wiring Accessories

Fire resistant and fire retardant are different

A fire resistant cable keeps a circuit working for a rated time while it is in a fire, which matters for fire alarm, emergency lighting and pump circuits. A fire retardant cable limits the spread of flame but is not meant to keep working in a fire.

FR, FRLS, FRLSH and LSZH

These labels describe how a cable behaves in a fire. FR points to resistance to flame spread. Low smoke grades add limits on smoke. Low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) cables are made without halogens, so they give off much less corrosive and toxic gas. The labels are used loosely in the market, so check the test standards and the certification, not only the name. Flame, smoke and halogen gas are tested under separate standards.

Where each type is used

LSZH cables are preferred in closed or crowded spaces such as data centres, hospitals, metro stations and risers. Armoured cables suit buried and exposed runs. Flexible and multicore cables suit panel wiring and field devices.

What to check before ordering

• The voltage grade and the conductor material and size.
• The standard the cable is certified to and the test reports.
• The fire performance needed: resistance, retardance or low smoke.
• Matching lugs, glands and trays for the cable type.

This is general information. The governing code, the project design and the local fire authority decide the exact requirements for your site.

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