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Cable and conductor products are quite diverse. But how to understand such a variety, how to understand what is encrypted in the name? For easier identification, a whole system was developed – cable marking. These are letter designations in which the basic information about the material of the cores, shells and the scope of this particular product is encrypted.
General principles for marking cable products
In order to make it easier to identify the cable, its characteristics and scope, a system of marking or labeling cables has been developed. Data is written in a certain order, each letter or number has its own meaning.
What each position means and what letters can be there, see the table below. Nothing much to add here:
| Arrangement of letters or numbers | What does it mean | Used letters and their decoding |
|---|---|---|
| 1st letter | Material year | – no letter – copper |
| A – aluminum | ||
| 2st letter | Degree of flexibility | G – flexible, stranded |
| nothing – single-core | ||
| 3st letter | Insulation material | B – polyvinyl chloride (PVC) |
| P is polyethylene | ||
| P is rubber | ||
| NR is a non-burning week | ||
| F – fluoroplast | ||
| C – film insulation (for mounting wires) | ||
| 4st letter | Shell material or type of armor | BBG – profiled steel tape armor |
| Bn – armor made of steel tapes with a protective cover that does not support combustion | ||
| B – PVC | ||
| D – double wire braid | ||
| K – armor made of round steel wires enclosed in a steel bow | ||
| SB – lead armor | ||
| 5st letter | Type of protective cover, purpose of the outer layer, designation of the core structure | B – PVC (if it stands at the end it means paper insulation) |
| G – anti-corrosion protective layer. If “G” – no protection against mechanical damage | ||
| O – insulated wires are united by a common braid | ||
| Seam – protective layer – extruded PVC hose | ||
| Shp – protective layer – extruded polyethylene hose | ||
| Shps – too, but self-extinguishing polystyrene | ||
| E – shielded | ||
| T – wire for laying in pipes |
Also, the cable marking consists of several numbers. There may be an operating voltage (for power cables), then the number of cores necessarily goes and the section of these cores is indicated through the “x” sign. And the last may be the designation of the standard according to which this type of cable and wire product is manufactured.
Cable marking decoding examples
VVG cable – 2×1,5. It stands for: power cable sheathed in polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The shell is coated with an anti-corrosion layer. Consists of two copper wires with a cross section of 1,5 mm2.
Its subspecies – VVGp – also, only in a flat version. VVGng – the cable sheath does not support combustion.
VBbShvng cable. The decoding of this abbreviation is as follows: copper conductors (no letter A). PVC core insulation, Bb armor – from two steel tapes, without a protective cushion. Protective cover of the cable – Shvng – extruded PVC hose of low flammability.
KG cable. The decoding of the letter designation is as follows. Copper conductors, flexible cable. That’s all. Wires without insulation, if there is also the letter “n” – KGN – cable sheath made of non-flammable oil-resistant rubber.
How to decrypt APvPu2g? Cable with aluminum conductors (letter A first), wire insulation made of cross-linked polyethylene (Pv), cable sheath made of reinforced polyethylene (Pu), double waterproofing (2g). In this case, an aluminum polymer tape is used in combination with longitudinal waterproof tapes.
KSPV cable. It stands for: cable (K), transmission systems (SP) in a vinyl sheath (B). That is, this is not a power cable, but is used to transmit various data (low current). The conductors are copper – since there is no letter “A”.
AABL products. The decoding is as follows: aluminum wires (A), sheath – aluminum (A), covered with armor of two steel tapes (Bl), under the armor there is a protective cushion of plastic tapes.
APvPu – aluminum conductors (A), insulation made of cross-linked polyethylene (Pv), reinforced polyethylene sheath (Pu).
MKESH – installation cable (MK), shielded (E), in a protective PVC hose.
Features of wire marking
The range of cable and wire products also includes wires. How are they different from cables? As a rule, they have a smaller cross section, they can be insulated or without it. There are wires consisting of one core, there are several.
In order to distinguish them from cables by name, the letter “P” is put in the name at the beginning of the marking. It is in first place if the conductors are copper and their designation is simply not put (example 1), or in second place if the conductors are made of aluminum and are indicated by the letter A (example 2).
- PBPPG – wire (P), household and industrial use (BP), flat shape (P), flexible (G).
- APPV – aluminum conductors (A), flat wire (PP), in a PVC sheath.
Wires can be of two sections:
- round – this is not displayed in the marking:
- flat, then the letter P is placed.
Mounting
If the wire has a specific purpose – mounting – instead of the letter “P” put “M”. For example, MGShV. It stands for assembly (M) stranded (G) wire in a sheath made of polyamide silk and PVC.
The purpose of the mounting wires is to connect parts of devices, electronic and electrical equipment.
Wires with PVC insulation (marked with the letter B) are designed for operation at temperatures not exceeding 70 ° C, from cross-linked polyethylene (PV) – up to 100 ° C. To work in an environment heated to a temperature of 200 ° C, wires of the MS and MGTF types are used.
Self-supporting
Wires that are installed on power lines or used in the air method of connecting electricity from the pole to the house are called self-supporting – they do not need a support. They have enough rigidity to support their own weight.
There are not so many products in this group, you can remember their decoding:
- SIP – self-supporting insulated wire in a sheath made of cross-linked polyethylene. It is applied at air connection to a column.
- SIP-1 also with uninsulated neutral;
- SIP-2 – the same, but neutral isolation;
Self-supporting wires - SIP-4 – insulated conductors of the same section.
- A – a wire twisted from several aluminum wires without insulation. It used to be quite widely used, now it is less and less common.
- AC – aluminum conductors twisted around a steel core. Pretty specific product.
There is a separate group – heating cables. They have their own label. After the letter “P” is “H” as a display of destination. For example, PNSV – wire (P), heating (H), steel single-wire core, PVC insulation.