CABLES

A cable is a length of insulated conductor solid or stranded of two or more of

such conductors each provided with its own insulation which are laid 2gether.
A cable consists of three parts namely:
 Conductor
 Insulation
 Mechanical
protection
INSULATION
Insulation of cables used in domestic installations is normally vulcanized [VRI]
or p.v.c
Insulators where mineral is employed the cable has a copper outer sheath and
this type of cable is known as mineral insulated metal sheathed cable [M.IC.S]

MECHANICAL PROTECTION
It is provided to prevent damage to the cable during installation and
throughout its subsequent service. It must be non – absorbent and also must
be able to withstand:
 Mechanical stresses e.g. compression.
 High temperatures.
 Corrosive effects of chemicals.
The common types of protection are:

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Sheathing: sheathing materials used vary considerably and are associated with
the type of material used for the conductor installation. Examples include:
tough rubber, lead alloy, polyvinylchloride, metal [copper alminium].
Armouring: it is the wrapping of metal usually with wire or tape metals used
include steel or alminium.
CONDUCTORS
They are usually made of copper the conducting cores being formed from
strands of copper wire so that the cable is more flexible than if solid were used.
If vulcanized rubber insulation is used the cu conductors are tinned to prevent
corrosion of the cu by sulphur which is present in vulcanized rubber. The size of
cables used in domestic installations is normally stated as no. of
strands/diameter of each strand e.g. a cable commonly used for lighting cct is
3/0.029 meaning it consists of three strands and each strand is 0.029 in
diameter.
NB:
For larger types of cable, the effective x-sectional area of the core is often
quoted as the size.
Some commonly used cables sizes are:

Nominal x- No. and Current Application

sectional dia.[mm] Rating[Amp]
area[mm2]

Solid stranded

0.75 › 5A Bell and alarm ccts

1.0 1/1.13 11 Lighting ccts[solar]

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1.5 1/1.38 3/0.029 13 Lighting ccts

2.5 1/1.78 7/0.78 18 Power ccts [s/o]

4 7/0.85 24 Cooker ccts

6 7/1.04 31 Mains to ccu supply

10 7/1.35 42 Mains supply, floodlights

16 7/1.70 56 Underground cables from

25 7/2.14 73 the transformer to the

supply mains
35 19/1.53 90

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CABLE ABBREVIATIONS INITIALS

V.R.I: vulcanized insulated rubber
C.S.P: chrolo-sulphonated polythene compound
T.R.S: tough rubber sheath
M.I.M.S: mineral insulated metal sheathed
M.I.C.S: mineral insulated copper sheathed
M.I.A.S mineral insulated aluminum sheathed
P.V.C: polyvinyl chloride
P.C.P: polychloroprene
L.A.S: lead alloy sheathed
P.I.L.C: paper insulated lead sheathed
P.I.L.C.S.T.A: paper insulated lead, steel tape armored cable
P.I.L.C.S.W.A: paper insulated lead sheathed, steel wire armored
A.V.C: asbestos varnished cambric
S.R.I: silicon rubber insulated

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B.R.I: butyl rubber insulated
H.CH.D: high conductivity hard drawn
P.T.P : polyethylene terephthalate [e.g. Terylene]
E.P: Ethylene propylene
P.B.J: paper bituminized jute
H.S.O.S: house service overhead service

TYPES OF CABLES
Cables can be grouped according to their applications in electrical work. These
groups include:
 Wiring cables; this includes switchboard wiring, farm wiring, domestic
and workshop.
 Power cables: heavy cables generally, lead sheathed and armored
control cables for electrical equipment.
 Overhead cables: bare, light insulated and insulated conductor of
copper, copper- cadmium and aluminum.
 Communication cables: this group includes television down lead and
radio relay cables and telephone cables.
 Welding cables: these are flexible cables and heavy cords with either
copper or aluminum conductors.
 Electric sign cables p.v.c and rubber insulated cables for high voltage
discharge lamps. They are able to withstand the high voltage
 Equipment wires; they are special wires for use with instruments often
insulated with special materials such as silicon, rubber and irradiated
polythene.

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  Appliance wiring cables: its group includes high temperature cables for
electric radiators and cookers. The insulation used includes nylon
asbestos and varnished cambric.
 Heating cables: cables for floor warming road, soil warming, ceiling
heating and similar applications.
Flexible cable it is a cable consisting of one or more cores each containing a
group of wires, the diameters of the wires and the construction of the cable
being such as to afford flexibility.
Flexible cord it is a flexible cable in which the x sectional area of each
conductor does not exceed 4mm2. Flexible cables are available in many sizes
and types the most common are,
• Twin twisted; this consist of two single insulated stranded conductors
twisted together to form a two core cable. Color identification is red and
black. The insulation used is vulcanized rubber or p.v.c .the rubber is
protected by a braiding of cotton, glazed cotton and artificial silk.

• Three core; they are similar to twin twisted but are provided with a third
conductor colored green for earthing.

• Twin circular; this flexible cord consists of two conductors twisted

together with cotton filter threads colored brown and blue, and
enclosed within a protective braiding of cotton or nylon.

• Three core circular; like twin core circular except that the third
conductor is colored green and yellow for earthing purposes.

• Four core circular; they are like core circular the colors are brown and
blue.

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• Parallel twin; they are two stranded conductors laid together in parallel
and insulated to form uniform cable with rubber or p.v.c.

• Twin – core[flat]; this consist of two stranded conductors insulated with

rubber colored red and black laid side by side and braided with artificial
silk.

• Flexible cables; these cables are made with stranded conductors the
diameters being 0.3mm 0.4mm 0.5mm 0.6mm.they are generally used
for trailing cables and similar applications where heavy currents are to
be colored for instance to welding.

CABLE RATINGS AND SIZES

The current rating of a conductor is the maximum current that it can
carry continuously without undue heating. The temperature rise of a
conductor depends on both the amount of current flowing and the
installation environment therefore the current rating of a particular size
conductor varies.
When selecting the size of cable to be used in a particular cct there are
two IEE requirements that should be met.
i) The cable must be able to carry the maximum current liable to
flow in the cct without undue heating
ii) The voltage drop from consumers point to any point in the
installation shall not exceed 2.5% of the declared or nominal
voltage when the conductors are carrying the full load current
disregarding starting conditions.
Factors affecting the current rating of a cable;

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 Ambient temperature; this is the temperature in the vicinity of the
cables or it’s the temp of the surrounding medium under normal
conditions in which cables are or to be installed including the effect
of artificial heating used in the building and any local source of heat
but not an increase of temperature in the neighborhood of cables.
Type of excess current protection; current rating of cables insulated
with p.v.c or synthetic rubbers are determined not only by the
maximum conductor temperature admissible for continuous running
but also by the temperature likely to be attained under conditions of
excess current. There are two types of excess current protection
namely;
i) Close excess current protection; this is excess current
protection which will operate within four hours at 1.5 times the
designed load current of the cct it protects. The devices
includes; Fuses which have fusing factor not exceeding 1.5 and
m.c.bs which are set to operate to an overload not exceeding
1.5 times the designed load cct.
ii) Coarse excess current protection; This type of excess current
protection which will not operate within four hours at 1.5 times the designed
load current of the cct which it operates. Devices offering coarse excess current
protection are BS 88 fuses. Semi enclosed [rewirable] fuses complying with
BS3036. Grouping of ccts; the no of ccts running in the same enclosure e.g.
trunking, conduits cables carrying the same current rating are bunched and
when laid 2gether they add heat to one another therefore group factor is used.
Disposition; position relative to other conductors and surfaces e.g. when
cables are laid together in underground the temperature around them rises.
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Type of insulation and sheath; e.g. sheathed multiple cores can be considered
as a no. of cable tightly bunched together.
The current rating of various types of cables installed in particular conditions
are listed in IEE tables multiplied by an appropriate rating factor which is
determined by considering the ambient temperature.
In many cases it is unlikely that all the apparatus connected to a cct will be
switched on at the same time thus the maximum current that the conductor
will actually have to carry will be less than the total possible current which
would flow if all the apparatus were switched on simultaneously therefore the
flow of current varies and we have a factor known as diversity factor which is
given by

Actual maximum current

Total current required for all apparatus combined

Or use a table for diversity.

Example I
A corridor 96m long is to be lighted by 240v 60w lamps spaced 12m apart and
controlled by one switch at the supply end. The wiring is to be single core P.V.C
insulated cables enclosed in metal conduit. Find the size of wire required.
Sol:
No. of lamps 96/12 =8
Current per lamp I = P/V =60/240 =0.25A
Maximum current = 0.25x8 =2A

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The current distribution is marked on the diagram below

6 18 30 42 54 66 78 96

2A 1.75A 1.5A 1.25A 1.0A 0.75A 0.50A 0.25A

The allowable volt drop is 2.5% =240x 2.5/100 =6v

Ref to the table column 3and 4 shows that a cable 1.0mm 2 [1/1.13] has a v.d
per ampere per metre run of 40Mv and a current rating of 11A. The cable
carries 2A, the v.d will vary at each lighting point and the calculations are as
shown below;

AB = 40x 2x 6 = 480mv =0.48v

BC= 40x 1.75x12 = 840mv = 0.84v
CD= 40x1.5x12 =720mv
DE= 40x1.25x12 =600mv EF=
40x1.0 x12 =480mv
FG= 40x0.75x12 =360mv
GH= 40x0.50x12 =240mv
HJ= 40x0.25x12 =120mv
Total =3.84v which is less than 6v therefore the cable chosen
is of suitable size.

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Example II
A room is warmed by a 2.4Kw heater which consists of two ccts together in one
conduit. The length of the room is 23m and the supply is 240v single phase and
the wiring is single core p.v.c insulated cables drawn in conduit. Find the
required size of cable to comply with IEE regulations.
Sol;
Load current = 2400/240 =10A
Allowable v.d = 6v
Ref table column 3 and 4
Cable 1.5mm2 [1/1.38] has a current rating of 13A and v.d /A/m of 27mv.
The group rating of two pairs of two pairs cable is 0.8 therefore the current
rating of this cable is 13 x 0.8 = 10.4A. This is large enough to carry current of
10A
The v.d = 27 x 10 x 23/1000 = 6.21v which is greater than the allowable v.d
therefore the next cable is chosen which is 2.5mm 2 [1/1.78] with current rating
of 18A and v.d of 16mv. the current rating with the grouping factor of 0.8 will
be
18x 0.8 = 14.4A therefore the v.d = 16x10x23/1000 = 3.68v
The v.d is within the limit of 6v thus this cable will be suitable.

Example III
A P.V.C insulated and sheathed twin cable of 20m run supplies current from
the switchboard in the domestic premises to a 6Kw 240v cooker which

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incorporates a s/o in the control unit. Find the minimum size of cable to
comply with the IEE regulations.
Sol;
V.d allowable = 2.5% of 240 = 6v
Load current = 6000/240 = 25A
Since it cooking appliance diversity is allowed therefore
First 10A of rated current = 10A
30% of the remainder = 30/100 x15 =4.5A
For s/o = 5A
Total = 19.5A
Since a twin cable is used col 7&8 are used and a cable of 2.5mm 2 1/1.78 with a
current rating of 23A and v.d /A/m of 16mv therefore

The v.d = 16x 19.5x 20 = 6.24v

1000
This drop is greater than 6v therefore choose the next cable which is 4mm 2
with a current rating of 30A and a v.d of 10mv /A/metre. Then the v.d is 10x
19.5 x 20 = 3.9v.
This cable is suitable since the volt drop is within the allowable limit of 6v.

Example IV
A 7kw 240v electrical load is fed from a single phase supply 38m away. The
installation is done using p.v.c sheathed twin with earth enclosed in conduit
and the ambient temperature is 40 0 coarse excess current protection. Find the
size of the cable required for the installation to comply with IEE regulations.
Sol;

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Max permissible v.d = 6v
Load current = p/v = 7000/ 240 = 29A
Cable chosen is from col 3&4 size is 6mm2 with current rating of 31A & v.d

6.8mv at 400 current rating = 0.94

Amended current = 31 x 0.94 = 29.14A v.d
= 6.8 x29 x38
1000 = 7.4936v which is greater than 6v a more larger cable is
used
Which is 10mm2 with 4mv
v.d = 4 x29x 38
1000 = 4.408. Therefore the cable is 10mm2

Example V
A conductor 40m long supplied by 240v single phase is to feed a 6kw water
heater. If the wiring is single core p.v.c insulated copper and enclosed in a
conduit, the protection offered is close excess and the ambient temperature
400c. Calculate the appropriate cable size that is suitable for this installation.
Max permissible voltage drop is 2.5% of 240 = 6v
Load current = I=p/v = 6000/240 = 25A
From the table the cable size is 6mm2 with a current rating of 31 A and a v.d of
6.8mv
Rating factor temperature 400 is 0.87
Protection is close 1.33

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Combine rating factors = 1.33 x 0.87 = 1.571
Amended current = 31 x1.571 = 35.87A v.d
=6.8x 25x 40
1000 = 6.8v which is more than the required 6v therefore the next
cable is chosen which is 10mm2 with a current rating of 42A and a v.d of 10mv.
The v.d is 4x 25x40
1000 = 4v and it’s less than 6v therefore the correct cable size
is 10mm2.

Example VI
A conductor 30m long is to supply a 7.68kw electric motor which is single
phase, the ambient temperature is 55 0c and the protection offered is coarse
excess current protection. The cable for the motor is to be drawn together with
other two ccts in a p.v.c. conduit. All the cables are p.v.c insulated non
armored single core copper. Find the size of the cable which will be used to
install and meet the v.d requirements.
Sol:
Permissible drop is 6v
Load current is 7.68x 1000
1000 = 32A
Rating factors temp =0.77
Grouping =0.69
Combined R.F = .77x 0.69 = 0.531

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From the tables cable chosen is 10mm 2 with a current rating of 42A and v.d of
4mv
The amended current = 42 x 0.531 = 22.3A.
This current is less than the load current therefore the next cable is selected
which is 16mm2 with a current rating of 56A and v.d of 2.6mv.
The amended current is 56x 0.531 = 29.74A.
Still its less than the load current therefore the next cable which is 25mm 2 with
a current rating of 73A and v.d of 1.6mv.
The amended current is 73x 0.531 = 38.76A

The v.d is 1.6 x 32 x30

1000 = 1.54v which is less than 6v The
appropriate cable size is 25mm2.

Example VII
A single phase supply is used in a domestic house to supply load. The total current
demand is 28A and the cable used is p.v.c non armored single core clipped directly
on the surface. The protection to be offered is close excess current protection and
ambient temperature is 500 c. the total no. of ccts in the installation is 5. Calculate
the appropriate size of cable required for the installation.
Sol:
Current demand is 28A
The size chosen is 4mm2 with a current rating of 30 and v.d of 10mv
The rating factor is 1.33 x 0.71 = 0.9443

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Grouping the R.F = 0.9443 x 0.59 = 0.557
The permissible drop is 6v
The amended current is 0.557 x 30 = 16.71 which is less than the load current
therefore next cable is chosen which is 6mm 2 with a current rating of 38A and a
v.d of 6.8mv
Amended current is 0.557x38 =21.2A which is still less than the load current
therefore the next cable which is 10mm 2 with a current rating of 51A and v.d of
4mv .
The amended current is 0.557 x 51 = 28.41
V.d is 4x28 x1
1000 = 0.112v which is less than 6v.
The appropriate cable is therefore 10mm2.

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