What is YMvKas?

YMvKas is the Dutch designation for a 0.6/1 kV power cable with a steel braid or armour. The designation comes from the Dutch cable code set out in NEN 3207. The suffix "as" stands for aardscherm, earth screen: the steel braid or armour that also serves as earth. Plain YMvK has none. The modern version has XLPE insulation, allowing a conductor temperature of 90 °C instead of the 70 °C of the old PVC version.

There are two main variants. VO-YMvKas has a braid of galvanised steel wire over a tinned-copper drain wire that serves as earth and screen; the conductor is solid, class 1. That is the standard for ordinary underground supplies. VG-YMvKas has an armour of galvanised steel wires with an earth continuity conductor (ECC) and a steel tape counter helix, and a stranded class 2 conductor: heavier, for routes under roads, on industrial sites and on long pulls. The steel wires are round on the smaller sizes and flat on the larger ones, depending on the manufacturer.

Both have a PVC sheath and reaction-to-fire class Dca. Both follow HD 604 part 4 section D and both carry approval to DEKRA K42D-1-1:2017 and DEKRA K42D-1-4-D:2017 (formerly KEMA-KEUR). Both are flame-retardant: tested as a single cable (IEC 60332-1-2) and as bunched cables (IEC 60332-3-24). They may be installed indoors, outdoors and in the ground. For aluminium there is the VG-YMvKas Dca ALU, with a lower metal price on large cross-sections.

The unarmoured counterpart is YMvK: the same construction without the steel armour, for fixed installation in buildings where no mechanical protection is needed. Under paving or on a construction site, the choice is YMvKas.

Q Cables holds VO-YMvKas Dca up to 4×6 mm² and VG-YMvKas Dca up to 4×240 mm² in stock in Dordrecht, plus YMvK Cca. Ordered before 12:00, usually on site within 1–2 working days. We cut the cable to route length if you wish.