BS 5467 is the British armoured power cable for 600/1000 V: XLPE insulation, galvanised steel wire armour (SWA) and a PVC sheath. The counterpart of the Dutch VG-YMvKas, often requested on projects with a British specification. Supplied to order; the lead time is stated in the quote.
BS 5467 is an armoured power and auxiliary cable for a rated voltage of 600/1000 V with a stranded plain copper conductor of class 2, cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation, an extruded PVC bedding, galvanised steel wire armour (SWA) and a black PVC outer sheath, all manufactured in accordance with BS 5467. It is intended for fixed power distribution in industrial and commercial installations, including direct burial, outdoor and underground routes where mechanical protection is required. The XLPE insulation permits a maximum conductor temperature of 90 °C in normal operation, and the wire armour provides mechanical protection and may serve as the circuit protective conductor. It is available as multicore cables from 1.5 to 400 mm². Single-core cables to BS 5467 have aluminium wire armour (AWA) and have their own datasheet: BS 5467 single core AWA.
Also known as: SWA armoured cable
Applications
- Fixed power distribution in industry and commercial buildings, including direct burial.
- Routes where mechanical protection by wire armour is needed.
- Projects specified to the British standard BS 5467.
What to look out for
- Armour as protective conductor (BS 7671): check the steel cross-section with the adiabatic equation (543.1.3) or against Table 54.7. On large four-core sizes the armour often fails Table 54.7; the calculation then decides. Earth through glands with an earth tag.
- PVC sheath: where low-smoke/halogen-free is required, choose BS 6724.
- XLPE allows a 90 °C conductor temperature: at the same cross-section IEC 60364-5-52 gives about 15 to 25% more current than PVC (70 °C) in the ground, and about 20 to 35% in air or in conduit, provided terminals and equipment permit it.
- CPR class Eca. Where the cable is installed permanently in a building and exposed to indoor air, the Bbl requires at least Dca; choose BS 6724 (Dca, Cca on request) there.
- Conductor
- Plain annealed copper, class 2 stranded to BS EN 60228; circular, or shaped in the larger multicore sizes.
- Insulation
- Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE).
- Bedding
- Extruded PVC inner covering (bedding).
- Armour
- Galvanised steel wire armour (SWA).
- Sheath
- Extruded PVC outer sheath, black.
- Core identification
- Harmonised core colours to BS 7671 (two-core brown/blue; three-core brown/black/grey; four-core brown/black/grey/blue; five-core with green/yellow); auxiliary multicore cables numbered.
- Rated voltage Uo/U
- 600/1000 V (0.6/1 kV).
- Test voltage
- 3,500 V AC (routine test to BS 5467 / IEC 60502-1).
- Standard
- BS 5467; conductors to BS EN 60228.
- Flame-retardant
- To IEC 60332-1-2 (flame propagation of a single insulated vertical cable).
- Max. conductor temperature
- +90 °C in normal operation.
- Max. short-circuit temperature
- +250 °C (XLPE, up to 5 s).
- Min. bending radius, fixed
- 8 × outer diameter (6 × for circular conductors up to 16 mm²).
BS 5467 or BS 6724?
BS 5467
- PVC bedding and sheath
BS 6724
- LSZH bedding and sheath
Conductor, XLPE insulation and steel wire armour are the same. The difference is in the bedding and sheath: BS 5467 has PVC, BS 6724 a halogen-free, low-smoke material (LSZH). In a fire BS 6724 gives little smoke and no corrosive halogen gases. In public buildings and other enclosed or densely occupied spaces choose BS 6724; where a PVC sheath is permitted, BS 5467 will do.
View BS 6724 →BS 5467 or VG-YMvKas?
BS 5467
- green/yellow core: five-core only
- armour as protective conductor
VG-YMvKas
- never a green/yellow core
- earth via ECC in armour
Both are armoured XLPE cables for 0.6/1 kV with a PVC sheath. On BS 5467 the core colours follow BS 7671 and only the five-core version has a green/yellow core; the armour can serve as the circuit protective conductor if its steel cross-section is sufficient. VG-YMvKas never has a green/yellow core: there the earth continuity conductor (ECC) in the armour carries the earth. Choose BS 5467 for a British specification and VG-YMvKas for a Dutch one.
View VG-YMvKas Dca →
VO-YMvKas Dca
Braid-armoured installation cable 0.6/1 kV, Cu/XLPE/PVC/GSWB/PVC, 90 °C
Lead time: 1–2 working days from stock
In stock: 2×2.5 · 2×4 · 2×6 · 3×2.5 · 3×6 +3
VG-YMvKas Dca
Power cable 0.6/1 kV, XLPE, steel wire armoured
Lead time: 1–2 working days from stock
In stock: 2×10 · 2×16 · 3×10 · 3×16 · 4×10 +9
VG-YMvKas Dca ALU
Power cable 0.6/1 kV, aluminium conductor, armoured
Lead time: On request; the lead time is stated in the quote.
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