BS 7846 F120
Fire-resistant armoured power cable, F120, 600/1000 V
BS 7846 F120 is the most demanding version of BS 7846: 120 minutes of circuit integrity under fire, water and mechanical shock, tested to BS 8491. For the most critical life-safety circuits where 120 minutes is required. Supplied to order; the lead time is stated in the quote.
BS 7846 F120 is a fire-resistant armoured power cable for a rated voltage of 600/1000 V, designed to maintain circuit integrity for 120 minutes under fire, water and mechanical shock so that essential and life-safety systems keep operating. A mica-glass fire barrier and cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation surround stranded class 2 copper conductors, galvanised steel wire armour provides mechanical protection, and a low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) sheath limits smoke and corrosive-gas emission. The enhanced F120 category is tested to BS 8491 for 120 minutes of circuit integrity and also to BS 6387 categories C, W and Z. Category F2 requires only BS 6387 C, W and Z; F30 and F60 require BS 8491 for 30 and 60 minutes. It is used for fixed power distribution to fire pumps, sprinklers, smoke-control equipment, emergency lighting and other critical circuits in commercial and public buildings, at a maximum conductor temperature of 90 °C.
Also known as: fire-resistant armoured cable 120 minutes · circuit-integrity cable
Applications
- Life-safety circuits where 120 minutes of circuit integrity is specified.
- Fire pumps, sprinklers, smoke control and emergency lighting in high-rise and public buildings.
- Projects with the strictest fire-survival requirements (BS 8491).
What to look out for
- F120 = 120 minutes to BS 8491. If the specification asks for BS 6387 C, W and Z (category F2), the standard BS 7846 is enough.
- F120 only holds with the tested fixings: metal brackets or clips at the specified spacings; plastic clips fail before the cable does.
- Conductor
- Stranded plain annealed copper, class 2 acc. to BS EN 60228 / IEC 60228.
- Fire barrier
- Mica-glass fire-resistant tape (MGT) applied over the conductor(s).
- Insulation
- Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE).
- Bedding
- Extruded low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) inner covering.
- Armour
- Galvanised steel wire armour (SWA); single layer of round steel wires.
- Sheath
- Low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) compound; black as standard.
- 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 brown/black/grey/blue plus green/yellow.
- Rated voltage Uo/U
- 600/1000 V (0.6/1 kV).
- Test voltage
- 3,500 V AC (routine test acc. to BS 7846 / IEC 60502-1).
- Standard
- BS 7846 (600/1000 V armoured fire-resistant cables); conductors acc. to BS EN 60228; fire survival acc. to BS 8491 and BS 6387.
- Fire performance
- Category F120; 120-minute circuit integrity acc. to BS 8491 and category 3 acc. to BS 8519; fire resistant to BS 6387 categories C, W and Z (fire, water and mechanical shock); LPCB certified.
- Halogen-free
- Low smoke zero halogen; acc. to IEC 60754-1/-2 (corrosive gas) and IEC 61034-1/-2 (smoke density); flame propagation acc. to IEC 60332-1-2 (single cable) and IEC 60332-3 category C (bunched).
- Max. conductor temperature
- +90 °C in normal operation (max. +250 °C for 5 s in short circuit); fixed installation −20 °C to +90 °C.
- Min. bending radius, fixed
- 8 × outer diameter.
- Reaction to fire (CPR)
- No CPR Euroclass (EN 13501-6) is published for this fire-resistant type.
BS 7846 F120 or the standard BS 7846?
BS 7846 F120
- BS 8491
- one combined test
standard BS 7846
- BS 6387 C, W and Z
- separate tests
F120 is tested to BS 8491: fire, mechanical shock and water in one combined test, with 120 minutes of circuit integrity. The standard BS 7846 falls under category F2 and is tested to BS 6387 C, W and Z: fire, fire with water and fire with mechanical shock, each in a separate test. If the specification calls for BS 8491 or a category such as F30, F60 or F120, it is F120. For BS 6387 C, W and Z the standard BS 7846 is enough.
View BS 7846 →F120 or FE180: which is tougher?
BS 7846 F120
- BS 8491
- flame, shock and water combined
- 120 minutes circuit integrity
FE180
- IEC 60331
- the cable alone
- insulation intact for 180 minutes
They cannot be compared, even though 180 looks like more than 120. FE180 to IEC 60331 tests only the cable in the flame: the insulation must stay intact for 180 minutes. F120 to BS 8491 combines flame, mechanical shock and water in one test and gives 120 minutes of circuit integrity. Choose by the specification: if it calls for BS 8491, choose BS 7846 F120; if it calls for FE180 or an E class to DIN 4102-12, choose NHXH FE180.
H07BQ-F
Flexible EPR/PUR rubber cable, class 5 Cu, 90 °C
Lead time: On request; the lead time is stated in the quote.
H05BQ-F
PUR-sheathed rubber flexible cable, 300/500 V
Lead time: On request; the lead time is stated in the quote.
RZ1MZ1-K(AS)
Halogen-free armoured power cable 0.6/1 kV, XLPE/LSZH/SWA/LSZH
Lead time: On request; the lead time is stated in the quote.
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