Medium Voltage Cable
With a comprehensive range of Medium Voltage cables, our MV testing laboratory, and experts to provide technical and regulatory advice, Eland Cables is an MV specialist.
Medium Voltage cables covers a huge number of variations in construction, standards and the materials used. Specifying the correct MV cable for a project is a matter of balancing the performance requirements, installation demands, and environmental challenges, and then ensuring cable, industry, and regulatory compliance.
Medium Voltage Cable Suppliers
The International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEC 60050) from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) defines Medium Voltage cables as being any set of voltage levels lying between low and high voltage. That's rather vague, so it's more common to use the ANSI and IEEE definition (as we do) of medium voltage as being between 3.3kV and 69kV. as having a voltage rating of above 1kV up to 100kV that's a broad voltage range to consider.
As MV experts, we can support specifications in all voltages.
Medium Voltage Cable Standards & References:
These are the standards and references most commonly used in medium voltage - with technical datasheets for the cables also provided below.
| MV Cable Standard |
MV Standard Description |
|---|---|
| IEC 60502-2 | Cables with extruded insulation with voltage rating between 6kV and 30kV |
|
Single core Copper (N) or Aluminium (NA) XLPE/LSZH cables generally in accordance* with IEC 60502-2 with optional single or dual waterblocking. Available as 3-core variants under references N2XSEH / NA2XSEH. *Note: there is currently no allowance in IEC 60502-2 for LSZH but it is commonly used across industries. |
|
| Single core Copper (N) or Aluminium (NA) XLPE/MDPE cables in accordance with HD620 10C and IEC 60502-2 with optional single or dual waterblocking. Available as 3-core variants under references N2XSE2Y / NA2XSE2Y. | |
| Single core Copper (N) or Aluminium (NA) XLPE/PVC cables in accordance with HD620 10C and IEC60502-2. Available as 3-core variants under references N2XSEY. | |
| BS6622 | Armoured cable with PVC outer sheathing and voltage rating from 3.3/6kV to 19/33kV - AWA single core, SWA multicore. |
| BS7835 | Armoured cable with LSZH outer sheathing and voltage rating from 3.3/6kV to 19/33kV - AWA single core, SWA multicore. |
| BS7870-4.10 | Single core cables for distribution utilities with extruded insulation up to and including 11kV and 33kV |
| HD620 | Cables with extruded insulation and voltage ratings 3.6/6 (7.2)kV to 20.8/36 (42)kV (often seen in conjunction with IEC60502-2) |
| DIN VDE 0276 Part 620 | Distribution cables of nominal voltages 3.6kV to 20.8/36kV |
Whilst the German nomenclature for IEC60502-2 cables (eg: N2XSH) is widely used, there are other naming conventions also in use - Portuguese Medium Voltage cables include references LXHIOE and XHIOAV. Whether you're working on a project in Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany - or anywhere else - our team can support specification against all references, regardless of geography.
Medium Voltage Cable Construction:
Construction will be influenced by the installation parameters, with optional additional component layers providing environmental protections, but it will include the following:
| MV Cable Construction | MV Cable Materials |
|---|---|
| Conductor | Copper or Aluminium - Class 1 solid, Class 2 stranded (circular, circular compacted, sectorial). Some flexible MV cables for dynamic equipment also available. |
| Optional: Conductor Waterblocking | Swellable powders or swellable yarns in stranded interstices |
| Conductor Screen | Semi-Conductive Layer |
| Insulation | XLPE (Cross-linked Polyethylene) or EPR (Ethylene Propylene Rubber) |
| Insulation Screen | Semi-Conductive Layer |
| Optional: Waterblocking - Longitudinal | Swellable powders or tape |
| Metallic Screen | Copper Wires and/or Copper Tape (around individual cores) |
| Optional: Waterblocking - Longitudinal | Swellable Tape |
| Optional: Inner Sheath | Applied where Armour is also applied. PVC or LSZH compound |
| Optional: Armour | Single Core: Aluminium Wires / Tape Multi-Core: Galvanised Steel Wires / Tape (Wires can be circular or flat, tapes can be single or double layer flat or corrugated) |
| Optional: Waterblocking - Radial | Aluminium/PET Tape with the aluminium side tightly bonded to outer sheath |
| Outer Sheath | LDPE, MDPE (Low/Medium Density Polyethylene), PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen). Additives to offer resistance to UV, oils & greases, water, flames, termites, and other environmental factors can be added as required. |
Regulatory Compliance - CPR for MV Cables:
Are regulatory requirements such as CPR compliance applicable to your installation? It may impact the choice of construction and materials used.
Some things to consider:
1. Is the cable being used in an internal installation or being terminated inside a building?
2. Geographically where is the installation (is there a minimum CPR class to achieve in a cable)?
There are CPR compliant MV cables sheathed in PVC and LSZH materials, holding up to CPR Class Cca, and meeting relevant standards - including holding third-party approvals. Speak to a member of the team and they can help guide you to a cable that meets your requirements.
MV Cable Datasheets
The details below and the technical datasheets provided as PDF downloads are the most commonly specified but variations can be supported. All MV Cable datasheets will provide guidance on application, construction & materials, relevant standards, cable sizes, and electrical characteristics. In the event that further information is required to support specification, or the parameters required do not match any of the listed cable PDF datasheets, please speak to a member of the team who will be able to assist you.
MV Cable Sizes:
Our 10kV, 11kV, 20kV, 22kV, 30kV and 33kV cables are available in the following cross-sectional size ranges (depending on Copper/Aluminium conductors). Larger sizes are often available upon request.
| 10kV single core | 35mm2 to 500mm2 |
| 10kV 3-core | 35mm2 to 240mm2 |
| 11kV single core | 50mm2 to 1000mm2 |
| 11kV 3-core | 35mm2 to 400mm2 |
| 20kV single core | 50mm2 to 500mm2 |
| 20kV 3-core | 35mm2 to 630mm2 |
| 22kV single core | 50mm2 to 630mm2 |
| 22kV 3-core | 50mm2 to 500mm2 |
| 30kV single core | 50mm2 to 500mm2 |
| 33kV single core | 70mm2 to 1000mm2 |
| 33kV 3-core | 50mm2 to 400mm2 |
Eland Cables' short manufacturing lead times: MV Cable Manufacturer Supply
Once you've identified the correct construction and standards, we can supply your MV cables against your project timelines - whether that's as an urgent requirement coming direct from stock, despatched same-day, or manufactured and delivered against your schedule, via our fleet - including using hiab self-offloading vehicles where needed.
Our MV cables are available in specific lengths as well as in extended long lengths to aid installation and to reduce the number of joints. Accompanying cable accessories, with the cable size calibrated to match seamlessly, can also be provided.
Assuring Compliance: Testing Medium Voltage Cables
Given the critical nature of the infrastructure connection created with MV cables, reliability, quality and compliance are vital. To provide the necessary assurances of the manufacturing process to both electrical engineers and their end-user customers, we test all our MV cables in our specialist testing facility under the BSI Kitemark Testing programme.
Our MV facility is an extension of The Cable Lab where we undertake tests on cables of rated voltage 3.3/6.6kV and upwards. This includes key tests such as the cable integrity withstand test, also known as VLF testing to determine any failure in the sheathing material. It provides comprehensive quality assurance on British Standard and European/IEC standard MV cables, armoured or unarmoured, as well as industry-specific MV cables such as DNO 11kv and 33kv, and Network Rail trackside power 25/44kV.
Selecting the right MV Cable for your project
It's essential for the longevity and efficiency of your installation that the MV Cables you specify are closely optimised to match the requirements. There are many options for construction, standards, and the materials used. The format can be single core, three core, or single core triplex. The configurations, materials and properties will be determined by the your installation demands.
For support with this, navigating the standards, construction and compliance requirements, contact our technical team by email on technical@elandcables.com or by telephone on +44 (0)20 7241 8500. We can discuss your specific project requirements and our international Medium Voltage cable and accessories solutions.
Medium Voltage Cable
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