ABC CABLE

ABC Cable (3+1+2 Core) NF C 33-209

ABC Cable (3+1+2 Core) to NF C 33-209 is a 0.6/1 kV aerial bundled cable made of three insulated aluminium phase conductors and two insulated aluminium public lighting conductors twisted around one insulated aluminium alloy neutral messenger. All conductors carry black cross-linked polyethylene insulation. The TDS lists 10 sizes from 3×25+1×54.6+2×16 to 3×150+1×95+2×16 mm².

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NF C 33-209 applies to bundled insulated conductors for overhead power systems with a rated voltage of 0.6/1 kV. A bundle may include public lighting conductors and pilot conductors besides the phase and neutral conductors (NF C 33-209 Clause 1). The neutral messenger carries the mechanical load of the bundle. The public lighting conductors supply street lighting circuits from the same bundle.

Cable Construction

Phase conductors: Circular stranded and compacted aluminium wires of purity at least equal to aluminium 1350 of NF C 31-122; welds in the wires are allowed (NF C 33-209 Clause 3.1)
Public lighting conductors: Circular stranded aluminium of the same kind as the phase conductors, 16 and 25 mm² (NF C 33-209 Clauses 1 and 3.1)
Neutral messenger: Aluminium-magnesium-silicon alloy wires of 3.15 mm (54.6 mm²), 3.50 mm (70 mm²) or 2.50 mm (95 mm², provisional value) nominal diameter, with a coefficient of linear expansion of 23 × 10^-6/K and a modulus of elasticity of 62 000 MPa; welds in the messenger wires are at least 50 m apart (NF C 33-209 Clauses 3.1 and 4.1.2)
Messenger stranding: The outer layer is laid left-hand (S) with a lay length of not more than 20 times the conductor diameter (NF C 33-209 Clause 4.1.3)
Insulation: Black cross-linked polyethylene applied by extrusion and easy to remove, with a separator tape between the messenger conductor and its insulation (NF C 33-209 Clause 3.2)
Bundling: The phase and public lighting conductors are twisted around the messenger with a right-hand lay, within the maximum lay lengths of Table 4 (NF C 33-209 Clause 4.4.1)
Core identification: The phase conductors carry the figures 1, 2 and 3 in relief; the messenger carries the producer’s UTE code at intervals of not more than 250 mm and the standard number at intervals of not more than 500 mm; public lighting conductors are marked EP1 and EP2 (NF C 33-209 Clause 5 b))

Conductor Data

Conductor	Nominal Section (mm²)	No. of Wires	Max. D.C. Resistance at 20 °C (Ω/km)	Conductor Diameter (mm)	Min. Breaking Load (kN)
Phase	25	7	1.20	5.8 to 6.3	3.0
Phase	35	7	0.868	6.8 to 7.3	—
Phase	50	7	0.641	7.9 to 8.4	—
Phase	70	12	0.443	9.7 to 10.2	—
Phase	95	19	0.320	11.0 to 12.0	—
Phase	120	19	0.253	12.0 to 13.1	—
Phase	150	19	0.206	13.9 to 15.0	—
Public lighting	16	7	1.91	4.6 to 5.1	1.9
Public lighting	25	7	1.20	5.8 to 6.3	3.0
Neutral messenger	54.6	7	0.63	9.2 to 9.6	16.6
Neutral messenger	70	7	0.50	10.0 to 10.2	20.5
Neutral messenger	95	19	0.343	12.2 to 12.9	27.5

Values from Table 1 of NF C 33-209. The breaking load is a minimum value; a dash means that the standard gives no value.

Typical Applications

Overhead low voltage service lines fixed on poles outdoors
Networks that carry street lighting circuits in the same bundle as the power supply
Street lighting and outdoor lighting supplies
Temporary power supply on building and construction sites

The cable is not laid in the ground or under water and is not used in underground systems (Annex E of NF C 33-209).

ABC Cable (3+1+2 Core) NF C 33-209 is an aerial bundled cable built from three insulated aluminium phase conductors and two insulated aluminium public lighting conductors twisted around one insulated aluminium alloy neutral messenger. The table below gives the main design values; the dimensions, resistances and weights of each size are in the TDS tab.

Technical Characteristics

Applicable Standard	NF C 33-209
Standard Scope	Bundled conductors with cross-linked polyethylene insulation for overhead power systems of rated voltage 0.6/1 kV
Rated Voltage	U₀/U (U_m) 0.6/1 (1.2) kV; in d.c. systems, not more than 0.9 kV to earth
Bundle Structure	3 phases + 2 public lighting + 1 insulated neutral messenger
Phase Conductors	Round stranded aluminium, compacted, of purity not lower than aluminium 1350 to NF C 31-122; 25 mm² to 150 mm²
Public Lighting Conductors	Round stranded aluminium; 16 and 25 mm²
Neutral Messenger	Stranded aluminium-magnesium-silicon alloy; 54.6, 70 and 95 mm²
Messenger Breaking Load	At least 16.6 kN (54.6 mm²), 20.5 kN (70 mm²), 27.5 kN (95 mm²) (Table 1)
Insulation	Black extruded cross-linked polyethylene, easy to strip, weather and UV resistant; separator tape over the messenger conductor
Bundle Lay	Right-hand; maximum lay 80 cm for 25 mm² phases rising to 130 cm for 150 mm² phases (Table 4)
Max. Conductor Temperature	90 °C
Overall Diameter	30.1 mm to 51.7 mm
Minimum Bending Radius	18 D, D being the diameter of the largest insulated conductor; half this value for controlled bending at 15 °C or above

Ordering Information

Please state the cable type and size as listed in the TDS, for example 3×25+1×54.6+2×16 mm², the total length and the length per drum, the drum type, and any marking required in addition to the standard marking.

No. of Cores and Section	No. of Wires			Nominal Insulation Thickness			Approx. Diameter of Cable	Max. D.C. Resistance at 20 °C			Approx. Weight
Phase + Neutral + Public Lighting	Phase	Neutral	Public Lighting	Phase	Neutral	Public Lighting	Approx. Diameter of Cable	Phase	Neutral	Public Lighting	Approx. Weight
No. × mm²	No.	No.	No.	mm	mm	mm	mm	Ω/km	Ω/km	Ω/km	kg/km
3×25+1×54.6+2×16	7	7	7	1.4	1.6	1.2	30.1	1.20	0.63	1.91	637
3×35+1×54.6+2×16	7	7	7	1.6	1.6	1.2	32.9	0.868	0.63	1.91	748
3×50+1×54.6+2×16	7	7	7	1.6	1.6	1.2	35.1	0.641	0.63	1.91	862
3×70+1×54.6+2×16	12	7	7	1.8	1.6	1.2	39.3	0.443	0.63	1.91	1080
3×70+1×54.6+2×25	12	7	7	1.8	1.6	1.4	39.3	0.443	0.63	1.20	1148
3×70+1×70+2×16	12	7	7	1.8	1.6	1.2	40.1	0.443	0.50	1.91	1114
3×95+1×70+2×16	19	7	7	1.8	1.6	1.2	43.7	0.320	0.50	1.91	1356
3×120+1×70+2×16	19	7	7	1.8	1.6	1.2	46.1	0.253	0.50	1.91	1570
3×120+1×95+2×16	19	19	7	1.8	1.6	1.2	48.3	0.253	0.343	1.91	1664
3×150+1×95+2×16	19	19	7	1.8	1.6	1.2	51.7	0.206	0.343	1.91	1907

Conductor Tests

In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clauses 4.1.3 and 6.1, the conductor breaking load is tested on the insulated conductor over a length of 2 m to 10 m at 1 cm/min to 5 cm/min and meets Table 1; 1 m lengths may be used, but 2 m in case of doubt.
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 4.1.3 and Annex B, the construction, dimensions, resistance and lay length of the conductors are checked as sample tests against Table 1.

Insulation Tests

In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 4.2.1, the insulation thickness is measured on three samples taken at least 1 m apart; the mean, rounded to one decimal, is not below the specified value, and the minimum may fall short of it by no more than 0.1 mm plus 10%.
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 4.2.2 and Table 2, the insulation as delivered has a tensile strength of at least 14.5 MPa and an elongation at break of at least 200%, and after 240 h at 150 °C in an air oven both change by no more than 25%.
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 4.2.3 and Table 2, in the hot set test at 200 °C under 0.3 MPa for 15 min the elongation under load is at most 100% and the permanent elongation after cooling at most 15%.
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 6.2, weathering resistance is shown on three sets of six test pieces held at 20% elongation: the mean tensile strength and elongation of the set exposed longest differ by no more than 30% from those of the reference set and by no more than 15% from those of the set removed earlier.
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 4.3.3 and Table 3, the shrinkage of the insulation after 1 h at 100 °C is not more than 4%.
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 6.3, the insulation resistance of a 10 m conductor sample is measured after 2 h in water at 80 °C with a d.c. voltage of 80 V to 500 V, giving a constant K of at least 1000.
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 6.5, the adhesion of the insulation to the messenger conductor reaches at least 18, 20 and 24 daN for 54.6, 70 and 95 mm² in test A (the 95 mm² value is provisional), and a mean maximum force of 12, 16 and 20 kN in test B with the standard clamp (provisional values).
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 6.9, the insulation puncture test on strips from the phase conductors and the messenger gives a median time of not more than 5 s, or 10 s when tested with the separator.

Bundle and Messenger Tests

In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 6.8, the messenger passes 500 heat and load cycles of 90 min in the standard clamp, with a slip of not more than 4 mm after 2 cycles and 5 mm after 500 cycles, followed by the dielectric test.
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clauses 4.4.2 and 6.6 and Table 5, a bundle sample of at least 20 m is kept in water at 20 °C for 24 h and withstands 10 kV a.c. for 30 min between each conductor and the water without breakdown.
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 6.7, samples of about 3 m in water withstand five positive and five negative 1.2/50 µs impulses of 20 kV peak between conductor and water.

Routine Tests and Marking

In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clauses 4.3.1 and 4.3.2 and Annex B, the overall diameter and the conductor continuity are checked as routine tests on every production length.
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Annex B, Clause B.2 and Table B1, each length passes a routine dielectric test after 1 h in water at 4 kV a.c. or 10 kV d.c. for 15 min; after any repair the whole conductor is tested again.
In accordance with NF C 33-209 Clause 5, marking characters are at least 5 mm high and 2 mm wide, and successive marks are placed head to tail along the conductor.

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