OVERHEAD INSULATED CABLE

PVC Covered Conductor BS 6485

PVC Covered Conductor to BS 6485 is a stranded overhead line conductor with an extruded PVC covering. The covering guards against accidental contact where the line crosses or runs close to telecommunication lines, or passes within reach of buildings. Two grades are made: Type 8 with a 0.8 mm black covering and Type 16 with a 1.6 mm green covering, on copper, aluminium, steel-reinforced aluminium and aluminium alloy conductors.

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BS 6485 standardizes PVC-covered conductors for overhead power lines by the minimum thickness of the covering (BS 6485 Clause 1). The covering guards against contact at crossings of and proximities to telecommunication lines and, for Type 8, on lines within reach of buildings, under the operating conditions below (BS 6485 Clause 1).

Types and Operating Conditions

Type	Minimum Covering Thickness	Colour	Operating Voltage	Suitable For
Type 8	0.8 mm	Black	Not above 650 V r.m.s. between conductors or 250 V r.m.s. to earth	Crossings of and proximities to telecommunication lines; lines, especially service lines, within reach of buildings
Type 16	1.6 mm	Green	Above 650 V r.m.s. between conductors or 250 V r.m.s. to earth, normally not above 11 kV between conductors or 6.6 kV to earth	Crossings of and proximities to telecommunication lines

For Type 16, a system neutral earthed through an arc-suppression coil is acceptable where earth faults are cleared without undue delay (BS 6485 Clause 1).

Conductor and Covering

Conductor: After covering, the conductor still meets its bare conductor standard: BS 215 for aluminium and steel-reinforced aluminium, BS 3242 for aluminium alloy, or BS 7884 for copper; sizes follow Annex B (BS 6485 Clause 4)
Covering material: PVC compound type TI 1 to BS 7655-3.1 (BS 6485 Clause 5.1)
Colour: Black for Type 8, green for Type 16 (BS 6485 Clause 5.2)
Covering thickness: Not less than 0.8 mm (Type 8) or 1.6 mm (Type 16) at any point (BS 6485 Clause 5.3)

Conductor Range

Conductor	Annex B Table	Type	Nominal Cross-Sections	Stranding
AAC/PVC (aluminium)	B.3	Type 8	22 to 200 mm² (Midge to Chafer)	7/2.06 to 19/3.78
CU/PVC (hard-drawn copper)	B.1	Type 8 and Type 16	14 to 100 mm²	3 or 7 wires
ACSR/PVC (aluminium, steel reinforced)	B.4	Type 16	25 to 200 mm²	6/1, 6/7, 18/1 and 30/7 aluminium/steel wires
AAAC/PVC (aluminium alloy)	B.5	Type 16	25 to 175 mm²	7/2.34 to 19/3.76

Overall diameters, masses and breaking loads in the TDS are approximate values and not requirements of the standard (BS 6485 Clause 3.2). The resistance of copper conductors is a maximum value; for aluminium, steel-reinforced aluminium and aluminium alloy conductors the tables of the standard give a calculated resistance.

Typical Applications

Low-voltage overhead lines and service lines within reach of buildings (Type 8)
Overhead lines up to 11 kV where they cross or run near telecommunication lines (Type 16)

PVC Covered Conductor to BS 6485 carries an extruded PVC covering over a stranded overhead line conductor. The table below summarises the requirements of the standard; the particulars of every size are listed in the TDS tab.

Technical Characteristics

Applicable Standard	BS 6485
Standard Scope	PVC-covered conductors for overhead power lines
Types	Type 8 (0.8 mm covering) and Type 16 (1.6 mm covering)
Conductors	Copper to BS 7884; aluminium and steel-reinforced aluminium to BS 215; aluminium alloy to BS 3242
Covering	PVC compound type TI 1 to BS 7655-3.1
Colour	Type 8 black; Type 16 green
Voltage, Type 8	Up to 650 V r.m.s. between conductors, 250 V r.m.s. to earth
Voltage, Type 16	Normally up to 11 kV between conductors, 6.6 kV to earth
Spark Test	6 kV a.c. or 9 kV d.c. (Type 8); 12 kV a.c. or 18 kV d.c. (Type 16)
High Voltage Test	25 kV a.c. for 5 min after water immersion (Type 16)
Insulation Resistance	More than 0.5 MΩ for 1 km of conductor (Type 16)
Test Conditions	Ambient 5 °C to 35 °C; a.c. test voltages at 49 Hz to 61 Hz

Ordering Information

Please state the type (Type 8 or Type 16); the conductor material and nominal cross-section, or the code word for aluminium conductors; the quantity and the length per drum; and whether purchaser inspection or witnessed tests are needed.

AAC/PVC – Type 8

Code Word	Nominal Cross-Sectional Area	Stranding and Wire Diameter	Approx. Diameter of Bare Conductor	Calculated Resistance at 20 °C	Approx. Breaking Load	Approx. Overall Diameter	Approx. Mass
Code Word	Nominal Cross-Sectional Area	Stranding and Wire Diameter	Approx. Diameter of Bare Conductor	Calculated Resistance at 20 °C	Approx. Breaking Load	Type 8	Type 8
	mm²	No./mm	mm	Ω/km	kN	mm	kg/km
Midge	22	7/2.06	6.18	1.227	3.99	8.2	100
Ant	50	7/3.10	9.30	0.5419	8.28	11.7	200
Wasp	100	7/4.39	13.17	0.2702	16.00	16.0	360
Chafer	200	19/3.78	18.9	0.1349	32.40	21.7	690

CU/PVC – Type 8 and Type 16

Nominal Cross-Sectional Area	Stranding and Wire Diameter	Approx. Diameter of Bare Conductor	Max. D.C. Resistance at 20 °C	Approx. Breaking Load	Approx. Overall Diameter		Approx. Mass
Nominal Cross-Sectional Area	Stranding and Wire Diameter	Approx. Diameter of Bare Conductor	Max. D.C. Resistance at 20 °C	Approx. Breaking Load	Type 8	Type 16	Type 8	Type 16
mm²	No./mm	mm	Ω/km	kN	mm	mm	kg/km	kg/km
14	7/1.60	4.80	1.303	5.744	6.8	8.4	160	190
16	3/2.65	5.70	1.106	6.590	7.7	9.3	180	220
32	3/3.75	8.06	0.5520	12.71	10.5	12.1	350	390
35	7/2.50	7.50	0.5337	14.097	9.9	11.5	360	400
70	7/3.55	10.65	0.2646	26.88	13.5	14.7	690	750
100	7/4.30	12.90	0.1810	37.64	15.7	16.9	990	1060

ACSR/PVC – Type 16

Nominal Cross-Sectional Area	Stranding and Wire Diameter		Approx. Diameter of Bare Conductor	Calculated Resistance at 20 °C	Approx. Breaking Load	Approx. Overall Diameter	Approx. Mass
Nominal Cross-Sectional Area	Aluminium	Steel	Approx. Diameter of Bare Conductor	Calculated Resistance at 20 °C	Approx. Breaking Load	Type 16	Type 16
mm²	No./mm	No./mm	mm	Ω/km	kN	mm	kg/km
25	6/2.36	1/2.36	7.08	1.093	9.61	10.7	190
50	6/3.35	1/3.35	10.05	0.5426	18.35	14.1	330
100	6/4.72	7/1.57	14.15	0.2733	32.70	18.2	550
150	30/2.59	7/2.59	18.13	0.1828	69.20	22.2	920
150	18/3.35	1/3.35	16.75	0.1815	35.70	20.8	680
175	30/2.79	7/2.79	19.53	0.1576	79.80	23.6	1050
175	18/3.61	1/3.61	18.05	0.1563	41.10	22.1	780
200	30/3.00	7/3.00	21.00	0.1363	92.25	25.0	1190
200	18/3.86	1/3.86	19.30	0.1367	46.55	23.3	870

AAAC/PVC – Type 16

Nominal Cross-Sectional Area	Stranding and Wire Diameter	Approx. Diameter of Bare Conductor	Calculated Resistance at 20 °C	Approx. Breaking Load	Approx. Overall Diameter	Approx. Mass
Nominal Cross-Sectional Area	Stranding and Wire Diameter	Approx. Diameter of Bare Conductor	Calculated Resistance at 20 °C	Approx. Breaking Load	Type 16	Type 16
mm²	No./mm	mm	Ω/km	kN	mm	kg/km
25	7/2.34	7.02	1.094	8.44	10.6	170
50	7/3.30	9.90	0.5498	16.80	13.9	280
100	7/4.65	13.95	0.2769	33.30	18.0	470
150	19/3.48	17.40	0.1830	50.65	21.4	680
175	19/3.76	18.80	0.1568	59.10	22.8	780

Routine Tests

In accordance with BS 6485 Clause 8.2, the whole length of PVC covering passes a spark test to BS 5099 at 6 kV a.c. or 9 kV d.c. for Type 8 and 12 kV a.c. or 18 kV d.c. for Type 16, without breakdown.
In accordance with BS 6485 Clauses 8.3 and A.1, a 1 m sample of Type 16 conductor, kept in water for at least 24 h, withstands 25 kV a.c. between conductor and water for 5 min without breakdown of the covering.
In accordance with BS 6485 Clause 8.4, the d.c. resistance of copper conductors is measured, corrected to 20 °C, and does not exceed the maximum value of Table B.1.
In accordance with BS 6485 Clauses 8.5 and A.2, a 10 m sample of Type 16 conductor, kept in water for at least 4 h, shows an insulation resistance of more than 0.5 MΩ for 1 km, read after 1 min at a d.c. voltage of 80 V to 500 V.

Sample and Type Tests

In accordance with BS 6485 Clauses 9 and A.3, the covering thickness is measured on three sections at least 100 mm apart, cut from a sample taken at least 300 mm from the end of a length, and is not below 0.8 mm or 1.6 mm at any point.
In accordance with BS 6485 Clause 9.2, the conductor is examined and tested against the bare conductor standard named in Clause 4.
In accordance with BS 6485 Clause 10, the PVC compound is type tested to show that it meets the TI 1 requirements of BS 7655-3.1.

Test Conditions

In accordance with BS 6485 Clause 7.1, tests are made at an ambient temperature of 5 °C to 35 °C unless a test states otherwise.
In accordance with BS 6485 Clause 7.2, a.c. test voltages have a frequency between 49 Hz and 61 Hz and a substantially sinusoidal waveform.
In accordance with BS 6485 Clause 6, the routine, sample and type tests follow the schedule of Table 1.

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