Sometimes, the choice between low-smoke or zero-halogen cables versus conventional cables isn’t quite clear. Without a doubt, low-smoke or zero-halogen cables are safer since they are designed to avoid the emission of dangerous gasses or thick smoke in the event of a fire. However, conventional cables with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) insulation and jacketing have their place in many applications, especially those with minimal risk to human safety. If you have the luxury of choosing between halogen-free and conventional cables for your application, you may be undecided as to whether halogen-free cables can satisfy your needs. This blog post will answer some common questions you may have about halogen-free cables, and it will also introduce you to a new line of halogen-free cables made with sustainability in mind.
With competitive price and timely delivery, SUNUA sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
Common Halogen-Free Cable Questions
While halogen-free cables offer many safety benefits, you may have questions about their viability in your application. Here are answers to some FAQs, using our SABIX® line of low smoke and halogen-free cables — as well as our new SABorganic family — as examples. The SAB product lineup includes low smoke, zero halogen (LSZH), low smoke and fume (LSF), and fire retardant and noncorrosive (FRNC) cables.
- Do they withstand harsh conditions? Many halogen-free cables operate over the extended temperature range of -40 to +85°C. At SAB, our halogen-free cables resist up to 125°C, and high-temperature single-conductor hook-up cables perform from -40 to +220°C. SABIX® cables also resist oil and are tested and confirmed according to VDE and EN standards. Our control cables are suitable for wet, dry and damp conditions, while select cables resist chemicals, acids, solvents and hydraulic liquids. In addition, SAB’s new SABorganic line resists abrasion, UV, weather and hydrolysis.
- Can they be customized? At SAB, we offer over 30 different SABIX® compounds to meet your needs. While extruding halogen-free materials is more difficult than extruding PVC, we have extensive expertise to help you construct a custom, flexible cable that can best fit your application.
- Are they flexible? Halogen-free cables offer exceptional flexibility, making them appropriate for a wide range of applications. SABIX® cable bending radii range from 4 x OD fixed installation and 6 x OD free movement to 5 x OD (fixed) and 10 x OD (free). SABIX® continuous flex cables feature bending radii of 4 x OD (fixed), 6 x OD (flexible) and 16 x OD (continuous flex).
- Are they suitable for my industry? Not only are halogen-free cables desirable for enclosed or public areas where fire is a concern for people’s safety, they are also appropriate for a wide range of industrial and automated applications plus food and beverage processes. In addition, the SABIX® line of halogen-free cables includes versions specially designed for railway and shipboard applications.
- Are they readily available? SAB has one of the world’s largest halogen-free cable offerings thanks to our many years of perfecting materials for a multitude of applications.
- Are halogen-free cables eco-friendly? Yes! The new SABorganic line uses a high percentage of sustainable resources for its PUR outer jacket, which results in a 25% reduction in CO2 footprint versus other PUR jackets. Suitable for cable tracks and moving machine parts, SABorganic cables are flame-retardant and oil- and chemical-resistant.
Flexibility, Reliability and Peace of Mind
Whether you need to meet safety goals for applications where potential fires pose risks to human health or simply want to explore eco-friendly cable alternatives, SAB’s growing range of SABIX® and SABorganic halogen-free cables offer flexibility, reliability plus low smoke and toxicity to give you peace of mind.
For more information about SAB halogen-free cables, download our brochure.
A Low-Smoke Zero Halogen (known shortly as LSZH or LSOH) cable is a cable with insulation and/or jacket that minimizes the smoke and produces no halogen when exposed to heat sources and fire.
Read this blog to learn where these cables are used, their properties, and how they radically differ from PVC and LSF.
An LSZH cable is useful for environments where fire and high temperatures might be hazardous and smoke and toxic fumes risk public safety, such as industrial plants, public buildings, and vehicles. LSZH cables are intended for indoor use.
For more information, please visit low smoke zero halogen lszh.
Low-smoke zero halogen cables emit less than 0.5% hydrogen chloride gas and smoke when burnt.
Applications of LSZH Cables
- As power and control cables in public buildings: airports, bus stations, railway stations, shopping malls, state buildings, hospitals, schools, and universities.
- In data centers
- In industrial buildings
- In aircraft and ships
- Any type of construction that is difficult to escape if a fire happens
- In any other setting where regular cables are used
Benefits of Using LSZH cables
- LSZH cables are flame-retardant
- LSZH cables produce no halogens during the fire, making them less toxic for humans and the environment. This makes them different from other types of flame-retardant cables. Exposure to halogens harms the environment and lungs of people and other mammals.
- Self-extinguishing jackets of LSZH cables prevent the fire from spreading further.
- LSZH cables are UV resistant
- These cables are water-resistant but not waterproof, except for specific variations used on the board of the ship.
LSZH Cable vs. PVC Cable: Radically Different
A standard PVC cable can be flame-retardant or not flame-retardant, but they produce harmful black smoke during the fire and release harmful chemicals, including halogen. In many instances, the smoke and gasses produced during a fire cause more harm to people than the fire itself. For this reason, a flame-retardant PVC cable does not really protect people in case of fire.
PVC cables are a great way to save costs, but it is not worth it for commercial and public buildings where safety is a great concern.
The cons of LSZH cables compared to PVC is that they are less flexible and more expensive, but these are negligible if you take into consideration the damage to people and property that a large-scale fire causes.
LSZH Cable vs. LSF Cable: Mistaken For Similar
Low-smoke zero-halogen сable is often compared to LSF Low Smoke and Fume cable because the names sound very similar. The relative lack of standardization and naming regulation is the driving factor behind such confusion. In reality, LSZH and LSF cables do not have anything in common.
LSF cables are altered PVC cables that produce less harmful gasses and smoke when burning than traditional PVC. However, the material of LSF cables is still PVC, so gasses are emitted nevertheless, there are just 5x less of them. So, LSF cables are slightly improved compared to PVC, but they have no qualities of low-smoke zero-halogen cables, so they should not be bought in place of LSZH cables.
Confusing LSZH and LSF cables can actually be dangerous if the intention is to place LSZH cables to protect the building from fire.
Where to Buy?
NNC offers a wide range of low-smoke zero halogen cables of high quality at excellent prices, including:
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit pv cable compounds.
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