Requirements for power cables required to maintain circuit integrity under fire conditions used in fire fighting' life safety and property protection systems are in a major state of change.
Although the current (2000) version of Approved Document B of the Building Regulations states that “A protected circuit for operation of equipment in the event of fire should consist of cable meeting the requirements for classification as CWZ in accordance with BS6387”, it has been recognised for some time that this test method may no longer reflect the level of performance required by current fire safety engineered building designs and changes are to be expected in the current revision.
Higher performance power cable fire survival requirements have been developed and incorporated into BS7346-6:2005 “Components for smoke and heat control systems – specifications for cable systems”. Similar enhanced requirements are being considered for other applications such as fire-fighting lifts. Work is now in progress within BSI to publish the cable test method as a stand alone test standard in order to facilitate its use by a wider range of users.
FP600 is a unique enhanced fire resistant power cable which enables the highest 120 minute rating of these new performance requirements to be met with an easy to install cable that requires no special tools or techniques.
The popular sizes of FP600 are available from stock from Prysmian Cables or through Edmundson's Twickenham Branch.
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Fire Resistant Cables - Current Developments in the UK Market
In the fire resistant cable market, new developments and the technologies to support them are generally introduced either to reduce product cost or to meet new performance requirements requested by product users. These new requirements often result in the issue of new test standards.
Major changes to standard test requirements do not occur often, but invariably result in development activity by manufacturers and the resulting introduction of new or revised products. The new requirements introduced by the revision of BS5839-1 ““Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings – Code of practice for system design, installation, commissioning and maintenance” in 2002 are a good example of such an impetus.
However, four years later, the changes driven by BS5839-1:2002 have become well understood and accepted and a wide range of products meeting its requirements is now available on the market. Indeed, a review of the current LPCB “Red book” listing, restricted to products listed specifi cally against the BS5839-1:2002, shows the number of listed “standard” cables has more than doubled and the number of listed “enhanced” cables quadrupled in the last two years.
Increased choice may appear welcome, but it puts a greater responsibility on the user to ensure that the best product choice is made. Consideration must be given to issues such as correct approvals for the specific application, demonstration of consistent performance through product certifi cation schemes such as BASEC, track record of trouble free installation and ongoing quality of supply and availability of accurate technical support.
BS5839-1:2002 is not the only British Standard infl uencing cable fi re resistance test standards, and it is therefore necessary to review what is happening with other standards.
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