Electrical Installation A

│ Topic 4 │

Selection of cables and wiring

methods

© VTC 2015 1
1. Selection of Cables
2. Cable Installation Methods
3. Cable Sizing

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1. Selection of Cable
(a) Considerations in Selection of Cables
(b) Conductor Materials
(c) Cable Insulation
(d) Cable Selection and Installation
(e) Common Type of Cables

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(a) Considerations in Selection of cables
Technically, there are at least 11 factors for selection of
cables:
1.Purpose and application
2.Ambient condition and environment
3.Voltage drop
4.Short-circuit capacity
5.Current Carrying Capacity
6.Insulation material (cable Type)
7.Conductor material
8.Method of installation (CoP 2015 Appendix 7)
9.Thermal insulation
10.Type of protective device
11.Minimum size requirement

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(b) Conductor materials
 Copper & Aluminium
are commonly used
 Aluminium is seldom
used as the LV cable
conductor. But
local electricity
suppliers still prefer
to use aluminium
cables because of
lower material cost.

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(c) Cable Insulation
(i) Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
 Thermoplastic in nature
 Most commonly used in
buildings as they are cheaper,
clean and easy to handle.
 Not suitable to be used below
00C or exposed under sunlight
 To be used at maximum
ambient temperature not
more than 650C

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(c) Cable Insulation
(ii) Cross-linked Polyethylene (XLPE)
 Thermosetting in nature
 To be used at maximum ambient
temperature not more than 850C
 Higher conductor continuous temperature
rating (900C for XLPE, 700C for PVC)
 Higher short-circuit temperature rating
(2500C for XLPE, 1600C for PVC)
 Higher current carrying capacity (compared
with PVC cable of the same conductor size)
 Higher cost than PVC cable of same size
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(d) Cable Selection & Installation
 Must comply with relevant Standards &
Statutory Regulations
 Take into account of the environmental
conditions such as
 Ambient temperature
 Weather, moisture, chemical etc.
e.g. the ends of Mineral-Insulated cables shall be
suitably sealed.
 Consider the possible mechanical stresses on
the cable
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(e) Common types of cable
(i) PVC-insulated, non-sheathed,
single-core, copper cable (PVC 1/C
cu. Cable聚氯乙稀單支單膠)
 Relevant standard (CoP2015 13D):
(<35mm2 BS 6004, 300/500V,
>35mm2, BS 6346, 600/1000V)
 Must be installed above ground and
in conduit or trunking or similar
enclosures where mechanical
protection is provided (except it is
used as protective conductors)
 Must not be installed under water or
embedded in plaster
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(e) Common types of cable
(ii) PVC-insulated, sheathed, non-
armoured, single-core or multi-core,
copper cables (PVC/PVC 1/C or multi-
core cu. Cable 單支/多芯-孖膠)
• Relevant standard (CoP2015 13D)
(<35mm2 BS 6004, 300/500V,
>35mm2, BS 6346, 600/1000V)
• installed on cable trays or cable
ladder; or as surface wiring by the
support of buckle clips or cable
cleats where mechanical damage is
unlikely to occur
• installed on ground if provided
with additional mechanical
protection such as conduits or pipes
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(e) Common types of cable
(iii) PVC-insulated, steel-wire armoured,
PVC-sheathed, single or multiple core
copper cables 裝甲電纜
(PVC/SWA/PVC 1/C or multi-core cu.
cable)聚氯乙稀絕緣及護套
(**aluminium-wire armoured for single-
core cables)
 Relevant standard: BS6346, 600/1000V)
 Suitable to be installed both indoor or
outdoor
 Cables with PVC pipes covering can be
installed in ground without additional
mechanical protection

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(e) Common types of cable
(iv) XLPE-insulated, steel-wire armoured, PVC-sheathed
(XLPE/SWA/PVC) multi-core, copper cables
交聯聚乙稀絕緣裝甲電纜
(aluminium-wire armoured for single-core cables)
 relevant standard: BS5467 or BS6742, 600/1000V
 application is similar to that of PVC/SWA/PVC cu. Cable
(v) XLPE-insulated non-sheathed or PVC sheathed cables,
single-core or multi-core, copper cable 交聯聚乙稀絕緣電纜
(XLPE or XLPE/PVC 1/C or multi-core cu. cable)
 relevant standard: BS7211, 450/750V
 application is similar to that of PVC, or PVC/PVC single or
multi-core cu. Main or sub main cable

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(e) Common types of cable
(vi) FIRE RESISTANCE CABLES to BS 7211
Comply the test of BS 6387
Application : Essential power system, fire system
 It maintains circuit integrity during a fire.
 When burnt, it produces very low levels of smoke and
virtually no acidic gases. Thus safeguarding human life and
protect equipment.

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(e) Common types of cable
(vii) Low Smoke Armoured Cable (LSOH)
BS6724 Thermosetting Insulated, armoured Cables for
Voltage of 600/1000V and 1900/3300V
When burnt, it produces very low levels of smoke and
virtually no acidic gases. Thus safeguarding human life
and protect equipment
(XLPE/SWA/LSOH)

Insulation 90℃ Cross-linked XLPE Insulation

Bedding Extruded Afumex Bedding Compound
Amour Steel Wire Armour
Outer Sheath Robust Afumex Sheath
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(e) Common types of cable
(viii) Mineral insulated, copper sheathed, with or without
additional PVC covering, copper cable (MI cable)
礦物絕緣電線或稱銅皮線 (BS6207, 500V and 750V)
 able to withstand high temperature, often used as fire
resistant cable (Modern - FP400, Fire resistant IEC331)
 offers good mechanical protection
 Higher operating temperature 70 -105 0C Fluorinated ethylene
propylene copolymer
 resistant to most organic chemicals
 impervious to water and oil
 termination of cable is quite complicated
 highest material & installation cost compared with PVC
and XLPE cable of the same size
Now substituted by Low smoke Halogen Free LSH F (FEP)
(BS6742, Flame retardant IEC332, etc.) 低煙無毒抗火線
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(e) Common types of cable
Mineral-Insulated cable

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2. Cable Installation Methods
(a) Surface Wiring
(b) CoP 2015 Appendix 7 – Typical Methods
of Cable Installations
(c) Conduit System
(d) Trunking System
(f) Cable Tray and Cable ladder
(g) Busbar Trunking System
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(a) Surface Wiring

 Sheathed cables supported by cable

clips and fixed on surface of walls or
surfaces or structures
 Buckle clip should only be used to fix
cables having an overall diameter not
exceeding 10mm. (Use cable saddles
or cable cleats for cables with
diameter > 10mm or armoured cable)

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(a) Surface Wiring
Supports for surface mounted cables

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(c) Conduits System

Rigid Steel Conduits

 Construction and installation requirements
refer to Code 14B of COP 2015
 Excellent mechanical protection
 Good protection against fire
 Do not need for a separate protective
conductor if the conduit is effectively
earthed
 Resistant to ultra-violet radiation from
sunlight
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(c) Conduits System
PVC Conduits
 Construction and installation requirements refer
to Code 14D of COP 2015
 Ambient temperature: -50C to 600C
 Overall cost saving in material and labour cost
 Separate protective conductor must be used
 Weight reduction compared with steel conduit
 Become brittle if exposed to sunlight frequently

Flexible Conduit ( Metallic & PVC)

 Used in applications involving constant
movement, e.g. connection to a pump
 Separate protective conductor must be used
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(c) Conduits System
Bends and Supports
 Shall not be bent more than 90o
 Saddles of support refers to Tables 25(1) of
COP 2015
 Adaptable boxes should be provided
immediately after any two bends, or after
a bend plus a maximum straight run of 10m
or after a maximum straight run of 15m

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(c) Conduits System
Spacing of supports for conduits

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(c) Conduits System
Cable factor and conduit factor (< 3 m)

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(c) Conduits System
Cable factor and conduit factor (> 3 m)

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(c) Conduits System
Cable Capacities in Conduit
 Refer to Tables 14(2) to 14(3) of CoP 2015
 Different cable factors for solid or stranded
cables ?
 Short run ( 3m and no bend) or long run (>3m
or with bends) ?
 Total Cable Factor  Conduit Factor ?

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(c) Conduits System

Example:
How many 2.5 mm2 1-C PVC cables can be enclosed in a
20 mm diameter conduit which 10m long incorporating 2
bends? Solution
 From Table 14(3)(b)
The maximum factor of the 20mm conduit is 141
 From Table 14(3)(a)
The factor of a 2.5 mm2 cable is 30
 The no. of cables that can be accommodated is 4
(141/30 = 4.7, choose the nearest small value)

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Cable factor and conduit factor (> 3 m)

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 (d) Trunking System
 Construction and
installation requirements
refers to Code 14C (Steel)
and Code 14D (PVC) of
CoP
 Electrical continuity
should be made by
connecting copper tape
across the two adjacent
 Spacing of support refers
to Table 25(2) of COP
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(d) Trunking System

Bends and supports

 Bending of trunking
is rare in practice
 Support
requirement refers
to Tables 25(2) of
CoP 2015

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(d) Trunking System
Cable Capacity for Trunking
(i) Method 1: Refer to Tables 14(4) of CoP
 Total Cable Factor  Trunking Factor

(ii) Method 2 : For sizes not found in Tables 14(4)

 the number of cable drawn in to a trunking should be
such that the resulting space factor should not
exceed 45%.
 Space factor: it is the ratio (%) of the sum of the
overall cross-sectional area (CSA) of cables to the
internal cross-sectional area of the trunking in which
they are installed.
 Total Cable Overall CSA  Trunking CSA x 45%
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(d) Trunking System
Cable Factor and Trunking Factor

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(d) Trunking System
(i) What is the max. number of 10 mm2 1-C pvc cables
that can be accommodated in a 100mm x 50mm
trunking?
(ii) What if a space factor of 0.45 is applied? (Assuming
that the overall diameter of the 10mm2 copper cable
is 6.2mm)
 Solution:
(i) From Table 14(4)(b)
The maximum factor of the 100mm x 50mm trunking is
2091
From Table 14(4)(a)
The factor of a 10 mm2 cable is 36.3
The no. of cables that can be accommodated is 57
(2091/36.3 = 57.6, choose the nearest small value)
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(d) Trunking System
Solution (cont’d)

(ii) If a space factor of 0.45 is applied, the

maximum area allowable for the cables is
100mm x 50mm x 0.45 = 2250 mm2
Maximum no. of 10mm2 cables to be installed
in the trunking
= 2250 ÷ overall area of one cable
= 2250 / ( x 6.22 / 4) = 74

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(d) Trunking System
Other Trunking Systems
 There are other trunking systems also of PVC
and Steel construction, e.g. 2- and 3-
compartment trunkings for telephone /
computer data / power cables:-
 Flush floor trunkings
 Underfloor trunkings
 Skirting trunkings

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(e) Cable Tray and Cable Ladder
Cable tray
 it is suitable for the mounting
of large sheathed cables other
than those accommodated in
a trunking
Cable ladder
 Suitable for mounting very
large sheathed cables or used
at situations where large span
of support is required
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(f) Busbar trunking system
 For the distribution of heavy
electrical loads over a long
distance or where plenty of tap-off
points are required.

 Comparison with cable:

 Current-carrying capacity can be

up to 3000A or even higher

 Smaller size compared with the Air insulated

busbar trunking
cables of the same C.C.C.載流量

 Higher cost than cables

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(f) Busbar trunking system
Bus duct System

 Provide greater flexibility

to Tap-off location
Bus duct

 Factory pre-fabricated

 More easily to be damaged

due to water seepage

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3. Sizing of Cable
(a) Factor Affection Cable Current Carrying
Capacity (CCC)
(b) Procedures of Sizing a Cable
(c) Other Considerations
(d) Cables in Parallel
(e) Example

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(a) Factors affecting CCC of a Cable

The following factors will affect the

current-carrying capacity (CCC) of the
cable :

• Type of protective devices

• Installation method
• Ambient temperature
• The cable is grouped with other cables
• The cable is totally enclosed in thermal
insulation

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(b) Procedures of Sizing of cable conductors (Code 13A)

The general steps of determining a suitable size

of cable conductors are as follows:
1. Determine the design current , (load
current) Ib
2. Select the rating of the protection device In
such that In  Ib

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(b) Procedures of Sizing of cable conductors (Code 13A)

3. Select the relevant correction factors (Appendix

5 of CoP 2015)
 Ca - Ambient temperature Table A5(1)
 Cg - Grouping of cables Table A5(3)
 Ci - Thermal insulation
 Cp – Type of protective device Table A5(5)

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(b) Procedures of Sizing of cable conductors (Code 13A)
4. Use the following formula to determine the suitable
tabulated current-carrying capacity (It) and size of a
cable
In
It 
Ca  C g  Ci  C p

5. Determine as-installed current-carrying capacity (Iz) (CCC

of a cable for continuous service under the particular
installation conditions concerned):

I Z  I t  (Ca  Cg  Ci  C p )

6. Check and confirm the relation as below:

Ib  I n  I Z

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(b) Procedures of Sizing of cable conductors (Code 13A)

7. Check the voltage drop (Tables of Appendix 6 of CoP)

 Voltage drop = (mV/A/m) x L x Ib
L : cable length (m) , Ib : design current , V : supply voltage
(mV/A/m) : volt drop data per ampere per meter (Tables of
Appendix 6 of CoP)
 The above requirements are deemed to be satisfied if the voltage
drop between the origin of the installation and the fixed
equipment does not exceed 4% of norminal voltage of the supply
(220V for single phase; 380V for 3-phase)
Volatge Allowed Volt-drop
1-Phase 220V 220 x 4% = 8.8V
3-Phase 380V 380 x 4% = 15.2V

 If the voltage drop is unsatisfactory, a conductor of larger size

should be chosen

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(b) Procedures of Sizing of cable conductors (Code 13A)
Ci - thermal insulation factor
 For a cable installed in thermally insulated wall or above a
thermally insulated ceiling, the cable being in contact with a
thermally conductive surface on one side:
 use installation Method 1 or 2 in Appendix 7 and set Ci = 1

 For a cable totally surrounded by thermally insulating material over

a length of cable of more than 500mm:
 use installation Method 20 in Appendix 7 and set Ci = 0.5

 For a cable (up to 10mm2) totally surrounded by thermally

insulating material for less than 500mm:
 use proposed installation Method
and find Ci in Table A5(4)

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(e) Example of sizing cable conductors

A 4-core, PVC/SWA/PVC copper cable is used as the supply cable to the

shop. Find the minimum size of the supply cable for the shop. Assuming
that:
 the design current is 124.2 A
 the length of the cable is 60 m
 the cable is installed in cable tray touching with 3 other similar
circuits
 ambient temperature is 35oC; insulation of cable is thermoplastic
 MCCB is used as the protective device for the supply cable
 Available rating of MCCB: 80 A, 100 A, 125 A, 160 A and 200 A
 Voltage drop requirement is 4%

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Cable size calculation:
As Ib = 124.2A and In > Ib
According to the available rating of MCCB,
In = 125A is selected

Correction factors:
- Ambient temperature 35℃ , PVC cable; from table A5(1) : Ca = 0.94;
- Tray installation (touching) with 3 other circuits (total = 4 circuits);
Grouping factor: from table A5(3) : Cg = 0.77
- MCCB is used; Cp = 1
- No information provided for Ci
Tabulated ccc (It) ≧ In / ( Ca x Cg x Cp)
≧ 125/ (0.94 x 0.77 x 1) =172.7A
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From Table A6(4), (cable tray installation method; 4/c cable),
It=207A (≧ 172.7) is determined; and 70mm2 4/C PVC/SWA/PVC copper
cable is selected.

Iz (As-installed ccc) = It x Ca x Cg = 207x0.94x0.77 = 149.8V

∴ Iz≧ In≧Ib is verified

Volt drop checking:

From Table A6(4), (power factor is not given), volt drop of 70 mm2 cable
is 0.57mV/A/m
∴ total volt drop = (mV/A/m) x Ib x L = 0.57x124.2x60/1000 = 4.25V
which is smaller than the requirement (4% x 380V = 15.2V)
∴ 70 mm2 4/C PVC/SWA/PVC cu. cable is suitable for the installation.

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Cable Voltage Drop

 Equipment Tolerable Volt drop = ±10%

Power company’s guarantees = ±6%
Volt-Drop on consumer's installation = ±4%

 How to Allocate the 4% voltage drop?

1.5% : from main supply intake position to the flat’s
distribution board.
2.5% : from distribution board to fixed equipment.

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Cable Voltage Drop
 When conductor size is 16 mm2 or less, reactive drop can
be ignored, only the resistive component (mV/A/m) values
are tabulated in the tables of Appendix 6.

 When conductor size is larger than 16 mm2 with power

factor given, the Volt-Drop can be calculated by:
Voltage drop = (r cosθ + x sinθ) x L x Ib

L : cable length (m)

Ib : design current (A)
r : resistive component (mV/A/m)
x : reactive component (mV/A/m)
cosθ : power factor

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Cable Voltage Drop

 When conductor size is larger than 16 mm2, power factor

is not given, the Volt-Drop can be approximated by:

Voltage drop = z x L x Ib

L : cable length (m)

Ib : design current (A)
z : (mV/A/m) value of impedance

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Cable Voltage Drop
 All cables have impedance, and when current
flows in a cable, this will cause a voltage drop.
 If the impedance of the cable is known, then
the voltage drop can be calculated as follows:
Vs = Vn0° + I- * Z
= Vn + (Icos - jIsin)(R + jX)
= (Vn + IRcos + IXsin) +
j(IXcos - IRsin)

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Cable Voltage Drop

 Ignoring the j-term, then :

Vs = Vn + IRcos + IXsin
Volt-Drop (VD) = Vs - Vn
= IRcos + IXsin
 Therefore :
Volt-Drop (VD) = IL(rcos + xsin)

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Cable Voltage Drop

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(b) Procedures of Sizing of cable conductors (Code 13A)
Other Considerations
 May use Table 13(1) of CoP Table 13(1) to determine the
minimum size of Cables for General Installations under the
conditions of as state in CoP 13A(4) (>35 ℃,No grouping, No
semi-enclosed fuse, no thermal insulation)

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(c) Other Considerations

Minimum cable conductor size allowed in LV installation

(Code 13A)

• Surface wiring using PVC/PVC cu cable –

1.5mm2
• Cable installed in conduit and trunking – 1.0mm2
• Aluminium conductors – 16mm2
• Flexible cables and flexible cords – 0.5mm2

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(c) Other Considerations

Other requirements of cable

 Voltage grading of cables for low voltage
applications refer to Code 13D(1)
PVC BS 6004 and 6007, 450/750V

PVC/PVCS, S <35mm2 BS 6004, 300/500V,

PVC/PVCS, S >35mm2, BS 6346, 600/1000V
XLPE, BS 7211, 450/750V
XLPE, BS 5467,6742, 600/1000V

 Identification of cable cores refer to Code

13D(2)
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(d) Cables in Parallel
Sometimes cables are connected in parallel for the
following reasons:
 Wiring and termination of smaller size cable is more
easier
 Distribution of heavy electrical load by using cable is
possible.
The following should be noted for the connection of cables
in parallel:
 of same construction
 of same cross-sectional area
 of same length
 of equal share of current
 have no branch throughout their length
 follow the same route
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