What You Need To Know About MARINE CABLES and Where to Buy Them
Looking forward to making some sea-bound installations? If so, you’ll some special type of cable intricately designed for the marine environment, the marine cable. Marine Cables are very important in any marine related applications because of their special attributes which makes them work at their optimum performance within the corrosive, heavy duty and watery environment. For instance, ships and oil rigs bound for use in the sea will need this special cable because if other conventional cables are used they’d yield to the environment and wear out causing you to do replacements every now and then which would ultimately prove to be very costly. On this post I will share with you details about the marine cable and the specifications about marine cables found at Nassau Electrical; a reliable market leader in wire and cable products supplies.
Marine cables mainly function as circuit wiring solutions in marine applications within environments of up to 105 degrees Celsius. In most marine applications electrical energy is required to power up powerful machines; this is where marine cables come in handy.Besides, marine cables are on high demand in shipbuilding due to demand for low weight and high efficiency whereby the marine cable has these properties. Furthermore marine cables are flame retardant and self-extinguishing. They are designed to perform efficiently in extreme temperatures which involve both high and low temperatures and resistant to acids, mud, abrasion, sunlight, saline water and heavy duty. These cables can be used both as communication cables and as power transmission cables.
Here are some types of marine cables currently available at Nassau Electrical which I will illustrate in this post:
1.Draka Cable BostrigThree Conductor Type L 15kV
Construction
This type of marine cable is constructed using a soft annealed tinned copper as a conductor. Copper is used as a conductor since it has the highest electrical conductivity rate compared to other readily available conductors which is an amazing property. It’s also easy to work with because it can be bent and cut with little effort.
The conductor has a shield covering which is a semi-conducting tape with an extruded thermosetting semi-conductor EPR. It also contains an extruded thermosetting EPR at 90C-TYPE E for insulation. The insulator is also not exceptional in terms of shielding because it has an extruded thermosetting semi-conducting XLPO which shields the insulator. On top of the insulation shield there is a metallic braided shield which offers maximum protection to the cable, it is composed of tinned copper braided shield with an 85% minimum coverage.
This cable also has a jacket which offers maximum protection to the conductor and insulator core from any form of external physical forces and damages which may occur during installation. It is flame retardant and halogen free. Chemically cross linked polyolefin is applied all over the cable core so that it can safely transmit up to 15000 volts through the three conductors.
Tests
The Draka Cable Bostrig cable has gone through all the basic wire tests. It is therefore approved of by international standards organizations because the tests are undertaken to confirm that the cable is safe for use for marine applications as per the standards.
It is always advisable to buy genuine products, products that are tested and considered safe to use by international standards. Products found at Nassau Electrical have been approved by various international standards. This type of marine cable has been approved by the Nationally Recognized Testing lab (NRTL). It also meets performance requirements of IEEE. It’s also approved by LRS, ABS and DNV.
It is always advisable to buy genuine products, products that are tested and considered safe to use by international standards. This marine cable and other cables available at Nassau Electrical have been approved by various international standards organizations such as NRTL, IEEE, LRS, ABS and DNV.
This cable is highly suitable for commercial marine applications and situations where flame retardant cables are needed.
2.Draka Cable Bostrig Type L Jacket 8kV Unarmored Cable
When it comes to construction this is also another cable which is similar to Draka Cable Bostrig above in many ways. Application areas are also same and has three conductors but carries 8000 volts instead of 15kv. Your choice will depend on the amount of power you need to get the job done.
3.Draka Cable Bostrig Type P VFD Power 2000V
This is a marine cable with a conductor which is made up of soft annealed tinned copper per ASTM B 33. A polyester tape separator is used over the conductor to provide optimal operating environment in any whether. Chemically cross-linked polyolefin is used as an insulator; the insulation is to keep any handler safe in case they may have come into contact with the cable when it is carrying power. This cable also has ground conductors whose purpose are to supply current from the switchboard to the inverter and finally to the motor.
If the cable is to be used between the inverter and the motor, a cable with less ground conductors can be used. In addition, type PVFD 2kv has a shielding which is braided tinned copper and aluminum polyester tape for 100% coverage. The cable also has a jacket which is flame retardant, in case of a fire breakout, the jacketing melts into an incombustible cover which keeps the conductor safe from the flame. The jacket used is a type N Neoprene. An optional armor may also be added which is often made of braided bronze.
Applications
This marine and offshore cable is designed mainly for use in variable frequency motor drives. It’s designedto mitigate the deleterious effects of high frequency current and presence of electromagnetic interference that may occur on the motor drive or the adjacent environment. This cable is highly resistant to abrasion, moisture, oil, vibration and sunlight. They are also advisable for use class 1, division 1 offshore applications. Its standard insulation has a consistent operating temperature of 125 degrees Celsius which allows for high ampacity levels, it also meets cold bend specifications of -40 degrees Celsius and a cold impact of -35 degrees Celsius hence superb performance in both high and low temperatures.
Approvals
As I had mentioned earlier it’s advisable to work with products which have been approved by international standards. This is enough proof to the consumer that the product is genuine. This cable is approved by the following standards:
1.ETL Listed Type OFNR
2.CSA FT4
3.RoHS Compliant Directive 2011/65/EU
With the above approvals you can be rest assured that the product is genuine and suitable for use.
Features
1.This cable is flame retardant.
2.Presence of high strand count conductors which provide great flexibility.
3.This product can be manufactured both unarmored or armored and sheathed versions.
4.A robust jacket that provides superb resistance to abrasion, moisture, sunlight and oil.
4.Kalas Wire Flat Multi Conductor Boat Cable 600 Volt.
This is yet another marine cable which uses an annealed bare or tinned copper as a conductor. It has PVC as an insulator and also a jacket. It can function in a temperature range of 105 degrees Celsius dry and 75 degrees Celsius in wet conditions. Special stranding and packaging are readily available upon the request of the consumer and it’s also UL listed hence it is approved by international standards for use. This type of marine cable is mainly used in pleasure crafts and custom designs.
5.Kalas Wire Multi Conductor 600 Volt PVC Insulated Round Boat Cable.
This is also another cable which is similar to Kalas Wire Flat Multi Conductor Boat Cable 600 Volt. The main difference is that this cable has twisted polypropylene filler with PVC as a jacket. This in turn provides more insulation than that in the former. The application areas are also similar since this cable is also used in pleasure crafts.
6.Kalas Wire Shore Power Cable 600 Volt PVC and TPE Flexible Cord Wire
Has a bare or tinned stranded conductor. In addition to a copper conductor it also has an insulator which is made of PVC. Covering the insulator is a PVC or TPE jacket in accordance to UL and CSA standards.
Features
1.Availability of non-wicking polypropylene, reinforced paper, and jute fillers available.
2.Availability of special stranding and packaging upon request of the consumer.
The cables application areas is in accordance with (NEC) National Electric Code
7.Prysmian and Draka Cable BFCU 0.6/1kV Power, Fire Resistant and Halogen free Cable
The conductor in the cable is made of a tinned stranded circular copper wire. A mica glass tape is installed as an insulator. Cores laid up in concentric layers are designed to shield the cable from external magnetic forces. In addition it also has an inner covering which is a rubber based compound and protects the cable from flames and halogens.
There is also polyamide tape covering the inner covering of the cable. Presence of galvanized steel wire braid as an armour or screen. The armor offers maximum protection to the cable against forces that may damage the cable. This marine cable is extremely robust since it has many layers offering protection to the inner conductor, there is also a polyamide tape covering the armour or screen. Presence of a thermoset compound as an outer sheath giving the cable maximum protection against oil, fire and halogens. The outer sheath is black in color.
It works best in applications where fire resistant cables are required, for lighting and power cable. It’s also mud resistant hence can be used in areas that are muddy.
8.Prysmian and Draka Cable BFCU(C) 250V Armored Cable.
This cable is almost similar in construction to the Prysmian and Draka Cable BFCU 0.6/1kV, the main difference is that a tinned flexible circular copper wire is used as a conductor instead of a stranded circular copper wire. There is also color coded cores twisted together to form a quad wrapped with polyester tape, these quads are collectively screened with an aluminum backed polyester tape with a tinned copper drained wire.
The outer sheath color can be grey or blue compared to the previous cable which is black. Its operating voltage is 250 volts.Can be used in communication, control and alarm systems where fire resistant cables are required.
9.Prysmian and Draka Cable RU 0.6/1kV Unarmored Power Cable
This is yet another special marine cable designed for light duty applications like on-board luxury boats. Like many other marine cables, it has an annealed copper conductor with great conductivity in both dry and wet environments. It’s highly flexible and cut be easily cut to fit your installation requirements. This cable has no inner sheath and no armour or screen. But has an outer sheath which is a thermoset compound. It can be used where no cable protection is required.
Certifications
Certifications on a product is one of the surest ways of gauging the quality of a product. When a product is certified by a trusted international standards organization it means that the product was tested in line with the procedures set by that organizations and gave a positive result; passed the test. When a cables passes these tests it means that the cable meets the quality standards for safety and quality. Many suppliers out there in the market sell products that are not certified and these products may not be safe for use. At Nassau Electrical we ensure that all our products are tested and certified to enhance your well-being as you use them. Our marine cables are approved by the following standards:
1.UL 1309- Marine Shipboard Cable Type X110
2.American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
3.Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (LRS)
4.Det Norske Veritas (DNV)
5.CSA 22.2 No. 245- Marine Shipboard Cable Type X110
6.Transport Canada Approved AMS400-20-2
7.ETL Listed Type OFNR