6/30/2019 Guide to Lighting and Power cables - The Engineering Mindset :: Reader View

theengineeringmindset.com

Guide to Lighting and Power cables - The Engineering

Mindset
Paul Evanshttp://www.TheEngineeringMindset.com

5-7 minutes

In order for us to be able to use our lights and appliances we need to connect them to the main power

supply. We will discuss the different types of cables in this post and their typical application.

The fixed wiring which runs through the walls/ceilings between the fixture and the power supply is

refereed to as “cable” whereas the wire used to connect portable appliances such as lamps etc. to a wall

socket is refereed to as “flex” or “flex cable”.

Cables are flat with curved sides and have 2-4 cores within them. Flex (flexible cable) is circular with 2-3

cores within.

Cable cross sectional view

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Flex cross sectional view

The separated copper wires inside the cable/flex are referred to as cores. Each of the cores (except the

earth core in cables) are covered in a colour coded PVC insulation which provides protection and allows

easy identification. (A green and yellow insulating sleeve is pulled over the exposed earth core during

the installation of the cable) The cores are then all surrounded by a final layer of PVC insulation, called a

sheath, which is usually grey or white.

The colour of the cores was changed in March 2006 to align it with the requirements of the European

Union. The old colours were

Red – Live

Black – Neutral

These have been replaced with the following colours

Brown – Live

Blue – Neutral

It is important to remember that you will often see a mixture of the new and old style colour coding in

buildings of pre-2006 construction.

Cables come in different sizes, the size refers to the cross sectional area of the cores and this will vary

depending on the amount of current flowing through them. A cable with 2.5mm2 cores is typically used

for power circuits and a cable with 1mm2 cores is typically used for lighting circuits.

Single Phase Power cables

Two core and earth cable:  This cable connects the consumer unit (fuse box) to the power outlet

sockets and carries the electricity to appliances which are plugged in to the circuit. The cable has three

cores, a live core, a neutral core and the earth core. The live and neutral cores are insulated and carry

the current to and from the outlet socket. The earth or earth continuity conductor (ECC) is not insulated,

except for the outer sheath, and provides a path for the current to flow to ground should a fault develop.

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Two core and earth cable – new colours

Two core and earth cable – old colours

Three core flex: This type of cable is used to connect appliances such as lamps or extension cables to

the power outlet sockets. The flex cable (flexible cord/cable) has three cores being Live, Earth and

Neutral. Each of the cores is insulated with a layer of colour coded PVC, all three cores are then

surrounded by an additional outer PVC layer known as the sheath.

Three core flex

Two core flex: This type of cable is used to connect small appliances which are double insulated and

need no earth. The cable only has two cores being live and neutral. As this is flex cable it will be of

circular shape with an outer sheath and two colour coded PVC insulated cores.

Two core flex

 Three Phase Power Cables

Three phase and neutral: typically you wouldn’t find three phase cables on domestic properties unless

they are extremely large, but you will commonly find these in industrial and high rise buildings as they

can supply much more power that a single phase cable. The three phase cables are usually circular and

contain 4 cores with 3 of these being live and 1 being neutral. Each of the cores is covered in a colour

coded PVC insulation and then grouped together and covered in a layer known as the sheath (inner

sheath) this is then surrounded by a layer of twisted galvanised steel wire which has a dual purpose of

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providing armoured protection as well as acting as the Circuit Protective Conductor (CPC). The

armoured layer is then covered in an additional layer of PVC insulation which protects the armour from

rust.

Three phase and neutral cable – new colour coding

Three phase and neutral cable – old colour coding

The colour of the three phase cores was changed to align it with  the requirements of the European

Union. The old colours were

Black – Neutral

Blue – Live (L3)

Yellow – Live (L2)

Red – Live (L1)

These have been replaced with the following colours

Blue – Neutral

Grey – Live (L3)

Black – Live (L2)

Brown – Live (L1)

It is important to remember that you will often see a mixture of the new and old style colour coding

in  commercial and industrial buildings although there should be a warning sticker as well as phase

labeling.

Lighting Cables

Three core and earth cable: This type of cable is used for wiring two way light switches. The cable

consists of 4 cores with 1 being the neutral and the other three potentially being live depending on the

way the lighting circuit is designed and what position the switches are in. Each of the cores (except the

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earth) is covered in a layer of colour coded PVC insulation to allow identification, these cores are then

covered in an outer layer of PVC known as the sheath.

Three core and earth cable new colours

Three core and earth old colours

Two core flex: This type of cable is used for wiring light fittings with plastic lamp holders which do not

require an earth. The cable only has two cores being live and neutral. As this is flex cable it will be of

circular shape with an outer sheath and two colour coded PVC insulated cores.

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