What is BS EN 50577 – Fire resistance test for unprotected electric cables about?
BS EN 50577:2015 Electric cables. Fire resistance test for unprotected electric cables (P classification) is the UK implementation of EN 50577:2015.BS EN 50577:2015 specifies a test method to evaluate the maintenance of circuit integrity of electric cables which have intrinsic resistance to fire under fire conditions, in order to classify the electric cable according to EN 13501-3.
The test determines the survival time for circuit integrity of the electric cable when exposed to fire under the conditions of the EN 1363-1 standard time/temperature curve.
This European Standard is used in conjunction with EN 1363-1.This European Standard applies to electric power and control cables with rated voltage up to and including 600/1 000 V.The cable is tested in a standardized representative installation condition.The test does not assess the performance of the cable management system.This European Standard includes the field of direct application (Annex A) and rules for extended application of test results (EXAP) (Annex B).
The selection of cables to be tested for the classification of a family is given in Annex B. In case the selection of the cables does not comply with Annex B, the test results are only applicable to the tested cables.The purpose of this test is to evaluate the ability of an electric cable to maintain electrical circuit integrity during a defined time whilst exposed to fire under conditions of the EN 1363-1 standard time/temperature curve and when installed in a standardized representative condition.
The fire exposure conditions and general arrangement in this European Standard are similar to those given in prEN 1366-11 [1], developed by CEN/TC 127, and a future document on Cable management systems (CMS) for fire-resistant installations, to be developed by CLC/TC 213 [2]. Each of these standards has been developed under a Mode 4 cooperation between CEN/TC 127, CLC/TC 213, and CLC/TC 20. The test installation has been designed such that vertical and horizontal furnaces can be used to carry out the test.
The standardized representative condition can be arranged in the following configurations:
a) a “U” or “S” in the horizontal furnace;
b) a “U” and “S” in the horizontal furnace and
c) a “U” in the vertical furnace
Who is BS EN 50577 - Fire resistance test for unprotected electric cables for?
BS EN 50577 on test for unprotected electric cables is of relevance to:
- Electric cable manufacturers
- Electrical design engineers
- Test and Certification houses
