This article will guide to buy the truly low smoke halogen free cable, which is fully compliant with IEC standards and ultimately offers maximum safety and assurance in application. Awareness of the impact of smoke and harmful gases emitted during a fire has led to a growing demand for an alternative to more traditional plastic halogenated cable constructions.
Although low smoke and flume cables are commonplace, however, in the event of a fiber, these cables can still release toxic and corrosive gases. In the next text, we will tell you the difference between low smoke non halogen or low smoke and halogen:
It is true to state that a cable can have low smoke characteristics so that in the event of a fire, it will not release the dense smoke plumes seen with a traditional PVC cable. However, cable can be low smoke and fume and yet still release toxic and corrosive gases when ignited. Despite its low smoke generation, this classification of cable, commonly known as LSF (Low Smoke and Fume) still typically contains PVC based compounds, making it exempt from halogen free compliance.
The fact is cables which have PVC in their insulation or cable jacket are not compliant and cannot be deemed to low smoke non halogen. If they contain PVC, they are not halogen-free.
Stringent fire requirements, environmental concerns and new legislation have resulted in an increased demand for both low smoke and low smoke non halogen cables. This increase in demand has also led to a growth in the number of cable manufacturers and suppliers in the market.
A low smoke cable and a low smoke non halogen cable are often confused people as a multitude of cables available and the industrial abbreviations used to describe them. Whilst a low smoke cable is acceptable in some industries and applications, for maximum safety, fully compliant low smoke non halogen cable from a reputable cable manufacturer is recommended. A high performance low smoke non halogen cable can bring benefits in addition to compliance, particularity in the case of flame retardants which is vital to help prevent the spread of fire.
Conformity to the IEC standard 60332-1-2 is a fundamental requirement for flame retardants for communications cables whether halogenated or not; however, superior quality Low Smoke Non Halogen cables can achieve a higher rating to the IEC standard 60332-3-24. Superior flame retardancy to reduce the spread of fire, wider operating temperatures for confident use in varying temperature applications and improved tensile strength for durability can all be achieved from a premium quality cable designed for total reliability and safety.
Reputable fiber optic cable supplier will build these additional benefits into their cable design and manufacturing processes. Process capability does not necessarily bring process stability, consistent manufacturing quality is vital for assured performance and Flame Retardant Low Smoke Non Halogen compliance.