4+1 Core 4*16mm² + 1*10mm² Copper Power Cable ZR-YJV XLPE Flame Retardant 0.6/1kV

Cable Designation & Meaning

ZR-YJV 4×16+1×10 mm² — Cable Specification & Engineering Data

1. Product Overview & Rating Summary. ZR-YJV 4×16+1×10 is the next size up in the flame-retardant 4+1-core low-voltage family: four 16 mm² annealed copper phase conductors encircle a central 10 mm² copper neutral/PE core, each insulated in XLPE and covered by one ST2 PVC oversheath rated for 0.6/1 kV at 50 Hz. Manufacturing and type testing follow GB/T 12706.1 / IEC 60502-1, conductor stranding meets GB/T 3956, and the ZR marking denotes class ZC flame retardance under GB/T 19666. The finished diameter is about 21 mm and the nominal mass is 870 kg/km in copper (450 kg/km for the aluminium YJLV equivalent), with standard supply in 100 m coils or small wooden drums using ≥ Ø 800 mm flanges — roughly 87 kg per 100 m.

2. Layer-by-Layer Construction (Conductor to Jacket).

3. Electrical Characteristics. The four 16 mm² phase conductors carry a maximum DC resistance of 1.15 Ω/km at 20 °C, rising to roughly 1.46 Ω/km at the 90 °C operating point; the 10 mm² neutral/PE is capped at 1.83 Ω/km. Every production length passes the routine 3.5 kV AC power-frequency proof for five minutes without breakdown. Insulation resistance stays above 36.7 MΩ·km, XLPE volume resistivity exceeds 1×10¹² Ω·cm, and typical values include capacitance ≤ 0.50 μF/km, inductance ≈ 0.33 mH/km and 50 Hz AC impedance ≈ 1.15 Ω/km. On a one-second short circuit each 16 mm² phase can withstand about 1.84 kA (the 10 mm² neutral on a 1.15 kA basis), using I = k·A/√t with k = 115 for copper/XLPE. With all four phase cores energised, reference loading is 85 A in free air at 25 °C and 72 A directly buried at 25 °C — engineering estimates that should be confirmed against the factory test certificate.

Electrical Parameters

Cable Parameters

Cable Cross Section Structure

4. Thermal Response & Flame Performance. XLPE supports a 90 °C continuous conductor temperature and a 250 °C short-circuit peak for up to five seconds. The cable is rated for service ambients between −20 and +45 °C, must not be laid below 0 °C without pre-warming, and uses 25 °C as the reference soil temperature for buried ratings. Flame behaviour meets class ZC of GB/T 19666, demonstrated by both the single-cable vertical test (GB/T 18380.12) and the category-C bunched test (GB/T 18380.35) with char height limited to 2.5 m. Because the PVC jacket is halogenated, it will produce smoke and acid gas in a fire; projects requiring low-smoke zero-halogen performance must specify WDZ-YJY.

5. Installation Practice & Handling. Bends must not fall below 15 times the actual outer diameter — about 315 mm for this size. Prior to first energisation, apply the DC site withstand at 4U0 = 2.4 kV for 15 minutes in line with Q/GDW 13244.1-2018. Drums held in cold storage below 0 °C must be conditioned indoors before uncoiling; pulling tension should stay within 2560 N. The 85 A (air) and 72 A (buried) figures require derating whenever ambient temperature, cable grouping or soil thermal resistivity deviates from reference conditions. Crimp lugs, glands and heat-shrink termination kits must be matched to the 5.4 mm phase core, 3.8 mm neutral core and ≈ 21 mm jacket, and both phase and neutral short-circuit withstand should be coordinated with upstream protective settings.

6. Typical Service Applications. This cross-section serves medium-duty branch and equipment circuits: sub-main feeds in commercial buildings, equipment power leads, motor connections in the 7–22 kW range, lighting and socket distribution panels, workshop and laboratory circuits, control panel feeds, and auxiliary power in light-industrial installations. Approved installation methods include steel or PVC conduit, cable trunking, tray and indoor ducting, both indoors and in covered outdoor locations. For direct burial or mechanically exposed routing, the steel-tape armoured ZR-YJV22 variant is recommended.

7. Testing & Quality Assurance Regime. Routine tests on every length include phase and neutral DC resistance verification (≤ 1.15 / 1.83 Ω/km at 20 °C), the 3.5 kV AC / 5 min withstand, conductor continuity across all five cores and dimensional inspection covering phase and neutral insulation ≥ 1.0 mm, sheath ≥ 1.4 mm and overall diameter ≈ 21 mm. Sample and type tests comprise the XLPE hot-set trial at 200 ± 3 °C for 15 minutes under 0.2 MPa (load elongation ≤ 175 %, permanent set ≤ 15 %), XLPE tensile ≥ 12.5 MPa with elongation ≥ 200 %, PVC sheath tensile ≥ 10 MPa with elongation ≥ 125 %, PVC thermal stability ≥ 200 minutes at 200 °C, single-cable and category-C bunched flame trials, and bending assessment. Commissioning on site requires insulation-resistance measurement, the DC 2.4 kV / 15 min withstand and positive L1/L2/L3/N/PE identification before switching. A factory test certificate accompanies each drum.

Flame Retardant Parameters

Insulation Parameters

8. Standards & Conformity. Design and production are governed by GB/T 12706.1 and IEC 60502-1 for 0.6/1 kV extruded-insulation power cables. Conductors satisfy GB/T 3956 / IEC 60228 Class 2 — the 16 mm² phase as seven wires of 1.70 mm with R ≤ 1.15 Ω/km, and the 10 mm² neutral as seven wires of 1.35 mm with R ≤ 1.83 Ω/km. Flame retardance is classified under GB/T 19666 (ZC as the default for the ZR marking) and proven by GB/T 18380.12 and GB/T 18380.35 category C. Installation acceptance follows Q/GDW 13244.1-2018 and GB 50168, while surface marking complies with GB/T 6995. Cables can also be supplied to IEC, BS, DIN, ICEA or JIS requirements on request. Note that the ST2 PVC jacket contains halogen — for tunnels, metro systems, hospitals and other confined public areas, WDZ-YJY is the appropriate specification.

9. Packaging, Storage & Logistics. Standard delivery is 100 m per coil or small wooden drum, with bespoke cut lengths available on request. Each drum carries type, voltage, supplier identity, production year and sequential metre marking per GB/T 6995. Storage should be in dry, covered premises at −20 to +45 °C, shielded from direct sunlight, moisture, oils and sharp objects; coils and drums remain sealed until installation and are stored upright on their flanges rather than flat. In cold conditions, condition drums indoors to ≥ 0 °C before pulling. During transit, coils and drums must be secured against rolling and impact, and the cable must never be dragged across abrasive ground or sharp edges.

10. Procurement Specification. State "ZR-YJV 0.6/1 kV 4×16+1×10" together with the required length or drum arrangement and marking preferences. Specify the flame-retardant class (ZC is standard; ZA or ZB available), jacket colour and any special drum requirements. Always request the factory test certificate to confirm the actual unarmoured diameter (≈ 21 mm), weight (≈ 870 kg/km) and ampacity for the production batch. Where low-smoke zero-halogen or armoured construction is needed, order WDZ-YJY or ZR-YJV22 respectively.

11. Cable Industry FAQ.

• Q1: How does 4×16+1×10 differ from the smaller 4×10+1×6? The phase area grows from 10 to 16 mm² (conductor from 7×1.35 to 7×1.70 mm) and the neutral from 6 to 10 mm² (7×1.08 to 7×1.35 mm), which raises the rated current from about 65/55 A to 85/72 A, increases the finished diameter from 18 to 21 mm, and lifts the one-second phase short-circuit withstand from about 1.15 to 1.84 kA.
• Q2: Why is the neutral/PE only 10 mm² when the phases are 16 mm²? In a balanced four-wire circuit the neutral carries mainly unbalance and harmonic current, so GB/T 12706.1 permits a reduced core in the 4+1 construction. Where the installation serves substantial single-phase or non-linear, harmonic-generating loads, an equal-section 5-core cable (4×16+1×16) should be chosen.
• Q3: What do ZA, ZB, ZC and ZD mean? These are flame-retardant classes in GB/T 19666, assessed through the bunched-cable test GB/T 18380.35 at progressively higher fuel loads — ZA is the most demanding, ZD the least. The bare "ZR" marking defaults to ZC; ZA and ZB must be requested at ordering.
• Q4: When should a 4+1, equal 5-core, or plain 4-core cable be selected? Choose 4+1 for standard four-wire service with a reduced neutral/PE; equal 5-core (4×A+1×A) where neutral current is expected to approach phase current; plain 4-core when no separate PE conductor is required in the cable.
• Q5: Why do air and buried ratings differ, and how are they adjusted? Published figures assume 25 °C air or 25 °C soil at 1.0 K·m/W thermal resistivity with a single circuit. Manufacturer correction factors must be applied for ambient temperature, grouping, burial depth and soil resistivity — air factors range from about 1.29 at 20 °C down to 0.91 at 45 °C, and soil factors from 1.04 at 20 °C to 0.87 at 40 °C.
• Q6: Copper or aluminium? Copper (this cable) delivers lower resistance (1.15 versus roughly 1.91 Ω/km at 16 mm²), higher current per mm², better mechanical strength and more dependable terminations; aluminium (YJLV, ≈ 450 kg/km in this size) costs less and weighs less but requires larger cross-sections and anti-oxidation treatment at every joint.
• Q7: Why can XLPE run at 90 °C while PVC insulation is limited to 70 °C? Cross-linking transforms polyethylene into a three-dimensional thermoset network, which raises the continuous conductor rating to 90 °C and the short-circuit withstand to 250 °C — directly increasing the ampacity available from a given copper area.
• Q8: How is the conductor cross-section chosen? Selection is governed by (a) full-load current after derating, (b) permissible voltage drop (typically ≤ 5 % for branch circuits), (c) short-circuit withstand on an I²t basis (1.84 kA·s per phase here), and (d) coordination with overcurrent protective devices; the most stringent criterion controls.
• Q9: Why does finished diameter vary between manufacturers for the same nominal size? Standards set minimum insulation and sheath thicknesses plus electrical performance, but not a precise overall diameter. Stranding compaction, filler design and sheath tolerance differ between plants — published 4×16+1×10 figures cluster around 21 mm unarmoured — so the actual measured diameter must always be used when sizing glands, trays and conduits.
• Q10: Which tests confirm acceptability on delivery and before energisation? At delivery, verify the factory test certificate (resistance 1.15/1.83 Ω/km, 3.5 kV/5 min withstand, dimensions ≈ 21 mm), jacket legibility and drum integrity. After installation, complete an insulation-resistance test plus the DC 4U0 = 2.4 kV / 15 min withstand per Q/GDW 13244.1-2018, then confirm L1/L2/L3/N/PE identification before closing the breaker.
• Q11: What service life can be expected? When installed and operated within the stated temperature and voltage limits, XLPE 0.6/1 kV cables are designed for a minimum service life of 30 years; sustained overload, ultraviolet exposure, water ingress through a damaged sheath, or operation above 90 °C will materially shorten that life.