Yellow Green BV 2.5mm² Ground Earth Wire PVC Insulated Copper Cable

Cable Designation & Meaning

Construction: Plain copper conductor (solid or stranded), PVC insulation, single-core non-sheathed building wire.

Applicable Standards

• GB/T 5023-2008 / IEC 60227 — Polyvinyl chloride insulated cables of rated voltages up to and including 450/750 V
• GB/T 3956 / IEC 60228 — Conductors (Class 1 solid or Class 2 stranded, copper)
• GB/T 18380 / IEC 60332 — Flame retardant tests
• GB/T 2951 / IEC 60811 — Insulating and sheathing materials — Common test methods

BV-2.5 mm² (green-yellow striped, PE protective earth — IEC 60446 / GB 7947) — Copper PVC-Insulated Building Wire Specification & Engineering Data 

1. Product Overview & Rating Summary. BV-2.5 (green-yellow striped) is the standard Chinese copper PVC-insulated building wire rated 450/750 V AC for interior fixed wiring, built and tested per GB/T 5023 / JB/T 8734. This is the IEC 60446 / GB 7947 standard PE (protective earth) conductor colour — green-yellow diagonal stripes. Unlike solid green (used for specific bonding applications), green-yellow striped is reserved EXCLUSIVELY for protective earthing and must never be used for phase, neutral, or control circuits. Finished diameter is about 3.6 mm, mass about 22 kg/km, supplied in 100 m coils.

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

3. Electrical Characteristics. The 2.5 mm² conductor is a solid 1.78 mm annealed copper wire (Class 1, not stranded), giving a maximum DC resistance of 7.41 Ω/km at 20 °C. Routine proof is 2.0 kV AC / 5 minutes. Insulation resistance ≥ 0.011 MΩ·km. With the single core in free air at 30 °C, reference loading is about 24 A; in conduit with three grouped cores, the rating derates to about 19 A. For PE circuits, low loop resistance is critical to ensure protective devices operate during earth faults. Conductor loss at 24 A is about 4.3 W per metre at 70 °C.

Insulation Data

Electrical Parameters

Reference values: 2.5 mm² Cu at 24 A, single-phase 230 V → max load ≈ 5.5 kW. Voltage drop at 24 A ≈ 17.8 V/km per core (≈0.78% per 10 m at 230 V).

Temperature Characteristics

4. Thermal Response & Flame Behaviour. PVC insulation sustains a 70 °C continuous conductor temperature, with short-circuit capability up to 160 °C for ≤ 5 s. The cable is rated for service ambients between 0 °C and +70 °C and must not be installed below 0 °C (PVC becomes brittle). It is flame-retardant to GB/T 18380 / IEC 60332-1 (self-extinguishing). PVC contains halogen — not halogen-free; for low-smoke halogen-free earthing in public buildings, use WDZ-BYJ (also green-yellow striped) instead.

Fire Performance (BV — Standard)

5. Installation Practice & Handling. Minimum bend radius is 4 × OD (≈ 14 mm) for fixed installation. The solid conductor is rigid and designed for fixed installation only. Install inside conduit, trunking, or wall conduit — do not leave exposed outdoors. Use earth lugs / socket PE terminals for low-resistance bonding. CRITICAL: green-yellow striped is PE ONLY — never use for phase, neutral, or control. Laying temperature must not fall below 0 °C.

Mechanical & Installation Parameters

6. Typical Service Applications. This green-yellow BV-2.5 is the standard PE wire for: PE protective earthing, socket outlet earth terminals, distribution board PE busbar, equipment metal casing grounding, cable armour earthing, earth fault return path. Unlike solid green (used for specific bonding), green-yellow striped is the internationally recognised PE conductor — used for socket outlet earth terminals, distribution board PE bars, and equipment metal casing grounding. It is installed inside conduit or trunking — never outdoors.

7. Testing & Quality Assurance Regime. Routine tests on every coil include conductor DC resistance ≤ 7.41 Ω/km at 20 °C, the 2.0 kV AC / 5 min withstand, dimensional check (insulation ≥ 0.8 mm; OD ≈ 3.6 mm), and visual marking. Type tests include heat ageing (100 °C / 168 h), cold bend at 0 °C, heat shock at 150 °C, flame retardancy per GB/T 18380 / IEC 60332-1, insulation resistance, conductor continuity, and colour check (green-yellow striped per IEC 60446).

The Wire Parameters

The Wire Test Parameters

The Wire Cross Section Structure

Construction Description

8. Company Display

9. Packaging, Storage & Logistics. Standard delivery is 100 m per coil. Each coil carries continuous marking: BV, 2.5 mm², 450/750 V, GB/T 5023, supplier identity, production year, and sequential metre marks. Storage should be in dry, indoor premises at 0 to +40 °C, protected from UV and moisture.

10. Procurement Specification. State "BV-2.5 mm² green-yellow, 450/750 V" together with the required length. Always install inside conduit or trunking — never outdoors. For low-smoke halogen-free earthing in public buildings, specify WDZ-BYJ-2.5 green-yellow instead. Do not use green-yellow striped for any purpose other than PE protective earth. Use earth lugs / socket PE terminals for low-resistance

bonding.

11. Cable Industry FAQ.

• Q1: Why is green-yellow striped used for PE? The green-yellow diagonal stripe is the internationally recognised PE (protective earth) conductor colour per IEC 60446 / GB 7947. It provides unmistakable visual identification — you can always tell the earthing wire apart from phase and neutral conductors.
• Q2: What is the difference between green and green-yellow striped? Green-yellow striped is the IEC-standard PE conductor — reserved EXCLUSIVELY for protective earthing. Solid green may be used for specific bonding or earthing applications per local codes, but it is not the standard PE colour.
• Q3: Can I use green-yellow striped as a neutral? NO — absolutely not. Green-yellow striped is reserved for PE protective earth only. Using it as a neutral or phase conductor is a serious safety violation.
• Q4: What happens if I misidentify PE as a phase? If PE is accidentally used as a live conductor, the metal casing of electrical equipment will become live during an earth fault. The green-yellow stripe prevents this.
• Q5: What size PE conductor do I need? For 2.5 mm² phase conductors, the PE conductor may be the same size (2.5 mm²) if mechanically protected, or 4 mm² if unprotected. For larger phase conductors, see GB 16895 / IEC 60364-5-54.
• Q6: Can green-yellow striped be used for signal earthing? Yes — it is commonly used for equipment metal casing grounding and signal reference earthing.
• Q7: Why use solid copper instead of stranded? Solid copper (Class 1) is cheaper, stiffer, and ideal for fixed installation in conduit and trunking. It should not be flexed repeatedly — for flexing applications, use BVR (stranded flexible).
• Q8: Can BV be used outdoors? No — BV is designed for indoor dry locations only. The PVC insulation is not UV-resistant and will degrade when exposed to sunlight.
• Q9: What is the earth fault loop impedance? The PE conductor must have sufficiently low resistance to ensure the protective device (MCB/RCD) operates within the required time during an earth fault. This is calculated per GB 16895 / IEC 60364.
• Q10: What is the difference between PE and neutral? Neutral (blue) carries current under normal balanced conditions. PE (green-yellow) carries NO current under normal conditions — it only carries fault current during an earth fault. They must never be connected together.
• Q11: What earth lug should I use? Use standard copper earth lugs (crimp or screw type) sized for 2.5 mm² solid conductor. Ensure the lug is tightened to the correct torque and protected from corrosion.