| PVC/PVC, unarmoured | Annealed stranded copper conductors with PVC insulation and a PVC outer sheath. Common conductor sizes include 0.5 mm², 0.75 mm², 1.0 mm², and 1.5 mm². | Individual pairs or triads may use an aluminium/polyester tape screen with a drain wire. Usually supplied without an external armour layer. | Typically 300/500 V or 500/500 V | Commonly about −20°C to +70°C for normal operation, subject to the declared cable design. | Standard PVC provides good general-purpose flame performance but produces acidic gases and dense smoke when burning. It is not normally considered low-smoke zero-halogen. | Indoor control rooms, protected industrial areas, building services, and general instrumentation routes with low mechanical risk. | Cost-effective and easy to terminate. Avoid prolonged outdoor exposure, high heat, oil contact, or locations requiring low-smoke zero-halogen performance unless the specific sheath is approved for those conditions. |
| PE/PVC, unarmoured | Copper conductors with polyethylene insulation and a PVC outer sheath. Polyethylene offers low dielectric loss and stable insulation properties. | May be individually screened or collectively screened with aluminium/polyester tape and drain wire. Usually has no armour. | Typically 300/500 V or 500/500 V | Commonly about −20°C to +70°C, depending on insulation and sheath materials. | The PVC sheath generally has conventional halogen-containing combustion characteristics unless a special low-smoke sheath is specified. | Analogue signal circuits, low-level measurement, process control, and systems where low capacitance and signal integrity are important. | PE insulation can provide lower capacitance than many PVC constructions, which may benefit sensitive signals. It is less suitable where low-smoke zero-halogen requirements apply unless specifically designed for that purpose. |
| XLPE/PVC, unarmoured | Copper conductors with cross-linked polyethylene insulation and a PVC sheath. XLPE provides improved thermal capability compared with standard PVC insulation. | Pair, triad, or collective screening may be used for electromagnetic interference control. Armour is generally omitted where mechanical protection is not required. | Typically 300/500 V or 500/500 V | Commonly up to about +90°C conductor operating temperature, subject to the cable design and installation conditions. | PVC-sheathed versions normally produce halogen-containing gases and smoke during fire. A low-smoke zero-halogen sheath must be separately specified. | Higher-temperature process areas, control systems with elevated ambient temperatures, and installations requiring improved thermal margin. | Check the complete cable rating, not only the XLPE insulation rating. Termination temperature limits, current capacity, bending radius, and sheath compatibility remain important. |
| LSZH insulated and sheathed | Copper conductors with low-smoke zero-halogen insulation and sheath compounds. Exact compound performance varies by cable construction. | Common options include individual pair or triad screens, overall screens, and optional bedding layers. Armour may be added where required. | Commonly 300/500 V or 500/500 V | Often approximately −20°C to +70°C or +90°C, depending on the selected compound. | Designed to limit smoke emission and corrosive halogen gases during fire. Fire performance must be confirmed against the declared test standards; LSZH does not automatically mean fire-resisting. | Control rooms, tunnels, transport infrastructure, public buildings, offshore facilities, and areas with strict smoke and toxicity requirements. | Usually costs more than conventional PVC. Verify flame propagation, smoke density, halogen-acid gas, oxygen index, and mechanical performance separately. |
| PVC or LSZH, individually screened pairs/triads | The insulation and outer sheath may be PVC, LSZH, PE, or XLPE. Each pair or triad has its own metallic screen to reduce cross-talk and external interference. | Aluminium/polyester tape with a tinned copper drain wire is common. Individual screening can be combined with an overall screen. | Typically 300/500 V or 500/500 V | Determined by the lowest-rated insulation, screen, sheath, and accessory component. | Depends on the insulation and sheath compound. Individually screened PVC cables are not LSZH unless all relevant polymeric materials meet the required LSZH specification. | Multi-channel analogue signals, thermocouple circuits, low-level sensor signals, and installations where pair-to-pair interference must be controlled. | Offers better circuit separation than an overall screen alone, but increases cable diameter, weight, cost, and termination time. |
| Overall screened instrumentation cable | Copper conductors with PVC, PE, XLPE, or LSZH insulation and a compatible outer sheath. | A single metallic screen surrounds the complete assembly, commonly using aluminium/polyester tape and a drain wire. Individual pair screens may not be included. | Typically 300/500 V or 500/500 V | Normally about −20°C to +70°C or +90°C, depending on the insulation and sheath materials. | Fire and smoke behaviour is determined by the polymeric materials and any additional fire-performance construction. | General process control, digital signals, non-critical analogue circuits, and installations with moderate electromagnetic interference exposure. | More compact and economical than individually screened designs. It may provide less protection against interaction between circuits within the same cable. |
| Armoured instrumentation cable | Conductors with PVC, PE, XLPE, or LSZH insulation and a suitable inner sheath or bedding. Copper conductors are commonly used for signal and control circuits. | Galvanised steel wire armour or steel tape armour provides mechanical protection. An overall screen may be included beneath the armour. | Typically 300/500 V or 500/500 V | Commonly about −20°C to +70°C or +90°C, depending on the complete design. | Armour does not by itself provide LSZH or fire-resisting performance. The sheath and insulation must be selected for the required fire behaviour. | Outdoor routes, industrial plants, cable trays, areas exposed to impact, and installations where additional mechanical protection is needed. | Provides improved mechanical protection and may support earth continuity when correctly designed and terminated. It is heavier, less flexible, and requires compatible glands and bonding arrangements. |
| Fire-resistant instrumentation cable | Copper conductors with mineral, mica-based, ceramic-forming, or other fire-resistant insulation systems, depending on the design. | May include metallic screen, fire-resistant bedding, armour, and a protective outer sheath. Construction must maintain circuit integrity for the specified test duration. | Often 300/500 V or 500/500 V; verify the declared rating | Normal operating temperature and fire-survival temperature are separate values. The fire-survival duration must be stated by the applicable test classification. | Intended to maintain circuit integrity during fire for a defined period. Fire resistance does not automatically guarantee low smoke, low toxicity, or resistance to water spray. | Emergency shutdown, fire and gas systems, critical alarms, essential control circuits, and life-safety installations. | Specify the required fire-resistance duration, mechanical shock, water exposure, circuit voltage, support system, and installation method. Cable accessories must have compatible fire-performance approval. |
| Thermocouple extension or compensating cable | Uses conductor alloys selected to match the relevant thermocouple type or its compensating characteristics. Insulation and sheath may be PVC, fluoropolymer, glass braid, or LSZH compounds. | May be twisted, individually screened, or overall screened. Armour can be added for mechanical protection, but must not compromise polarity identification or termination. | Usually specified by the cable design rather than a general power-cable rating | Depends strongly on the conductor alloy and insulation system; high-temperature versions may use fluoropolymer or glass-fibre components. | Depends on the selected insulation and sheath. LSZH and fire-resistant options are available but must be explicitly specified. | Temperature measurement circuits connecting thermocouples to transmitters, junction boxes, or control equipment. | Match the cable to the thermocouple type and extension or compensating classification. Observe polarity, reference-junction requirements, screening practice, and maximum ambient temperature. |
