What Are Fire Rated Cables?
Fire-rated cables keep vital systems functioning during a fire due to their enhanced design. Unlike standard cables, they can withstand extreme heat while preventing the spread of flames. This ensures critical systems like emergency lighting, fire alarms, and ventilation continue to work when needed most.
Built with heat-resistant materials like mica tape and LSZH sheaths, these cables minimize toxic fumes and smoke. This helps protect people and keeps escape routes visible for safer evacuation. Fire-rated cables play a key role in fire safety by giving occupants more time to exit and allowing emergency services to respond more effectively.
Key Features of Fire Rated Cables
- Fire Resistance: Built to handle high temperatures and prevent fire spread, keeping circuits functional during emergencies.
- Low Smoke Emission: Designed to produce minimal smoke and toxic fumes, ensuring safer evacuation.
- Durable Construction: These cables use high-quality materials to deliver long-lasting performance and resist environmental factors.
- Compliant with Standards: Meets or exceeds fire safety regulations, ensuring reliable performance in critical settings.
Applications
- Commercial Buildings: Fire rated cables are ideal for offices, retail spaces, and public buildings where fire safety is a top priority. These buildings house critical systems like alarms and emergency lighting, which must stay operational for safe evacuation.
- Industrial Settings: Factories and manufacturing plants rely on fire rated cables for robust fire safety solutions in their machinery and electrical installations. These settings are often faced with increased fire risks due to the presence of heavy-duty equipment and flammable liquids/gases. Fire rated cables keep operations running, even during a fire.
- Residential Installations: Perfect for high-rise apartments, hotels, and any residential spaces where safety regulations mandate the use of fire-rated cables. These cables help to ensure that vital safety systems like alarms, ventilation, and emergency lighting continue to operate, allowing for a safe evacuation for residents.
Why Choose Fire Rated Cables?
- Reliability: Our trusted manufacturers rigorously test these products to ensure they meet the highest standards for fire safety and performance. This ensures optimal performance when it matters most.
- Expert Support: Our knowledgeable team is here to assist you in selecting the right fire-rated cables for your specific needs.
- Competitive Pricing: We offer high-quality fire-rated solutions at competitive prices, ensuring you get the best value for your investment.
Types Of Fire Rated Cables
To help you choose the right fire rated cable for your application, we will review the different types available. This will simplify your selection process and ensure you get the correct cable for your safety needs.
Enhanced Fire Rated Cables:
Enhanced fire rated cables feature additional insulation and protective materials, allowing circuits to function longer during a fire. They come in a variety of core sizes and configurations, as well as being suitable for internal and external installation.
If you need a 2 core enhanced cable a brilliant option is the Securi-Flex SFX/FC-2C-1.5-FR120-ENH-RED-100 | 2 Core 1.5mm Fire Resistant Cable 300/500V Red Enhanced FLAME-FLEX 120 (100m).
This cable stands out due to its construction. It features an LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) sheath and a Mylar shield for enhanced electrical and thermal insulation. MICA tape and extruded LSZH protect each core internally. These protective measures maintain circuit functionality for up to 120 minutes, aiding a safe evacuation process.
We also offer this in a 4 core variant with the Securi-Flex SFX/FC-4C-1.5-FR120-ENH-RED-100 | 4 Core 1.5mm Fire Resistant Cable 300/500V Red Enhanced FLAME-FLEX 120 (100m).
The 4-core option has the same insulation materials as the 2-core, allowing you to have up to 120 minutes of power in case of a fire.
These cables work best in larger buldings such as multi-floor apartment blocks and warehouses. Their longer lifespan during a fire helps ensure that proper safety procedures can be followed, even with many people present.
Standard Fire Rated Cables:
Standard fire rated cables maintain circuit integrity during a fire, ensuring critical systems like alarms and emergency lighting continue to operate. While their construction differs slightly from enhanced cables, they still feature high- performance insulation to withstand extreme temperatures. They are ideal for commercial, industrial, and residential installation as they provide reliable fire safety compliance.
A brilliant example is the Securi-Flex SFX/FC-2C-2.5-FR60-STD-WHT-100 | 2 Core 2.5mm Fire Rated Cable 300/500V White Standard FLAME-FLEX 60 (100m).
This cable offers precise engineering to protect both electrical circuits and building occupants. Solid bare copper forms each conductor, with heat-resistant silicon rubber providing insulation. An Al-pet shield and tinned copper drain wire protect against electrical interference, enhancing performance. Finally, the cable has an LSZH jacket due to its increased resistance to fire and its low smoke zero halogen qualities which enhances human safety in the case of a fire.
We also offer this in a 4 core variant but a different conductor size with the Securi-Flex SFX/FC-4C-1.5-FR60-STD-RED-100 | 4 Core 1.5mm Fire Rated Cable 300/500V Red Standard FLAME-FLEX 60 (100m). PLEASE NOTE: This image shows a 2-core cable.
The SFX/FC-4C-1.5-FR60-STD-RD-100 is constructed the same as the 2-core option but will provide you with increased connection options. It is a brilliant option for emergency lighting applications to add increased time of power output in the case of a fire. It provides up to 60 minutes of power in the case of a fire, suitable for smaller buildings that might have less safety procedures to evacuate personnel.
Choosing the Right Fire Rated Cable for Different Environments
Commercial Buildings
We recommend that you use enhanced fire rated cables for these buildings. This is because these buildings often have high foot traffic and essential safety systems like fire alarms and emergency lighting. Enhanced cables provide longer functionality during emergencies, ensuring reliable performance.
Industrial Settings
Either standard fire-rated cables or enhanced cables depending on the specific risks. Factories and manufacturing plants may face higher fire risks due to equipment and flammable materials. Enhanced cables are ideal for critical systems, while standard cables suffice for less critical applications.
Residential Installations
Standard fire-rated cables work well in these settings. Homes and small buildings require cables that meet safety regulations. Standard cables provide adequate protection for emergency lighting and alarms.
High-Rise Buildings
Enhanced fire-rated cables are essential for large hotels and flat/apartment blocks. These structures require reliable performance to ensure the safety of occupants. Enhanced cables provide the extended time needed for safe evacuation.
If you have any other questions regarding what cable will suit your needs better, Contact Us!
Conclusion
We hope this overview has helped you understand the critical safety features of fire-rated cables. Investing in these cables ensures the safety of building occupants and compliance with fire safety regulations. Whether for industrial, commercial, or residential use, these cables maintain essential electrical systems during emergencies, providing time for evacuation and reducing damage.
Our extensive range allows you to choose the right products confidently. Each solution undergoes rigorous testing to perform in demanding environments, ensuring reliable function when it matters most. With expert support and competitive pricing, we help you achieve enhanced safety, compliance, and long-lasting peace of mind for your electrical systems.
Remember, when you think electrical, think GoSparky!