Fire is among the biggest risks in factories and other industrial environments, and most of them happen due to electrical faults. It is no surprise that numerous developments have been made to reduce or prevent fire incidents from the source. Indeed, instrumentation cable types have come a long way when it comes to their use, and the advances in their properties have made enormous progress in terms of safety.
Specifically, flame-retardant and fire-resistant cables are now being used increasingly because of their safety and usefulness in cases of fire. However, while these cables both sound similar, they have different uses and reactions in the event of a fire. Read on to learn more about how flame-retardant cables and fire-resistant cables differ from each other.
What are Flame-Retardant Cables?
The term “retardant” in the context of cables means that the material has undergone chemical treatment to self-extinguish. Hence, a flame-retardant cable is a type of cable that does not propagate or transport a flame as defined by the flame-retardant tests. Flame retardancy, which is also sometimes known as flammability, refers to how easily a fire can be caught by the plastic in a cable, whether it drips when a fire occurs, and whether those drops will flame.
An excellent flame-retardant material should be able to sit in a flame without ever catching fire. If the flame is of adequate intensity that the sheath or insulation of the cable unavoidably catches fire, the flame-retardant cable will self-extinguish once the flame source is eliminated. Although the term flame retardancy differs from fire resistance, flame-retardant materials can be found in flame-retardant and fire-resistant cables.
What are Fire-Resistant Cables?
In the context of cables, the term “resistant” means that the material is innately resistant to catching fire and does not drip or melt when directly exposed to extreme heat. When a cable has fire resistance, it will continue to operate normally even in the presence of lengthy fire for a particular time under defined conditions.
As such, fire-resistant cables are usually applied to critical electric circuits, such as life support circuits and safety circuits. These circuits work on energised to operate or energised to trip means and are required to function continuously, even in the case of emergencies. In other words, when a cable is defined as fire-resistant, it means that it has the capability to continue operating as normal within fire conditions without setting fire to its surroundings.
The Primary Difference
There are enormous differences between flame-retardant and fire-resistant cables. Ultimately, flame-retardant cables curb the spread of fire into a new area. In contrast, fire-resistant cables can maintain circuit integrity and continue working in the event of a fire for a specific time under defined conditions. In terms of application, fire-resistant cables are typically applied to critical circuits that must continuously operate during emergencies. In contrast, flame-retardant cables are applied to circuits other than critical ones.
Conclusion
Overall, flame-retardant and fire-resistant cables are utilised for the same eventuality (i.e., during a fire) but behave quite differently. However, despite their differences, no type of cable is better than the other. Investing in both cable types is important, as doing so will enhance the safety provided for everyone in factories and other industrial, commercial, and even residential environments. Investing in flame-retardant and fire-resistant cables is an absolute necessity for comprehensive fire safety.
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