Cables for Transportable & Portable Equipment

Transportable and portable electrical equipment shall have cables with a heavy polychloroprene or other equivalent synthetic elastomeric sheath, cables with a heavy tough rubber sheath, or cables having an equally robust construction. The conductors shall be stranded and shall have a minimum cross-sectional area of 1.0 mm2. If a protective earthing (PE) conductor is necessary; it shall be separately insulated in a manner similar to the other conductors and shall be incorporated within the supply cable sheath.

If, for transportable and portable electrical equipment, a metallic flexible armour or screen is incorporated in the cable, this shall not be used as the only protective conductor. The cable shall be suitable for the circuit protective arrangements, e.g. where earth monitoring is used, the necessary number of conductors shall be included. Where the equipment needs to be earthed, the cable may include an earthed flexible metallic screen in addition to the PE conductor.

Portable electrical equipment with rated voltage not exceeding 250 V to earth and with rated current not exceeding 6 A may have cables:

• With an ordinary polychloroprene or other equivalent synthetic elastomeric sheath,
• With an ordinary tough rubber sheath, or
• With an equally robust construction.

These cables are not admissible for portable electrical equipment exposed to heavy mechanical stresses, for example hand-lamps, foot-switches, barrel pumps, etc.

HEAVY DUTY SHEATH – ROBUST CONSTRUCTION

1.0mm squ minimum size

Earth conductor – if necessary incorporated within sheath Flexible armour not sole CPC

Portable equipment - 250v and not exceeding 6A

Ordinary polychloroprene, rubber or synthetic elastomeric cable Not allowed where exposed to heavy mechanical stress, for example hand lamps, barrel pumps, etc.