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Grouping factors on multicore cables

Good afternoon learned colleagues.


Following on from my previous post about the use of 'YY' type cables, our esteemed client has stated that BS7671 does not have grouping factors for multicore cables.  Personally I beg to differ in that table 4C1 states that it is 'rating factors for....a group of circuits or a group of multicore cables....'  What's the hive mind opinion on that statement?


In our case, we have 4 x multicore cables, each carrying 3 circuits each so a total of 12 circuits.  Should we use the figures from the column headed '4' or headed '12'? 12 would give us the worst case, and in fact we are well inside even this figure by our calculations.


Also, the design current for these circuits is only 1.24A, so it is well under the figue of 0.3 x Cg x It at which point under Note 9 arguably all of these circuits could be ignored for grouping purposes anyway.  Do you agree with the vaidity of that argument?


We can park the 'YY' element of the argument for this discussion as the question would equally well apply to the use of a multicore SWA or Harmonised type cable - would you just use the total number of circuits involved from Table 4C1 or is there another method that should be used?


Thanks in advance.


Jason.


Parents
  • So expanding on these thought trains - the conductor operating temp for this cable is 90 degrees - so we have even more margin there.....


    An equivalent approach on the calcuations could be - assume that each 19-core multicore cable is fully loaded - 6 circuits in each so a total of 3.72A in each multicore.  Individual cores are 1.5mm2 so the total load is effetively carried across 9mm2 in each cable, and then we have 4 cables.  If we took a tabulated rating for a 6mm2 cable from 4F2A for flexible cables that gives us 55A.  Grouping factor for 4 cables from 4C1 is 0.8 for Method E so should be good for 44A total - a good factor of 10 away from the load current in this case.


    Is this a valid approach?


    Jason.


Reply
  • So expanding on these thought trains - the conductor operating temp for this cable is 90 degrees - so we have even more margin there.....


    An equivalent approach on the calcuations could be - assume that each 19-core multicore cable is fully loaded - 6 circuits in each so a total of 3.72A in each multicore.  Individual cores are 1.5mm2 so the total load is effetively carried across 9mm2 in each cable, and then we have 4 cables.  If we took a tabulated rating for a 6mm2 cable from 4F2A for flexible cables that gives us 55A.  Grouping factor for 4 cables from 4C1 is 0.8 for Method E so should be good for 44A total - a good factor of 10 away from the load current in this case.


    Is this a valid approach?


    Jason.


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