PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 PE/CAM/PVC Instrumentation Cable

What is PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 PE/CAM/PVC Cable?

The PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 PE/CAM/PVC cable is a low-voltage, unarmoured, collectively screened multi-element communication and instrumentation cable featuring plain copper conductors, Polyethylene (PE) insulation, a collective Aluminium/Polyester tape (Al/PET) electrostatic screen with a tinned copper drain wire, and a flame-retardant PVC outer protective jacket complying with BS/PAS 5308 and EN 60228 standards. It is designed for fixed indoor transmission of analogue, digital data, or voice signals up to 300/500V originating from transducers such as pressure sensors, proximity detectors, and emergency communication microphones across industrial and petrochemical process environments.

Engineered for high signal accuracy across control loops, the cable utilizes high-grade solid or stranded polyethylene insulation to ensure low mutual capacitance and minimal dielectric losses over extended transmission runs. The overall collective Al/PET screening foil envelops the assembled core elements to deliver comprehensive 100% electrostatic coverage, deflecting external high-frequency electrical noise and electromagnetic interference (EMI) generated by adjacent electrical plant apparatus, all protected under an oil- and moisture-resistant PVC outer jacket.

PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 PE/CAM/PVC Cable Construction

• Conductor: 0.5mm² and 0.75mm²: Class 5 flexible stranded copper; 1.0mm²: Class 1 solid / Class 2 stranded copper; 1.5mm² and 2.5mm²: Class 2 stranded plain annealed copper conforming to EN 60228.
• Insulation: Solid Polyethylene (PE) compound delivering superior dielectric properties, low mutual capacitance, and high insulation resistance (>5 GΩ/km at 20°C).
• Bedding / Inner Layer: Concentric multi-pair, multi-triple, or quad bunched core assembly optimized for flexible routing and compact outer diameters.
• Screen / Armour: Overall collective Aluminium/Polyester tape (Al/PET) screen with a continuous tinned copper drain wire providing 100% electrostatic shielding against external EMI.
• Outer Sheath: Specially formulated industrial Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) compound, flame retardant per IEC/EN 60332-1-2 and bunched fire test IEC/EN 60332-3-24.
• Core Identification: Standard BS 5308 colour-coded pairs (e.g., Pair 1: Black/Blue, Pair 2: Black/Green, Pair 3: Blue/Green, extending up to 50 pairs with multi-colour combinations).
• Sheath Colour: Blue (for intrinsically safe circuits) or Black (for general industrial instrumentation).

Applications

PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 PE/CAM/PVC cables are specifically engineered for interconnecting measuring instruments, process transducers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and supervisory distributed control systems (DCS) where electromagnetic screening is essential but mechanical impact protection is not required. Their unarmoured, lightweight profile makes them suitable for indoor installation in dry and damp rooms, cable trays, raceways, and enclosed architectural conduits.

Typical installation environments include:

• Petrochemical & Refining Complexes: Connecting flowmeters, temperature transmitters, and level sensors across indoor control centers.
• Intrinsically Safe (IS) Systems: Hazardous-area low-energy signal networks identified via the dedicated blue outer jacket.
• Process Automation & SCADA Networks: Analogue 4-20mA instrumentation loops and telemetry circuits routed in industrial cable trays.
• Commercial & Industrial Enclosures: Public address links, sensor communication lines, and transducer interconnects routed through protected indoor risers.

Specifications & Dimensions

The PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 PE/CAM/PVC cable series covers multi-pair (1P to 20P, with extended designs up to 50P), 1-triple (1T), and 2-pair quad [2P(Q)] configurations across conductor cross-sections of 0.5mm², 0.75mm², 1.0mm², 1.5mm², and 2.5mm². Operating at a rated voltage of 300/500V, the cable supports fixed ambient temperatures from -40°C to +80°C and flexed moved installation from 0°C to +50°C, maintaining a minimum bending radius of 6× overall diameter. Conductor DC resistance values at 20°C range from 39 Ω/km (0.5mm²) down to 7.41 Ω/km (2.5mm²), with mutual capacitance values of 75 pF/m to 115 pF/m for collective screened designs (and 120 pF/m for 1.5mm²–2.5mm²), minimum insulation resistance exceeding 5 GΩ/km, and maximum L/R ratios between 25 µH/Ω and 65 µH/Ω, with all dimensions manufactured in strict compliance with BS/PAS 5308 and European harmonized tolerances.

Standards

Huadong Cable Group manufactures and factory-inspects PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 instrumentation cables to guarantee complete adherence to British and European electrical and fire safety directives:

Design Standards: BS/PAS 5308, EN 60228
Flame Retardancy: IEC/EN 60332-1-2 (Single cable vertical test), IEC/EN 60332-3-24 (Bunched vertical fire test)
Voltage Rating (Uo/U): 300/500V
Temperature Spectrum: Fixed: -40°C to +80°C; Flexed/Installation: 0°C to +50°C
Regulatory Compliance: CE Marked, European Regulation EN 50575 (CPR Compliant), Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, RoHS Directive 2015/65/EU, REACH EC 1907/2006

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the key distinction between PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 and Part 1 Type 2 cables?
A: Part 1 Type 1 cables are unarmoured and intended strictly for indoor use or protected raceways where mechanical protection is not required, whereas Part 1 Type 2 cables include Galvanised Steel Wire Armour (SWA) or steel tape armour for outdoor direct burial and mechanical crush resistance.

Q: Why is Polyethylene (PE) used for core insulation instead of standard PVC?
A: Polyethylene provides significantly lower dielectric losses and reduced mutual capacitance compared to PVC, preventing signal attenuation and distortion across long-distance analogue and high-frequency data loops.

Q: When should the Blue outer sheath be specified instead of Black?
A: The blue outer sheath is required for intrinsically safe (IS) instrumentation circuits operating within potentially explosive hazardous atmospheres, whereas black is standard for general industrial process wiring.

Q: What payment terms does Huadong Cable accept for international industrial export orders?
A: We accept standard international commercial payment terms including Telegraphic Transfer (T/T) and 100% Irrevocable Letter of Credit (L/C) at sight for engineering contractors, system integrators, and industrial equipment builders.

PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 – Why Choose Huadong Cable?

Huadong Cable Group manufactures PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 instrumentation cables in strict conformity with British PAS 5308 standards and EN 60228 conductor specifications, verified through rigorous IEC/EN 60332-1-2 and IEC/EN 60332-3-24 flame propagation testing. Utilizing high-purity oxygen-free Class 5 flexible stranded copper (0.5–0.75mm²) and Class 2 stranded plain annealed copper (1.0–2.5mm²), our precision extrusion lines apply solid polyethylene (PE) insulation to ensure outstanding dielectric performance, low capacitance, and insulation resistances exceeding 5 GΩ/km. Combined with continuous collective Al/PET screening foil, tinned copper drain wire, and an industrial-grade flame-retardant PVC outer jacket, our cables deliver total electrostatic noise protection and durable signal integrity across demanding industrial plants.

With more than 20 years of precision cable engineering expertise, Huadong Cable Group operates fully automated multi-pair stranding, planetary cabling, electrostatic taping, and polymer compounding workshops certified to ISO 9001, CE, CPR (EN 50575), RoHS, and REACH protocols. By eliminating commercial intermediaries, we provide competitive direct factory pricing, 100% routine and type test Mill Test Certificates (MTC) tested in accredited testing facilities, tailored continuous drum lengths on ISPM 15 heat-treated export wooden reels, and seamless door-to-port logistics for EPC contractors and process engineering builders worldwide.