PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 2 PE/CAM/PE/SWA/PVC Cable

What is PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 2 PE/CAM/PE/SWA/PVC Cable?

The PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 2 PE/CAM/PE/SWA/PVC cable is a low-voltage, collectively screened, galvanised steel wire armoured (SWA) multi-element communication and instrumentation cable featuring plain copper conductors, Polyethylene (PE) core insulation, an overall collective Aluminium/Polyester tape (Al/PET) electrostatic screen with a tinned copper drain wire, a PE inner bedding layer, SWA armour, and a flame-retardant PVC outer jacket complying with BS/PAS 5308 and EN 60228 standards. It is designed for fixed transmission of analogue, digital data, or voice signals up to 300/500V from critical field transducers—such as pressure sensors, proximity detectors, and microphones—in industrial and petrochemical process environments.

Engineered for high mechanical robustness and low signal attenuation in severe outdoor and underground processing plant environments, the cable utilizes solid polyethylene core insulation to deliver low mutual capacitance and minimal dielectric loss over extended loop runs. The overall collective Al/PET screening foil deflects external electromagnetic interference (EMI) and plant switching noise, while the heavy galvanised steel wire armour provides exceptional radial crush defense and longitudinal tensile strength, enabling safe direct burial and surface routing in exposed petrochemical raceways.

PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 2 PE/CAM/PE/SWA/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).
• Screen: Overall collective Aluminium/Polyester tape (Al/PET) with a continuous tinned copper drain wire providing 100% electrostatic coverage against external EMI.
• Bedding / Inner Sheath: Extruded Polyethylene (PE) compound providing a robust intermediate cushion for the metallic armour.
• Armour: Galvanised Steel Wire Armour (SWA) helically applied to deliver heavy-duty mechanical protection, tensile resistance, and direct burial suitability.
• 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 (Pair 1: Black/Blue, Pair 2: Black/Green, Pair 3: Blue/Green, extending up to 50 pairs with distinctive colour combinations).
• Sheath Colour: Blue (for intrinsically safe circuits) or Black (for general industrial instrumentation).

Applications

PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 2 PE/CAM/PE/SWA/PVC cables are specifically engineered for interconnecting measuring instruments, process transducers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and supervisory distributed control systems (DCS) where both electromagnetic screening and high mechanical crush protection are required. Their heavy steel wire armour and weather-resistant PVC jacket make them ideal for outdoor exposed runs and direct underground burial in aggressive petrochemical environments.

Typical installation environments include:

• Direct Burial Applications: Direct underground burial in plant trenches and perimeter runs at suitable depths without additional protective conduit.
• Petrochemical & Refining Complexes: Transmitting analogue 4-20mA transducer signals and digital telemetry across outdoor processing units.
• Intrinsically Safe (IS) Circuits: Hazardous-area low-energy signal networks identified via the dedicated blue outer jacket.
• Outdoor Exposed Plant Racks: Open industrial raceways and perimeter trenches subject to mechanical impacts, ground shifting, and rodent damage.

Specifications & Dimensions

The PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 2 PE/CAM/PE/SWA/PVC cable series covers multi-pair (1P to 20P, extending up to 50P), 1-triple (1T), and 2-pair quad [2P(Q)] configurations across nominal 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 12× overall diameter for fixed installations. 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 2 armoured instrumentation cables to guarantee complete adherence to British and European electrical and mechanical standards:

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)
Mechanical & Environmental Defense: Galvanised Steel Wire Armour (SWA) suitable for outdoor exposed runs and direct burial
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 primary difference between PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 and Part 1 Type 2 PE/PVC cables?
A: Part 1 Type 1 cables are unarmoured and engineered strictly for indoor installations or protected raceways, whereas Part 1 Type 2 cables incorporate a PE inner bedding and Galvanised Steel Wire Armour (SWA), making them fully rated for outdoor exposed runs and direct underground burial.

Q: Why is Polyethylene (PE) used for both insulation and bedding in this cable?
A: PE insulation provides exceptionally low mutual capacitance and dielectric loss for long-distance analogue and digital signal accuracy, while the extruded PE inner bedding forms a tough, moisture-resistant intermediate foundation for the steel wire armour.

Q: What is the minimum bending radius required for PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 2 SWA cables?
A: The cable requires a minimum bending radius of 12 times the overall diameter (12× OD) for fixed installations to accommodate the mechanical stiffness of the galvanised steel wire armour without compromising the internal shielding.

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 procurement contractors, system integrators, and plant infrastructure builders.

PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 2 – Why Choose Huadong Cable?

Huadong Cable Group manufactures PAS BS 5308 Part 1 Type 2 armoured instrumentation cables in strict conformity with British BS/PAS 5308 specifications and EN 60228 conductor standards, 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 superior dielectric performance, low mutual capacitance, and insulation resistances exceeding 5 GΩ/km. Combined with continuous collective Al/PET screening foil, an extruded PE bedding, heavy galvanised steel wire armour (SWA), and an industrial flame-retardant PVC outer jacket, our cables deliver total noise suppression and rugged mechanical survivability across aggressive petrochemical installations.

With more than 20 years of precision cable engineering expertise, Huadong Cable Group operates fully automated multi-pair stranding, planetary cabling, high-tensile wire armouring, 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, customized continuous drum lengths packaged on ISPM 15 heat-treated export wooden reels, and seamless door-to-port logistics for EPC contractors and industrial instrumentation builders worldwide.