PAS/BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 SIL/ICAM/LSZH Fire Resistant Cable

What is PAS/BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 SIL/ICAM/LSZH Cable?

The PAS/BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 SIL/ICAM/LSZH cable is a low-voltage, unarmoured, fire-resistant, individually and collectively screened multi-pair communication and instrumentation cable featuring plain copper conductors, ceramifying silicone rubber insulation, individual and overall Al/PET electrostatic tape screens with tinned copper drain wires, and an LSZH outer protective jacket complying with BS/PAS 5308, EN 60228, and IEC/EN 60332-3-22/24 standards.

Engineered for high-security signal transmission in severe fire-risk zones, the cable incorporates an advanced ceramic-forming silicone rubber dielectric that vitrifies into an insulating ceramic barrier when exposed to high temperatures, preventing phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground short circuits. Furthermore, the dual-stage screening architecture—combining pair-by-pair individual Al/PET foil shields to eliminate internal capacitive cross-talk, complemented by a collective Al/PET screen to block external electromagnetic interference (EMI)—guarantees clean, uncorrupted signal integrity, while the zero-halogen jacket eliminates toxic acid gas release and opaque black smoke during fire incidents.

PAS/BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 SIL/ICAM/LSZH Cable Construction

• Conductor: 0.5mm² and 0.75mm²: Class 5 flexible stranded copper; 1.0mm²: Class 1 solid / Class 2 stranded plain copper; 1.5mm² and 2.5mm²: Class 2 stranded plain annealed copper conforming to EN 60228.
• Insulation: Silicone rubber ceramic type compound engineered to form a robust insulating ceramic shell under fire conditions.
• Individual Screen: Aluminium/Polyester tape (Al/PET) with a continuous tinned copper drain wire applied over each pair to prevent circuit-to-circuit cross-talk.
• Bedding / Inner Layer: Concentric multi-pair bunched core assembly optimized for compact cross-sections and smooth cable pulling.
• Collective Screen: Overall Aluminium/Polyester tape (Al/PET) with an integral tinned copper drain wire providing 100% electrostatic coverage against external EMI.
• Outer Sheath: Thermoplastic Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) compound, flame retardant per IEC/EN 60332-1-2, IEC/EN 60332-3-22, and IEC/EN 60332-3-24.
• Core Identification: Pairs identifiable by standardized British industrial colour codes and numbered printing.
• Sheath Colour: Red (for dedicated fire emergency circuits), Black (for general industrial process lines), or Blue (for intrinsically safe loops).

Applications

PAS/BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 SIL/ICAM/LSZH cables are specifically engineered for transmitting critical voice, telemetry, transducer feeds, and automated control signals where individual channel isolation and circuit survival during a fire are mandatory. Their unarmoured, lightweight profile makes them ideal for indoor installations, cable trays, raceways, and enclosed architectural risers where external mechanical crush hazards are absent.

Typical installation environments include:

• Petrochemical Units & Refineries: Critical emergency shutdown systems (ESD), combustible gas detection loops, and intrinsically safe sensor networks using blue-sheathed variants.
• Life Safety & Emergency Speech Systems: Connecting voice alarms, public address systems, smoke extraction controls, and emergency microphones in transit and commercial facilities.
• Process Control Rooms & DCS Cabinets: Multi-pair analog and digital transducer links requiring individual pair shielding to eliminate cross-talk between differing signal levels.
• Enclosed Public Transport & Tunnels: Risers, transit terminals, and data rooms requiring zero halogen acid gas emission and circuit continuity during fire emergencies.

Specifications & Dimensions

The PAS/BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 SIL/ICAM/LSZH cable series covers multi-pair configurations from 2 pairs (2P) up to 30 pairs (30P) 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 installations from -40°C to +80°C and flexed moved installation from 0°C to +50°C, maintaining a compact 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 250 pF/m between pairs or adjacent cores and 450 pF/m between core and screen, minimum insulation resistance exceeding 25 MΩ/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 ICAM fire resistant cables in full compliance with British and European electrical and life-safety standards:

Design & Testing Standards: BS/PAS 5308, EN 60228
Flame Retardancy: IEC/EN 60332-1-2, IEC/EN 60332-3-22, IEC/EN 60332-3-24
Halogen-Free & Smoke Emission: IEC/EN 61034-1/2 (Low Smoke Density), IEC/EN 60754-1/2 (Zero Halogen Acid Gas)
Fire Resistance: Ceramifying silicone rubber fire-barrier technology
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 operational distinction between SIL/CAM and SIL/ICAM screening in fire-resistant cables?
A: SIL/CAM cables feature only an overall collective Al/PET screen over the entire core assembly, whereas SIL/ICAM incorporates individual Al/PET foil screens with dedicated drain wires on each pair in addition to the collective screen, providing total suppression of internal capacitive cross-talk between adjacent signal channels.

Q: How does ceramifying silicone rubber maintain electrical integrity during a fire?
A: When subjected to fire temperatures, the silicone rubber decomposes and vitrifies into a solid, electrically insulating ceramic silica ash layer, preventing direct copper-to-copper contact and phase-to-ground faults to keep critical circuits operating.

Q: Can PAS/BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 SIL/ICAM/LSZH cables be directly buried in the ground?
A: No, Part 1 Type 1 cables are unarmoured and engineered specifically for indoor use, cable trays, or protected raceways where mechanical crush hazards are absent; for direct burial or outdoor mechanical crush hazards, steel wire armoured (Part 1 Type 2) cables must be specified.

Q: What delivery time does Huadong Cable provide for international industrial export orders?
A: Standard production and dispatch for international project orders is typically 15-25 working days, with expedited schedules available depending on core count and drum lengths.

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

Huadong Cable Group manufactures PAS/BS 5308 Part 1 Type 1 SIL/ICAM/LSZH fire-resistant instrumentation cables to the highest international quality criteria, verified through rigorous IEC/EN 60332-3-22 and IEC/EN 60332-3-24 bunched vertical flame propagation tests. Utilizing high-conductivity Class 5 flexible or Class 2 stranded plain annealed copper conductors, our automated extrusion lines apply precision ceramifying silicone rubber insulation to deliver superior dielectric strength, stable mutual capacitance, and insulation resistances exceeding 25 MΩ/km. Combined with continuous individual and collective Al/PET screening foils, tinned copper drain wires, and a zero-halogen flame-retardant outer sheath, our cables guarantee mission-critical communication continuity and life safety in hazardous processing facilities.

With more than 20 years of precision cable engineering expertise, Huadong Cable Group operates advanced multi-pair bunching, planetary cabling, electrostatic shielding, and polymer extrusion workshops certified to ISO 9001, CE, CPR (EN 50575), RoHS, and REACH protocols. By supplying directly from our manufacturing base, we offer competitive 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.