# 3-conductor rubber covered cable - CE approved?



## Paul Kraemer (May 4, 2009)

Hi,

I have an application in which I want to use a rubber covered cable with three #14 AWG conductors to power a particular device that operates at 230 VAC single phase, so I would have two current carrying conductors and one ground.

In the USA (where I am located), I would use #14 AWG SJOOW portable cord for which the spec list "UL (E46194)" and "CSA (90458)" under agency approvals. I know I would have no issue with this in the USA, but the equipment I intend to use this on will be going to Greece. 

I am wondering if anyone here can tell me if I should be looking for a similar cable that is also CE approved?

Thanks and best regards,
Paul


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Sounds proper. They are part of the EU.


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## Paul Kraemer (May 4, 2009)

*not able to find CE marked rubber covered cable (without shield)*

Thanks Mike,

I did some searching myself and even asked my cable/wire supplier if they could look. They were not able to find anyone who makes a similar cable with a CE approval. I wonder if this means that this type of cable (rubber covered without a shield) does not meet CE standards? I.e. perhaps if I want to be CE compliant, I wonder if I should be looking for shielded cable.

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and best regards,
Paul


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Not sure if you talked to a local rep or the home office engineers. When you get something listed it's $X for the first listing and $1.05X for 2 listings, $1.1X for 3 listings, etc. I'd imagine all the major manufacturers have CE listed cable & wire.

Find another cable supplier or rep. It's out there. 

If you want to post your specs we can do some hunting.


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## Paul Kraemer (May 4, 2009)

Thank you Mike,

I reached out to another supplier I have used in the past and I'll see what they suggest. I also reached out to the engineers who work at the company in Greece where this equipment will be installed to find out what they would use.

But basically, I am just looking for a three-conductor (2 current carrying and one ground) flexible cable to power a few devices with 230 VAC single phase. I was thinking I would look for #14 AWG conductors, but I will have these circuits fused at 5 amps, so I can probably get away with something smaller.

Not being an expert on CE requirements, I would prefer to use something that is CE approved so as not to risk running into any regulatory challenges when this is installed.

I appreciate your help.

Best regards,
Paul


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

call these guys
https://www.elandcables.com/the-cable-lab/ce-marking


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## Paul Kraemer (May 4, 2009)

*I think I may have found one*

Hi Mike,

Thank you for the lead. Unfortunately, elandcables said they were not able to help me. 

Wondering if the difficulty I've been having might be an indication that rubber-covered, un-shielded cable as a general category might not be CE compliant. After this, I expanded my search to included shielded cables with my desired characteristics:

•	Three #14 AWG conductors (including ground)
•	Outer diameter as small as possible.
•	As flexible as possible to make it easy for me to route
•	CE approved.

I came across a product by LAPP called "Olflex 409 P" part number 1311403 that seems to meet all the requirements I have mentioned. I tried to post a link here, but because I am new to this forum, I do not have that privilege yet, but you can google it if you are interested. 

Anyway, this is described as an "Abrasion- and oil-resistant PUR control cable for increased application requirements". I will technically be using this as a power cable (to power devices with 230 VAC single phase fused for 5 amps). I am not sure if there is any significance to the fact that it is described as a "control cable" rather than a "power cable", but it seems to me that if the conductors are of an appropriate gauge to handle the current that I am fused for and it has the CE approval I am looking for, this should be ok.

I am just wondering if you can think of any reason I shouldn't consider this cable. I really appreciate your help.

Thanks again and best regards,
Paul


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

What insulation colors do you need? You need to find that out. Do you have the plug?


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## Paul Kraemer (May 4, 2009)

I am not aware of any color requirements. The "Olflex 409 P" specs say that it has two black conductors with white numbers plus a green/yellow ground conductor. I do not expect this to raise any issues and I will not require a plug.

Just to give you some background, I work for an OEM and I will be using this cable on a machine I am building. On the front of the machine, we have some components that will be operator accessible. These components require power, but the power source will come from a junction box at the rear of the machine. I have to run power cables from the operator accessible components to the junction box. 

I will be landing my power cable at inbound power terminals inside the operator accessible component (without using a plug). (These operator accessible components have a panel mounted touch-screen interface, but other than that are totally enclosed, so no live circuits are accessible without having to open the enclosure). My power cable will exit the operator accessible component through a cable gland. I will route the power cable as neatly and un-noticeably as possible to the junction box. It will enter the junction box through a cable gland and will be landed at the outbound side of fuses that will connect it to the power source).

I have done this many times in the USA with standard rubber covered cable. CE compliance is not an absolute requirement for this new machine because rather than being a standalone machine, it is actually just an add-on module to enhance the functionality of an older/existing machine that while not CE approved itself, is "grand-fathered" in. Regardless of this, I am still doing my best to make my add-on module as "CE compliant" as I possibly can.

This makes me feel better about using the CE marked "Olflex 409 P" cable rather than standard un-shielded rubber cable without a CE mark, unless I discover a specific reason not to use the Olflex.

Any advice you might have will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again,
Paul


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

We have UK guys on here. If you have to make something which they are going to connect to, I'm sure the guy in Greece landing the connections would appreciate you respecting their color codes. 
@gpop is from UK. Maybe he'll see this and chime in... Or send him a PM.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

Euro cable is almost always black w/white numbers and a Green/Yel conductor. You will need to convert to metric size wire not AWG. I have work on many euro machines and the power and control cable is the same thing. They use a PVC type cover not Rubber that is why you can't find it. 

This is from automation direct and CE rated .
https://cdn.automationdirect.com/static/specs/multiconflexcontcable.pdf 

Cowboy


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

MikeFL said:


> We have UK guys on here. If you have to make something which they are going to connect to, I'm sure the guy in Greece landing the connections would appreciate you respecting their color codes.
> @gpop is from UK. Maybe he'll see this and chime in... Or send him a PM.


Thanks for the mention but Greece is different from the UK. 

Its going to be 220-240 @ 50 hrtz and i believe it only has one live wire like the UK but the plug is different. 

In the UK we have a fuse in the plug and the Receptacle has a switch. They also use all 3 pins (even when a ground is not required) as the ground is used to push the child lock out of the way. If a operator has access to a plug there are also a lot of extra rules. 

When in rome do as the romans do. Call ahead and get advice from a electrician over there. (would be a shame to find the aux equipment has to be 120v)


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

But to repeat just-the-cowboy's other point, you cannot expect a wire mfr to have a CE certified wire that is sized to AWG standards, because AWG is _*A*MERICAN _*W*ire *G*auge. You would need to know what IEC wire size you need. For example for something like this, 14AWG is rated for 15A and is equivalent to 2.08mm sq., but _*their *_standard sizes are 1.5mm, rated 13A, and 2.5mm, rated 18A. So it will depend on what your circuit is protected for (fuse or CB size) or to be safe you could just go with 2.5mm sq. cable. 



But again if you are Googling around looking for 14_*ga*_ wire with a CE label, you will not be getting results because it would not exist.


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