IEEE 1202
IEEE 1202 Testing — Standardized Flame Testing of Cables
Many different components of electrical work found in buildings and infrastructure need to be designed with fire safety in mind, especially in industrial control and power cable applications. One of these components is a vertical cable tray. The IEEE 1202 testing standard comes from the IEEE Standards Association and provides a protocol and criteria for determining the tendency of cables in a vertical cable tray to propagate flames. It's an important test that offers standardization and consistency to the production, sale and use of cables.
IEEE 1202 certification is advantageous to manufacturers, distributors and end users, establishing a way to identify consistent, repeatable results and measurable criteria. Manufacturers know what to work toward when creating their products, and distributors can use it to identify what specific products offer. With this kind of information, customers can select the right cabling for their application, knowing it can stand up to specific environments and offer the flame propagation properties they need.
Your IEEE 1202 Testing Partner
VTEC Laboratories is accredited by a long list of organizations, including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and we have been conducting fire and flammability testing for years. We offer reputable testing in a controlled facility that fully abides by the direction of the IEEE standard. In addition to testing for the IEEE 1202, we can conduct custom tests for a wide range of other applications involving organizations such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
What Is IEEE 1202 Testing?
IEEE 1202 examines several different aspects of flame propagation in both insulated and multiconductor cables for power, signal, fiber and spliced applications. It involves applying a flame to the cables for 20 minutes. The testing standards outline the state of the test facility, sample requirements, procedures and the evaluation of results:
- Preparation: First, we arrange the cables in groups in a steel ladder tray that is 12 inches wide, 3 inches deep and 96 inches long. The rungs of the ladder tray are spaced 9 inches apart and one inch parallel to the length of the tray. We then mount this tray vertically on the floor of the chamber or within a tray base and fill it with the cable samples.
- Testing: To start the test, we burn air and propane in a ribbon burner with a power output of 70,000 British thermal units (BTUs) per hour. We place this flame 3 inches from the surface of the tray and 12 inches from the bottom at a 20-degree angle. It remains there for 20 minutes before removal. The test does not end until the cable stops burning.
A cable passes the vertical tray test if it has a char height of less than 4 feet, 11 inches.
This standard also includes optional smoke tests, which are only passed if the total smoke released is at or below 150 m2 and the peak smoke release rate is at or below 40 m2 per second.
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