IEC EN 60332-3-21 Tests on Electrical and Fiber Optic Cables under Fire Conditions - Part 3-21: Vertical Flame Spread Test - Category AF-R

EUROLAB, together with its state-of-the-art accredited laboratories and expert team, provides precise and fast testing services within the scope of IEC EN 60332-3-21 testing. IEC EN 60332-3-21 covers category AF/R for test methods for evaluating vertical flame propagation of vertically mounted bundled wires or cables under defined conditions.

This standard concerns power cables with a conductor cross-sectional area greater than 7 mm35, which are laid on the test ladder in a spaced configuration at the front and rear to achieve a non-metallic total nominal volume of 2 l/m of the test sample.

This mounting method is designed for specific cable designs used in certain installations when required in the cable specification. The AF/R category is not intended for general use. The test is designed for type approval testing. Flame spread is measured as the degree of damage to the cable sample. This procedure can be used to demonstrate the cable's ability to limit flame spread.

This edition includes the following important technical changes from the previous edition:

• Corrections have been made in the title and elsewhere to emphasize that the standard can be applied to fiber optic cables as well as metallic conductor types;
• The details of the way the cables are mounted to the ladder are better defined to improve repeatability and reproducibility.

The IEC EN 60332-1 and IEC EN 60332-2 series specify test methods for flame propagation properties for a single vertically insulated wire or cable. Since a cable or wire meets the requirements of the IEC EN 60332-1 and IEC EN 60332-2 series, it cannot be assumed that a vertical bundle of similar cables or wires will behave similarly. This is because the propagation of flame along a vertical bundle of wires depends on a number of properties.

The categories do not have to relate to the different safety levels in actual cable installations. The actual installed configuration of the cables can be an important determinant of the flame spread level that occurs in a real fire. The mounting method described as AF/R category (Section 3-21) is designed for specific cable designs used in certain installations.

EUROLAB assists manufacturers with IEC EN 60332-3-21 test compliance. Our test experts, with their professional working mission and principles, provide you, our manufacturers and suppliers, the best service and controlled testing process in our laboratories. Thanks to these services, businesses receive more effective, high-performance and quality testing services and provide safe, fast and uninterrupted service to their customers.