A cable enquiry that leaves out one detail comes back with a question, and a question costs days. The sheet below lists what a manufacturer needs to quote a power or control cable correctly. Fill in every row that applies and send it with the enquiry.
| Item | What to state | Example of the entry |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Where and how the cable is used | Motor feeder, control wiring, or distribution board incomer |
| Voltage grade | Rated voltage of the system | Up to 1100 V, or a medium voltage grade such as 6.6 kV |
| Standard | The product standard the tender requires | IS 7098 Part 1 for LV, IS 7098 Part 2 for MV, or IEC 60502 |
| Conductor material | Copper or aluminium | Copper, or aluminium where the specification permits |
| Size and core count | Cross-section in sq mm and number of cores | 3.5 core, 185 sq mm |
| Insulation | The insulation material | XLPE or PVC |
| Armour | Armoured or unarmoured, and the armour type | Steel wire armour on multicore, aluminium on single core |
| Outer sheath | Sheath material and fire performance needed | PVC, FRLS or LSOH |
| Installation method | Tray, duct, direct burial, or exposed to sun | Direct burial at a stated depth |
| Ambient and soil conditions | Air or ground temperature and grouping | 40 degrees C air, three cables side by side |
| Lengths | Total length and any required drum lengths | 5,000 m in 500 m drums |
| Testing | Routine tests, type test certificates or witness inspection | Routine test certificate per drum |
| Delivery | Delivery location, date and packing needs | Site address and required week |
Why each detail matters
The voltage grade and standard decide the insulation thickness and the tests that apply. The installation method and ambient conditions decide the current rating, as explained in the cable derating factors chart. Sheath and armour choices follow the route and the fire-safety requirements of the site.
If the sizing is not yet settled, send the load in kW, the supply voltage and the cable route length instead, so that the size can be checked. The datasheet reading guide explains the figures on the reply.
APAR’s power cable ranges are described on the pages for LV XLPE power cables and MV/HV XLPE power cables, and control cables on the LV XLPE/PVC control cables page.