UKCA and CPR – Testing and Certification
As a designated UK Approved Body (No 2661) for both AVCP System 1+ and System 3, BASEC UK can test and classify cables for UKCA, enabling manufacturers and distributors worldwide to supply into the UK CPR market. BASEC Conformity Limited was established and listed as an EU Notified Body (NB 2851) in February 2020. It is NANDO listed, and EU 27 recognised, enabling certification to AVCP System 1+ and CE marking for the EU CPR market.
For over 45 years, BASEC has been a global leader in the testing and certification of cables. We have recently invested heavily in new equipment to allow us to test to all the requirements of the CPR in respect of cables, providing a full service to manufacturers and traders.
What is CPR?
As of 1st July 2017, under the European Construction Products Regulation (CPR), it is now mandatory for cable manufacturers and suppliers to apply CE marking to any products covered by the harmonised European standard EN 50575. The CPR applies to all cables placed on the market for use in a fixed installation in domestic, commercial and industrial premises and other civil engineering works anywhere in the European Union. It applies to power, communications and fibre optic cables irrespective of the place of manufacture. It includes novel/unique cables and those not designed to any particular design standard. With a few exceptions, these tests need to be carried out by an independent Notified Body.
The Construction Products Regulation is solely concerned with the reaction to fire and resistance to fire properties of these products, resulting in awarding classifications to each product or family of products. The CPR regime for resistance to fire of cables is still under development.
The process for gaining CPR
- The manufacturer chooses the cable/ranges for compliance.
- The manufacturer chooses the intended class based on the regulation and market requirements.
CPR tests
The gross heat of combustion is measured for each of the cable’s components.
Test Methods & Equipment:
Each component in the cable is fully combusted in an oxygen-rich atmosphere, and the total energy released by the material is measured to determine the cable’s gross heat of combustion (PCS)
The test is used for Class Aca only.
A single length of cable is exposed to a 1kW flame, and the total char length is measured after all combustion has ceased.
Test Methods & Equipment:
The cable is mounted vertically in the test chamber with the burner flame applied at 45°. The 1kW premixed propane and air gas flame is applied for a specified time period determined by the cable’s outside diameter. The total length of the char (H) is measured after all flaming has extinguished.
Test is used for Classes B1ca, B2ca, Cca, Dca, Eca & Fca.
An array of individually spaced cables or spaced bundles of cable are exposed to either a 30kW flame (Class B1ca) or 20.5kW flame (Classes B2ca, Cca, Dca). The flame spread, heat release, smoke production and droplet generation are measured.
Test Methods & Equipment:
The test facility is based on the EN/IEC 60332-3-10 apparatus, with the addition of heat release and smoke production measuring instrumentation.
The cable test array, determined by the cable’s outside diameter, is mounted onto a sample ladder and loaded into the test chamber. The premixed propane and air burner flame is applied for 20 minutes close to the lower end of the sample. For Class B1ca, an additional non-combustible backboard is mounted to the rear of the sample ladder.
The peak heat release (PHR) and total heat release (THR), fire growth rate index (FIGRA), the peak smoke production rate (SPR) and total smoke production (TSP), and the number and frequency of flaming drops (d) are recorded during the test. The flame spread (FS) is determined as the extent of char above the burner measured after the completed test.
Test is used for Classes B1ca, B2ca, Cca and Dca.
The reduction in light transmission gives a measure of smoke density generated during the combustion of cables.
Test Methods & Equipment:
Cables that achieve the highest performance of ‘s1’ in the EN 50399 test can, at the sponsor's request, undertake a supplementary 3m cube test in order to further differentiate the degree of the smoke production (s1a or s1b).
A cable array, determined by the cable’s outside diameter, is exposed to a specified alcohol/water fuel source in a 27m3 chamber with a circulating fan generating a homogeneous smoke mixture throughout the chamber. The smoke density is measured as a reduction in light transmission across the chamber.
Test is used for Classes B1ca, B2ca, Cca and Dca where applicable.
The pH and conductivity of effluent gases from the combustion of the cable components are measured to indicate the degree of acidity and corrosivity of the cable under fire conditions.
Test Methods & Equipment:
Each non-metallic component in the cable is combusted in a tube furnace at a temperature greater than 935°C for 30 minutes with the effluent gases bubbled in de-ionised water. The dissolved gases are analysed for the pH & conductivity, and the weighted averages are determined for the ‘a’ classification.
Test is used Classes B1ca, B2ca, Cca and Dca.
