FLAME TEST RATINGS - CSA

FT RATINGS Flame test ratings indicate how readily fire will spread along
wire and cable. The tests are a complex formula of time, distance,
diameter, and set-up; but the following gives a general idea of
what happens.

FTl A bun.sen burner Rome is applied to a vertical sample for five 15 seoond applica-
tions. Burning must cease within 60 seconds of removal of the burner, with no more
than 25% of a paper indicator charred. Fll is applicable for wires such as NMD90
and TW75 which are used in combustible buildings. UL VWl is similar to CSA FTl.

FT2 A bun.sen burner Rome is applied to a horizontal sample for five 15 second
applications. The charred portion must not exceed 1OOmm from end to end, and
there shall be no flaming partides dropping from the sample . Products such as
some S, SJ a nd HPN cords, as well as SIS wire, are rated FT2.

FT3 This rating has been deleted.

FT4 Cables are strapped to a n 8-foot vertical section of ladder troy a nd burned a t
70,000 BTU for 20 minutes. The charred portion shall not exceed 1.5 meters. The
FT4 test is used on cables intended for troy or shaft applications. The CSA FT4 test
is similar to Ull 581 paragraph 1160, but FT4 is more stringent. FT4 cables can be
used in non-combustible buildings. Nexans Teck90, RA90 Corflex a nd
ACWU90 are FT4 ra ted.

FTS Flame is applied to a horizontal sample, similar to the FT2 fire test but with a much
larger burner. The Rome must extinguish in less than 4 minutes a nd the burn length
shall not exceed 150mm. The FT5 test is applicable to portable cables used in
underground work areas such as mines a nd tunnels.

FT6 Cable samples on a horizontal troy in a tunnel type of chamber a re burned a t

300,000 BTU for 20 minutes. Flame spread not to exceed 1.5 meters, with a
smoke density during the test of (a) 0.5 peak; a nd 0. 15 maximum overage. FT6 is
used for cable in return air plenums. The CSA FT6 test is similar to NFPA 262-1985
and UL S 102.4. No CSA IFT6 rated power cables are presently available in
Canada. Some provinces allow FT4 single conductor cables to be used in these
locations. Otherwise, cable in conduit is the permitted installation method in return
air plenums.

AG14 AG 14 refers to the acid gos given off during burning of plastics used in cable.
Normal PVC would produ<ce approximately 30%, by weight, of acid gas during
combustion. AG14 indicates materials will produce less than 14% acid gas during
combustion. Nexans Teck90, RA90 CorRex a nd ACWU90 all hove insulation and
jacket materia ls rated AG 14.