Stay Protected from Electrical Fires
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The low voltage wires and cables market in India comprises both organized and unorganized players. Recent changes in the governing regulatory and technical standards for insulated electrical cable and cords used in homes and offices are meant to ensure better quality and higher flame withstand parameters of these wires and cables. For the buyer or user, knowledge of these changes and their implications on the quality and safe life of cables.
Challenges in Indian Market
In India, the harsh environmental conditions of ambient temperatures (up to 55° C) and high humidity (>90%), which are common in summers and monsoons, mandate unambiguous and strict standards for the conductors and insulation. The basic purpose of the insulation is to provide a safe and non–deteriorating jacket over the conductor for the life of the cables. In addition, the FR and FRLS insulations have flame retardant and reduced smoke emission properties which protect human lives and property in case of fires arising from electrical faults or short circuits.
Safety
The life of the FR / FRLS cables and their enhanced Flame Retarding or Smoke Inhibiting properties to remain intact throughout their lives are, thus, severely compromised. One way the specifier or user can protect himself or herself is by restricting his choice to only the organized sector players. Secondly, they must insist on a valid IS license number (It would be as CM/L number of the manufacturer) along with the FR / FRLS ( as the case may be) printed legibly on the cables at every one meter length.
Genuinely going to provide the safety of lives and properties in case of electrical fires under electrical short circuit or other fire hazards in the vicinity of such electrical wires. Otherwise, as has been happening time and again in the Indian scenario, use of sub-standard FR / FRLS wires, which is the norm in the unorganized sector in India, or normal ( Non FR / non FRLS ) PVC wires, would regularly appear as news headlines , and pose far more losses to lives and propert