CSA C22.2 No. 2556:15

National Standard of Canada

(reaffirmed 2020)

Wire and cable test methods

REVISED SEPTEMBER 2020

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  Revision History

  CSA C22.2 No. 2556:15, Wire and cable test methods

  
  

  National Standard of Canada — September 2020

  Outside front cover, National Standard of Canada text, title page.

  
  

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  CSA C22.2 No. 2556:15

  December 2015

  
  

  Title: Wire and cable test methods

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National Standard of Canada

CSA C22.2 No. 2556:15

Wire and cable test methods

®A trademark of the Canadian Standards Association, operating as “CSA Group”

ICS 29.010; 29.060

ISBN 978-1-77139-930-2

Association of Standardization and Certification NMX-J-556-ANCE-2015

Fourth Edition

CSA Group

CSA C22.2 No. 2556-15

Fourth Edition

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. UL 2556

Fourth Edition

Wire and Cable Test Methods

December 15, 2015

ANSI/UL 2556-2015

Commitment for Amendments

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CONTENTS

PREFACE 6

1. Scope 8

2. General 8

   1. Units of measure 8

   2. Normative references 8

   3. Safety 11

   4. Definitions 12

   5. Test temperature 12

   6. Reports 12

   7. General requirements 13

3. Conductor tests 13

   1. Conductor diameter 13

   2. Cross-sectional area by mass (weight) method 14

   3. Cross-sectional area by diameter method 22

   4. DC resistance 23

   5. Physical properties of conductors (tensile strength, elongation at break, and ultimate strength) 25

   6. High-current heat cycling for aluminum conductors 30

   7. Length of lay 32

4. Insulation, overall covering, and jacket materials tests 33

   1. Thickness 33

   2. Physical properties (ultimate elongation and tensile strength) 38

   3. Dry temperature rating of new materials (long-term aging test) 47

   4. Carbon black content 49

5. Components tests 50

   1. Coverage of fibrous braids 50

   2. Coverage of shielding (wraps and braids) 51

   3. Saturation 52

6. Electrical tests for finished wire and cable 53

   1. Continuity 53

   2. Dielectric voltage-withstand 55

   3. Dielectric breakdown 58

   4. Insulation resistance 59

   5. Capacitance and relative permittivity 63

   6. Stability factor 65

   7. Spark 66

   8. Standard arcing test 69

   9. Flex arcing test 70

   10. Jacket resistance 73

   11. AC leakage current test through insulation 74

   12. AC leakage current test through jacket 76

   13. Resistance of armor 77

7. Mechanical tests for finished wire and cable 78

   1. Fall-in of extruded materials 78

   2. Heat shock 79

   3. Heat shock resistance 81

   4. Shrinkback 82

   5. Shrinkback in air 83

   6. Cold bend 84

   7. Cold impact 86

   8. Deformation 88

   9. Hot creep elongation and hot creep set 90

   10. Abrasion resistance 93

   11. Crush resistance 95

   12. Crush resistance (accelerated compression rate) 96

   13. Impact resistance 98

   14. Dielectric breakdown after glancing impact 100

   15. Flexibility at ROOM TEMPERATURE after aging 102

   16. Flexibility of separator tape under a jacket 103

   17. Flexibility of armored cable and metal-sheathed cable 105

   18. Swelling and blistering when immersed in liquid 107

   19. Durability of ink printing 108

   20. Color coating 110

   21. Mechanical strength 112

   22. Strength and elongation of cable in tension 113

   23. Bend test on nylon covered conductors 114

   24. Tightness of insulation 115

   25. Tightness of armor 117

   26. Flexing of shielded cables 118

   27. Mandrel pinch of -R cords 120

   28. Mandrel crush of -R cords 121

   29. Flexing of -R cords 122

   30. Armored cable bushing insertion 124

8. Environmental tests for finished wire and cable 125

   1. Copper corrosion 125

   2. Ozone resistance 127

   3. Copper sulfate test for zinc coatings on formed and unformed steel strip (preece test) .130 9 Burning characteristics tests 133

1. FT2/FH/Horizontal flame 133

2. Burning particles (dropping) 136

9.3 FT1 137

9.4 FV-2/VW-1 139

1. FV-1/Vertical flame 142

2. Vertical tray flame tests (Method 1 – Vertical tray and Method 2 – FT4) 142

3. ST1 limited smoke 148

4. Fire propagation/RPI 151

5. Smoke emission 155

6. Halogen acid gas emission 159

7. Acid gas emission 163

8. Flame test for portable cables/FT5 (United States and Canada only) 169

Tables 171

Figures 176

Annex A (informative) Conductor removal from insulation for tubular specimens

1. Method 1: Stranded conductors 216

2. Method 2: Stranded or solid conductors 216

Annex B (informative) Determination of density

Annex C (informative) Sample calculation for the determination of ultimate elongation or tensile strength at 300 d

1. Elongation 219

2. Tensile strength 219

Annex D (normative) Establishment of parameters and requirements for short-term air oven aging test

Annex E (normative) Determination of temperature correction factor

Annex F (normative) Procedure and calculations for determining the degree of coverage of fibrous coverings

Annex G (normative) Calculation of coverage of shielding (wraps and braids)

Annex H (normative) Test enclosure and exhaust duct

1. Test enclosure 232

2. Exhaust duct 232

3. Exhaust fan 232

4. Air velocity measurements 233

   1. Within the exhaust duct 233

   2. Within the enclosure 234

5. Smoke measuring equipment 234

Annex I (informative) Conversion of pH to acid gas (as % HCl) and acid gas (as % HCl) to pH

Annex J (informative) Correlation of NMX wire and cable test method standards with UL 2556/CSA C22.2 No. 2556

PREFACE

This is the harmonized ANCE, CSA Group, and UL standard for Wire and Cable Test Methods. It is the Fourth edition of NMX-J-556-ANCE, the Fourth edition of CSA C22.2 No. 2556, and the Fourth edition of UL 2556. This edition of NMX-J-556-ANCE supersedes the previous edition published on March 22, 2013. This edition of CSA C22.2 No. 2556 supersedes the previous edition published on March 22, 2013. This edition of UL 2556 supersedes the previous edition published on March 22, 2013.

This harmonized standard was prepared by the Association of Standardization and Certification (ANCE), CSA Group, and Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL). The efforts and support of the Technical Harmonization Committee for Wire and Cable Test Methods, of the Council on the Harmonization of Electrotechnical Standards of the Nations of the Americas (CANENA), are gratefully acknowledged.

This Standard is considered suitable for use for conformity assessment within the stated scope of the Standard.

The present Mexican standard was developed by the WG Metodos de Prueba para Conductores, from CT

20 Conductores belonging the Comite de Normalización de la Asociación de Normalización y Certificación, A.C., CONANCE, with the collaboration of the manufacturers and users of electric conductors.

This standard was reviewed by the CSA Integrated Committee on Test Methods for Wires and Cables, under the jurisdiction of the CSA Technical Committee on Wiring Products and the CSA Strategic Steering Committee on Requirements for Electrical Safety, and has been formally approved by the CSA Technical Committee.

This standard has been approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as an American National Standard.

Where reference is made to a specific number of samples to be tested, the specified number is to be considered a minimum quantity.

Note: Although the intended primary application of this standard is stated in its scope, it is important to note that it remains the responsibility of the users of the standard to judge its suitability for their particular purpose.

Level of harmonization

This standard uses the IEC format but is not based on, nor is it considered equivalent to, an IEC standard. This standard is published as an equivalent standard for ANCE, CSA Group, and UL.

An equivalent standard is a standard that is substantially the same in technical content, except as follows: Technical national differences are allowed for codes and governmental regulations as well as those recognized as being in accordance with NAFTA Article 905, for example, because of fundamental climatic, geographical, technological, or infrastructural factors, scientific justification, or the level of protection that the country considers appropriate. Presentation is word for word except for editorial changes.

Reasons for differences from IEC

This standard provides requirements for insulated wires and cables for use in accordance with the electrical installation codes of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. At present there is no IEC standard for wires and cables for use in accordance with these codes. Therefore, this standard does not employ any IEC standard for base requirements.

Interpretations

The interpretation by the standards development organization of an identical or equivalent standard is based on the literal text to determine compliance with the standard in accordance with the procedural rules of the standards development organization. If more than one interpretation of the literal text has been identified, a revision is to be proposed as soon as possible to each of the standards development organizations to more accurately reflect the intent.

Wire and Cable Test Methods

1. Scope

   
   

   1. This standard describes the apparatus, test methods, and formulas to be used in carrying out the tests and calculations required by wire and cable standards.

      
      

   2. Specific acceptance requirements are found in individual product standards.

      
      

   3. Where a test method indicates a “specified” test parameter or condition, the parameter or condition is found in the individual product standard.

      
      

2. General

1. Units of measure

   
   

   The unit of measure shall be SI. If a value for measurement is followed by a value in other units in parentheses, the second value represents a direct conversion or an alternative value. Except for conductor size, the first stated value is the requirement.

   
   

2. Normative references

Where reference is made to any Standards, such reference shall be considered to refer to the latest editions and revisions thereto available at the time of printing, unless otherwise specified.

Note: In Mexico, NMX-J-556-ANCE is organized with the same clause numbering as UL 2556/CSA C22.2 No. 2556. Separate ANCE standards are published for test methods not covered in NMX-J-556-ANCE. Annex J provides a list of the harmonized NMX test method standards that apply to each test method.

ANCE (Association of Standardization and Certification)

NMX-E-034-SCFI

Plastic Industry – Carbon Black Contents on Polyethylene Materials – Test Methods

NMX-J-178-ANCE

Wires and Cables – Ultimate Strength and Elongation of Insulation, Semiconducting Shields and Jackets of Electrical Conductors – Test Method

NMX-J-192-ANCE

Flame Test on Electrical Wires – Test Method

NMX-J-417-ANCE

Wires and Cables – Convection Laboratory Ovens for Evaluation of Electrical Insulation – Specifications and Test Methods

NMX-J-437-ANCE

Wires and Cables – Determination of Light Absorption Coefficient of Polyethylene Pigmented with Carbon Black – Test Methods

NMX-J-474-ANCE

Electrical Products – Wires and Cables – Determination of Specific Optical Density of Smoke Generated by Electrical Wires and Cables – Test Methods