EN 50618: electric cables for photovoltaic systems Summary CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization) has published the formal standard EN 50618: electric cables for photovoltaic systems. This standard specifies cables for use in Photovoltaic (PV) Systems, in particular for installation at the Direct Current (D.C.) side. These cables are suitable for permanent outdoor use under variable demanding climate. EN 50618 has many modifications based on the current standards such as 2 PfG 1169/08.2007, AK 411.2.3:2008 and VDE-AR-E 2283-4:2011 which are used widely for Photovoltaic (PV) cables. It has wider application scope than the old standards. Such as, the old standards specifies that the rated voltage is 0.9 kV D.C. (conductor-earth)/ 1.8 kV D.C. (conductor-conductor), however most of the system voltage of PV modules are 1.0 kV D.C. or even 1.5 kV D.C.; hence there is a mismatch. To this end of making the standards for PV Cables more aligned with the current PV systems in vogue, this new standard EN 50618 has been devised. The main differences / enhancements of EN 50618 over TUV 2PfG 1169 / 08.2007 are listed as below:
Clause No. of EN Item 50618:2014 4 Rated voltage
EN 50618:2014 1.5 kV d.c. (both between conductors as well as conductors and earth); U0 /U: 1.0/1.0 kV A.C.
TUV 2PfG 1169/08.2007 0.9 kV D.C. (conductor-earth), 1.8 kV D.C. (conductorconductor); U0 /U: 0.6/1.0 kV
5.2.3
Thickness of insulation
Different thicknesses for insulation have been Same thickness for insulation has been specified specified for different nominal cross sectional area of irrespective of the nominal cross sectional area ≥ 0.5 conductors mm 2 (e.g. 1 x 4 mm : ≥ 0.7 mm)
5.3.3
Thickness of sheath
Different thicknesses for sheath have been specified Same thickness for sheath has been specified for different nominal cross sectional area of irrespective of the nominal cross sectional area. conductors Thickness to be ≥ 0.5 mm 2 (e.g. 1 x 4 mm : ≥ 0.8 mm)
6.3
Code designation
H1Z2Z2-K
7.2.2
Check for absence of faults on the insulation (or on completed cable)
7.2.3
Measurement insulation resistance
Different min. values of insulation resistance have been specified as per Table 1 for different nominal cross sectional area of conductors (e.g. 1 x 4 mm2: 580 MΩ.km at 20 °C; 0.58 MΩ.km at 90 °C)
Same min. value of insulation resistance has been specified irrespective of the different nominal cross sectional area min. value: 1014 Ω∙cm (1000 MΩ.km) at 20 °C; 11 10 Ω∙cm (1MΩ.km) at 90 °C
7.2.4
Long term resistance of insulation to D.C.
The test is performed at the voltage of 1.8 kV D.C.
The test is performed at the voltage of 0.9 kV D.C.
7.3.8
Ozone resistance on complete cable
In addition to methods in 2 Pfg 1169/08.2007, Method A according to EN 60811-403 has been included for ozone resistance testing
Includes only method B according to EN 50396 for ozone resistance testing
PV1-F
Cable to be tested in accordance to EN 62230 Annex Cable to be tested at a consistent AC voltage of 10 kV A; Different test voltage have been specified for irrespective of the radial thicknesses different value of tabulated radial thicknesses (e.g. 1.4 mm: 10 kV A.C.; 2.1 mm: 14 kV A.C.)
Clause No. of EN Item 50618:2014 7.3.9 Weathering/UV resistance on sheath
7.3.14
EN 50618:2014 Additional requirements after test have been included over and above that of current standard: - Tensile strength - Elongation at break less than 70% of the values measured on not exposed specimens
TUV 2PfG 1169/08.2007 Requirement after test - Absence of cracks
Smoke emission of New test has been added to test for smoke emission None complete cable in accordance with EN 61034-2. The max. amount of smoke permissible is specified
Annex A.3
Current carrying capacity
Current carrying capacity has been specified for 2 nominal cross sectional area from 1.5 mm to 240 2 mm
Current carrying capacity has been specified only for 2 2 nominal cross sectional area from 1.5 mm to 35 mm
Table B.1-1.1
Properties before ageing
Min. tensile strength of insulation is specified at 8.0 Min. tensile strength of insulation is specified at only N/mm2 6.5 N/mm2
Table B.1-1.3
Hot set test
Test Temperature: 250±3 °C
Test Temperature: 200±3 °C
Table B.1-1.4
Thermal endurance test
No “bending test” after thermal endurance test has been specified
Bending test according to EN 50305, 2D, after thermal endurance test has been specified
—
Notch propagation No "Notch propagation test" test
—
Pressure test at high temperature on completed cable
No "Pressure test at high temperature on completed Includes “Pressure test at high temperature on cable" completed cable”
Table B.1-1.7
Compatibility test
Variation of elongation at break of sheath after ageing has been specified at max. -30 %
Remark: All above just summarize the main changes in the standards
Includes “Notch propagation test”
Variation of elongation at break of sheath after ageing has been specified at max. ±30 %
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