1. What is PE Cable?
PE (Polyethylene) cables, is cables insulated with polyethylene, VDE CODE: 2Y.
Polyethylene has many advantages, but due to its flammability and relatively not good temperature resistance, it is rarely used as an outer sheath material. Instead, it is more commonly used for cable insulation.
Important Note:
The PE we are talking about here is PE material that has not been modified in any way. It is not TPE(Polyester Elastomer) or XLPE(Cross-Linked Polyethylene), but LDPE(Low Density Polyethylene), which is widely used in cable production.
2. Properties of PE Cables
Electrical Performance
- Breakdown Voltage(20℃): 70KV/mm
- Specific Volume Resistivity Ohm*cm (20℃): 10¹⁷
- Dielectric Constant 50Hz (20℃): 2.3
- Dielectric Factor: 2×10⁻⁴
Thermal Performance
- Working Temperature: -50~70°C
- Melt Temperature: 105°C
- Flame Resistance: Flammable
- Halogen Free: Yes
Mechanical Performance
- Tensile Strength (N/mm²): 10-20
- Elongation at Break (%): 400-600
- Shore Hardness: 43-50(D)
- Corrosion Behavior: Medium
Weather
- Weather Resistance: Medium
- Cold Resistance: Good
PE has excellent electrical properties compared to other materials.
However, unmodified PE lacks strong thermal resistance and is flammable. It is primarily used as insulation for high-performance cables rather than as an outer sheath.
3. Applications of PE Cables
Data Signal Transmission Cables
PE insulated PE sheathed cables are more often used for data signal transmission cables, such as network cables(CAT5E CAT6), CAN bus Cables(RS485). The excellent electrical properties of PE ensure the stability of data transmission. However, it should be noted that these cables need to be installed in indoor or outdoor conduits and should not be exposed directly to the outdoor environment.
High-Voltage Cables
Since high voltage cables are more often buried directly in the ground, PE is usually used only for insulation and XLPE is more often used for the outer jacket of the cables, where the Thermic Performance of XLPE is much better than that of PE.
https://kmcablegroup.com/news/understanding-xlpe-cable/+
4. Summary
Understanding the characteristics of PE material cables will help us to choose and design the right cables that are more suitable for us to ensure that our electrical system can operate for a long time.
Want to know more about PE cables? Feel free to ask us.
