Bulk Indian Mains Cable – IS 694
This page covers the standard mains flex used in India, which is stocked in the UK at our premises. Continue reading for a summary of its specifications, the legal requirements regarding its use, sale, and import into India, and the major differences between it and cables used elsewhere.
IS 694 is the Indian Standard for mains flex, namely polyvinyl chloride (PVC) insulated cables and cords up to 450/750 Volts AC. It covers single and multicore cables, 1 to 5 conductors, which can be manufactured from aluminium or copper, and be rigid or flexible in character. The IS 694 standard in full is Polyvinyl chloride insulated unsheathed and sheathed cables/cords with rigid and flexible conductor for rated voltages up to and including 450/750 V.
IS694 colour coding
Originally based on the superseded (and now withdrawn) UK BS 6500 standard for light and ordinary duty cables, the current IS 694 Indian standard has retained the old British insulation colours: cores are coloured red (line), black (neutral), and green/yellow (earth). Numbered cores are also permitted, e.g. ‘1’ and ‘2’ for single phase, and up to 3 or 4 for three phase; the protective earth will regardless still be coloured green or green/yellow to avoid ambiguity. India is the only country to use this colour coding, whilst most of the rest of the world instead uses the international harmonised colours.
Conductors are metric and measured in millimetres squared, mm2, and available in cross-sections of 0.50 mm (3A), 0.75 mm (6A), 1.00 mm (10A), 1.50 mm (16A), and 2.50 mm2 (20A+). The two-core cables can be either flat or circular, but 3 cores or more must be circular. The use of filler to give the cable a circular shape is permitted. All are designated as YY cables. The cable jacket must bear the name of the manufacturer and be approved by BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards). We offer the colour black from stock, and white and grey to order.
Indian cable variations
IS:694, the normal or standard version India power cable, has a temperature rating of 70°C for residential and commercial use, and there is also heat resistant at 85°C. Flame-retardant (FR) is used in public spaces and enclosed environments as a safety measure, and a flame-retardant low-smoke-and-halogen (FR-LSH) version is used in these applications plus military use where the released vapours pose additional hazards. When manufactured from aluminium (instead of CU copper), cables are marked ‘A’; this makes them cheaper and lighter but more prone to corrosion; common applications include use as aerial and overhead cables. For more resistance to water and the elements, those for outdoor use are marked ‘OU’, e.g. on power tools or equipment designed to be left permanently outside.
The standard covers both rigid and flexible cables; most bodies normally separate the two into different standards documents. The difference is in application, and resistance to bending. Rigid is used in fixed mains wiring, e.g. installed permanently in or on a wall. Flexible is used for ‘portable’ power cables, which have the possibility of being moved, even if infrequently.
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As well as for mains power uses, YY can be used as a control cable for e.g automated industrial machinery.
IS694 specifically excludes screened cables, and cables made from materials other than pvc. We only stock PVC, but may be able to source the other types: see Indian Standards IS 7098 for cross linked polyethene (XLPE), IS 9968 for elastomer, and IS 1554 for heavy duty pvc cables, all for up to 1,100 Volts.
All mains flex under these standards is deemed by the Bureau of Indian Standards to be under compulsory certification. This means that flexible electrical cords must be approved by BIS, and usually has the applicable standard and the ISI quality mark upon it.
Approval certificates are also available on request. Compared to international cables, BIS-approved cable has a different insulation colouring scheme and considerably higher voltage ratings (up to 110V), so cannot be used interchangeably with any other cable.
India YY cables
- Single-phase flat YY cables exist as 2 core 0.75 mm cross ectional area only. These are suitable for unearthed low-current applications up to 6 amps, e.g. radios and small consumer electronics..
- Single-phase circular YY cables can be 2 cores for 0.75 mm only. All larger sizes must be 3 core, and encompass 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5mm CSA. This is standard for almost all domestic, commercial and light industrial applications.
- 3 phase multicore circular YY cables can only be 1.5 or 2.5 mm CSA, either as 4 core or 5 core. This only only found on very large, high current draw, or industrial machinery.
Indian power cable differences
Mains power flex for India differes from that used in most of the rest of the world on three major points: 1) different insulation colours, 2) different voltage ratings, 3) requirement for ISI / BIS approval.
Historically standard power cables were shipped regularly to India and the Indian subcontinent with little scrutiny, but approvals and import procedures are now more stringent, and the correct cable type must be used. The higher voltage requirements and specific colour coding mean the correct Indian-approved cables must be specified and used to prevent customs fines and returned shipments.
We stock flat YY on 2 core 0.75mm and 3 core 0.75mm, 1mm, and 1.5mm as standard, and hold the relevant ISI certification for BIS approval on record, making supply, export, and regulatory compliance painless.
Contact us for more information on any of these cable types, either in bulk or with plugs and connectors attached, and we can discuss options and provide quick quotations, call us on 01264 353489 or click here to contact us
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