IVECO 16-2118 Low Voltage Single Pole Cables - Material Requirements and Temperature, Environmental and Mechanical Tests

The standard “IVECO 16-2118 Low voltage single-pole cables - Material requirements and temperature, environmental and mechanical tests”, developed by IVECO, a multinational Italian transport vehicle manufacturing company, defines the methods and equipment to be used for the control of material properties and temperature, environmental and mechanical tests of single-pole, insulated-sheathed copper cables used in vehicle electrical systems, components and low voltage systems.

This standard does not refer to screened, multi-core or rubber-insulated cables used in vehicles. Other standards exist for these cables. The test methods described in this standard are valid for checking whether product samples (taken for qualification or from ongoing supplies) comply with drawings or specifications. Therefore, test order forms should include the number of samples to be tested from qualification samples or ongoing supplies. It should also specify the tests to be performed on the samples, referring to qualification requirements or product improvement tests (all or part of these tests are specified in the testing section). Before starting the tests, the samples to be tested should be numbered accordingly.

Unless otherwise stated, all measurements and tests should be performed under the following environmental conditions:

• Temperature: 23 degrees plus/minus degrees
• Atmospheric pressure: 860 - 1060 mbar
• Relative humidity: 45 percent to 70 percent

The long-term (3000 hours) and short-term (minimum 240 hours) operating temperatures specified in the tests are defined according to the cable temperature rating in the relevant supply specification.

Unless otherwise stated, for tests involving bending or winding over a mandrel, the table given in the standard for load as a function of mandrel diameter, rotation speed and cable cross-section shall be followed.

In this standard, cable material requirements are determined as follows:

• The conductor should be checked for:
  • Copper quality and production conditions
  • Electrical resistance at 20 degrees plus/minus 2 degrees
  • Ultimate tensile stress of the conductor
  • Percentage of elongation at break of single conductor wires
• Insulation should be checked for:
  • Insulation material quality and analysis
  • Ultimate tensile stress
  • Percentage of elongation at break

The stress and percentage elongation of the insulation at ultimate tensile stress are tested on pipe samples for 6 mm2 cable and on cable samples of at least 100 mm6 obtained from the insulation of the cable at a tensile speed of 2 mm/min from the same sample.

The temperature and environmental tests defined in the standard include:

• Thermal shock test: This test is performed on a 500 mm long cable sample. The sample is placed in the oven at the temperature indicated for each rating in the table given in the standard. The sample is then placed horizontally on a semicircular non-metallic grid and left for 4 hours. The sample is removed from the oven and reconditioned for 2 hours at room temperature. At least three complete close turns are wound on the mandrel according to the table, then removed from the mandrel and the cable is straightened. Afterwards, the insulation is checked for cracks, faults or deterioration. Finally, the discharge voltage and leakage current are checked according to the IVECO 16-2111 standard.
• Insulation shrinkage test: This test is performed on a 200 mm long cable sample. The insulation length is checked accurately. The sample is then placed in the oven (150 degrees plus/minus 2 degrees for all). The sample is placed horizontally on a glass surface, 50 percent of the size of the oven floor, sprinkled with talcum powder, placed in the center of the oven floor, and left for 15 minutes (cable sections 6 mm2) or 1 hour (cable sections at least 6 mm2). The sample is then removed from the oven and reconditioned for 2 hours at room temperature. The insulation length is then checked accurately again. It is checked for cracks, defects or insulation degradation. Calculations are made to calculate the shrinkage in percent and compare it with the requirements.
• Cold bend test (only performed on 16 mm2 cable samples): This test is performed on a cable sample of at least 500 mm length. The sample and its mandrel are placed in the low temperature chamber at minus 40 degrees plus/minus 2 degrees. The sample and the mandrel are then left in the chamber for 4 hours. The sample is wound into the chamber with suitable tools, over a mandrel equal to the diameter specified in the table, for 3 complete close turns in both directions at the specified rate. The insulation is checked for cracks, failures or collapse. Then the sample wound on the mandrel is removed from the low temperature chamber and reconditioned at room temperature. Finally, the discharge voltage and leakage current are checked according to the IVECO 16-2111 standard.
• Cold flexibility test after accelerated ageing: This test is performed on a cable sample from 5 to 500 mm long. An oven is used at the short-term operating temperature for the cable grade in question. The samples are hung vertically and left for the times specified in the standard. The samples are then removed from the oven and reconditioned for at least 16 hours at room temperature. The test sample is placed in a cold chamber at minus 25 degrees plus/minus 2 degrees and left for 4 hours. The sample is then wound into the chamber with suitable tools over a mandrel whose diameter is equal to the diameter specified in the table, for 3 complete close turns in both directions at the specified rate. The insulation is checked for cracks, faults or deterioration. Finally, the test samples wound on the mandrel are reconditioned at ambient temperature and then tested for discharge voltage and leakage current according to the IVECO 16-2111 standard.

The following test methods are also described in this standard within the scope of temperature and environmental tests:

• Flame spread test
• Resistance to chemicals
• Hydrolysis test (only applicable to cable insulation susceptible to hydrolysis)

This standard also defines the following test methods within the scope of mechanical testing:

• High temperature deflection tests (performed only on cables with 0,5 mm insulation)
• Cold impact test (only for 16mm2 cable)
• Abrasion test
• Insulator strip test (only performed on cables with a cross section of 8 mm2)

Our organization has a strong staff that closely follows the developments in the world in the field of science and technology and constantly improves itself. Among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies provided for businesses in various sectors, there are also test services in accordance with the "IVECO 16-2118 Low voltage single-pole cables - Material requirements and temperature, environmental and mechanical tests" standard.