CableDataSheet, Cable and Wire Technical Consulting Service

Dear All,
   
How LSZH is better than LSF,?
What is the main advantage for using LSZH?
LSZH and LSF is same?

LSZH is low smoke zero halogen but LSF is low smoke fume .  these are not same ,

LSZH is important puclic and domestic application for emergency application.

The difference between LSZH and PVC cable coating often brings many questions.
Customers ask: why should I use LSZH or why should I choose for PVC?

Most of our customers choose PVC, because it is cheaper than LSZH cables.
You might think now: "So LSZH has already lost the competition", but there are some great advantages to LSZH cable coating!
What do the terms "LSZH" and "PVC" even mean?

LSZH means: Low Smoke Zero Halogen.
PVC means: Polyvinyl Chloride. PVC molecule model
What is the difference between the two?

The physical differences are very distinct. A polyvinyl cable feels very soft and is smooth, while an LSZH cable feels rough and is stiffer.
However the advantage of the LSZH cable comes with heat. When a PVC cable is set on fire, it emits chemical fumes and acids -which is not very healthy for your personnel-.
Whereas an LSZH cable does not emit these chemical substances.
This means that the LSZH cable meet the health and safety standards. Not every new building requires these health and safety standards though and the peformance of both cables remains the same.
So when do I use LSZH or PVC?

Both cables are excellent in performance, so it depends on the situation whether you choose LSZH or PVC.
If the health and safety demands fire proof cables, you need LSZH. If not, you are safe with PVC cables.

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HISTORY OF LSZH MATERIALS

Since the 1970s, the wire and cable industry has been using low-smoke,  low-halogen materials in a number of applications. The objective was to create  a wire and cable jacketing that was not only flame retardant but also did not  generate dense, obscuring smoke and toxic or corrosive gases. Several notable fires over the years (such as the King's Cross Fire that killed 32 people in London's underground subway in 1987) increased the awareness of the role that wire and cable jacketing plays in a fire and contributed to a greater adoption of LSZH cables. With an increase in the amount of cable found in residential, commercial and industrial applications in recent years, there is a greater fuel load in the event of a fire. Wire and cable manufacturers responded by developing materials that had a high resistance to fire while maintaining performance. Low-smoke, zero-halogen compounds proved to be a key materials group that delivered
enhanced fire protection performance. Today, low-smoke, zero-halogen cables are being used in applications beyond the traditional transit, shipboard, military and other confined-space applications.Low smoke, zero halogen has many different abbreviations, and some of the more common ones are listed in Table 1along with other abbreviations seen in association with LSZH cable. In the U.S., LSZH is the most common term and will be used throughout this pape

Abbreviation
Meaning
LSZH
Low smoke, zero halogen
LSF
Low smoke, fume
LS0H
Low smoke, zero halogen
LSHF
Low smoke, halogen free
LSNH
Low smoke, nonhalogen
NHFR
Nonhalogen, flame retardant
HFFR
Halogen free, flame retardant
FRNC
Fire retardant, noncorrosive
LS
Low, limited smoke
ST
Smoke test (limited smoke)
FRLS
Fire resistant, low smoke
RE
Reduced emissions
LC
Low corrosivity
LH
Low halogen

Polymer
Halogen Content (% by weight)
XLP (cross-linked polyethylene)
with halogen-free flame retardants
with halogenated flame retardants
<0.02
<0.02
7–17
EPR (ethylene propylene rubber)
with halogenated flame retardants
<0.02
9–14
PU (polyurethane)
<0.02
PE (polyethylene)
with halogen-free flame retardants
<0.02
<0.02
CSPE (chlorosulfonated polyethylene)
13–26
CPE (chlorinated polyethylene)
14–28
PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
22–29
FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene)
62–78
<0.02 generally considered zero halogen

Are there any disadvantages to using low smoke zero halogen cables?

Low smoke zero halogen cables provide a lot of great safety advantages, but there is a bit of an electrical and mechanical trade-off. In order to be low smoke zero halogen, the cable jacket must incorporate a high percentage of filler material. This increase in filler material could make the jacket less chemical and water resistant and could provide poorer mechanical and electrical properties than a non-LSZH counterpart. LSZH jackets are also more likely to experience jacket cracking during installation, so special lubricants may be necessary to avoid damage. This is especially true in cold environments. Because of the limited flexibility of LSZH, it is not recommended in robotic or continuous flex applications. As a result, LSZH cable is commonly chosen for applications where fire safety is more of a concern than the cable's specific electrical and mechanical properties. Advances in compound materials and processing have decreased some of these issues.

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