What Are CSA Flame Tests? CSA FT1, FT2, FT4, FT5 and FT6

he Canadian Electrical Code (CEC), published by the Canadian Standards Association, is the Canadian safety code for electrical installations that is adopted into law by each province and territory with amendments or local rules. The Code includes references to a stringent series of tests developed for flame testing of wires and cables. Cables are marked from FT1 to FT6, depending on which of the specified flame test requirements they fulfill.

Applicable Standards

The CSA C22.2 No.2556 wire and cable test standard is the harmonized ANCE, CSA Group, and UL standard for Wire and Cable Test Procedures. This standard describes the apparatus, test procedures and formulas to be used in carrying out the tests and calculations required by wire and cable standards.

   FT1   FT2   FT4   FT5   FT6
Setup

Vertical

Horizontal

Vertical

Horizontal

Horizontal

Flame Output

3,000 BTU/hour

1,700 BTU/hour

70,000 BTU/hour

1,700 BTU/hour

300,000 BTU/hour

Duration (seconds)

5 x 15

30

20

60

20

Pass/Fail Criteria

A finished conductor shall not convey flame or continue to burn for more than 60 seconds after five 15-second applications of the test flame. If more than 25 percent of the extended portion of the indicator is burned, the conductor shall be considered to have conveyed flame.

The length of the charred portion of the specimen of cord shall not exceed 100 mm nor shall it drop flaming particles.

Finished wires or cables shall not exhibit charred material beyond a length exceeding 1.5 m (5 ft.) from the lower edge of the burner face when subjected to the test.

The cable shall not have a length of burned area exceeding 150 mm and shall not continue to burn for more than four minutes when subjected to the flame test.

A flame travel distance not exceeding 1.52 m (5 ft.), a peak optical density of smoke not exceeding 0.5, and an average optical density not exceeding 0.15 are described as having adequate fire-resistant and low smoke-producing characteristics.

Applicable Standard(s)

CSA C22.2 No.38
CSA C22.2 No.75
CSA C68.5
CSA C68.10

CSA C22.2 No.49

CSA C22.2 No.38
CSA C22.2 No.51
CSA C22.2 No.75
CSA C22.2 No.123
CSA C22.2 No.131
CSA C22.2 No.230
CSA C68.10

CSA No.96

CSA C22.2 No.214
UL 444
NFPA 262

FT1 Flame Test
Test procedure: Cables are subjected to a 15-second duration of a 3,000 BTU/hour flame five times.

Pass/fail criteria: A finished conductor shall not convey flame or continue to burn for more than 60 seconds after five 15-second applications of the test flame. If more than 25 percent of the extended portion of the indicator is burned, the conductor shall be considered to have conveyed flame.



FT2 Flame Test
Test procedure: Cables are subjected to a 1,700 BTU/hour flame applied to a horizontal wire or cable sample for 30 seconds.

Pass/fail criteria: The length of the charred portion of the specimen of cord shall not exceed 100 mm nor shall it drop flaming particles. (Source: CSA C22.2 No.49)

FT4 Flame Test
Test procedure: Cables are mounted on a vertical tray and exposed for 20 minutes to a 70,000 BTU/hour flame. This test is the same as the IEEE 1202 flame test and both are found in the UL 1685 document. Because of the reduced char height requirements, the FT4 and IEEE 1202 tests are slightly more difficult to pass than the UL 1685 vertical tray version.

Pass/fail criteria: Finished wires or cables shall not exhibit charred material beyond a length exceeding 1.5 m (5 ft.) from the lower edge of the burner face when subjected to the test. (Source: CSA C22.2 No.38)

FT4 Flame Test drawing
FT5 Flame Test
This flame test is applicable to portable power cables such as SHD-GC for use in surface or underground mining applications.

Test procedure: Three one-meter samples are required for this test and are set up horizontally. The specimens are heated with electric current (DC or AC voltage source) until the conductor temperature reaches 205˚ C ± 5˚ C. Once this conductor temperature has been reached, a 1,700 BTU/hour flame is applied for 60 seconds at the center of the cable. Upon removing the flame, the current supply is also disconnected from the sample immediately.
Pass/fail criteria: The cable shall not have a length of burned area exceeding 150 mm and shall not continue to burn for more than four minutes when subjected to the flame test. (Source: CSA No.96)


FT6 Flame Test
The U.S. version of this test is known as the NFPA 262 "Steiner Tunnel" Flame Test (formerly UL 910), which measures flame spread and smoke generation in a simulated air handling plenum.

Test procedure: A 25-foot long Steiner Tunnel is used for the test with intake and exhaust ducts and a means of regulating flow velocity of air through the tunnel. Windows at 1-foot intervals allow for flame spread measurements, and an optical device in the exhaust of the chamber measures smoke density. The cable samples are mounted in a cable tray in one layer in the tunnel and the tunnel is sealed. Two circular burners are mounted vertically at the intake end of the tunnel just in front of the cable tray. Methane is burned along with a 240 ft./min. forced draft through the tunnel for twenty minutes, and the flame is extinguished. Flame spread and smoke density are monitored throughout the test.
Pass/fail criteria: A flame travel distance not exceeding 1.52 m (5 ft.), a peak optical density of smoke not exceeding 0.5 and an average optical density not exceeding 0.15 are described as having adequate fire-resistant and low smoke-producing characteristics. (Source: NFPA 262)

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here are a number of different certifications for electrical applications, including wire and cable. These various certifications range from flame tests, application locations, types of applications and even specific voltage levels. This blog will breakdown the CSA FT ratings, the CSA flame tests, and we'll be looking into the pass or fail criteria.

Certifications were introduced as a way to advance safe electrical practices. Each certification has a purpose, whether it be for specific geographical locations or by application. The FT1-FT6 certificates are a Canadian standard. The CSA is an extremely important North American approval that's regularly getting modernized, on top of random check-ins and tests for all official distributors and manufacturers. To most effectively highlight these different approvals, we'll be breaking down each testing method and the various pass or fail criteria.

lame/Burning
Test   Test
Marking    Test Method
FT1   FT1   C22.2 No. 2556-13, cl. 9.3 (FT1)
FT2   FT2   C22.2 No. 2556-13, cl. 9.1 (FT2/FH/Horizontal flame)
VW-1   VW-1   C22.2 No. 2556-13 (cl. 9.4 FV-2/VW-1)
FT4   FT4   C22.2 No. 2556-13 (cl. 9.6.5.3 Method 2 – FT4)
FT4-ST1   FT4-ST1   C22.2 No. 2556-13 (cl. 9.7 ST1 Limited smoke)
FT5   FT5   C22.2 No. 0.3-09 (cl. 5.10.5 – Flame test for portable cables/FT5)
FT6 Horizontal
flame and smoke
test   FT6   C22.2 No. 0.3-09 (cl. 5.10.6 Horizontal Flame and Smoke test/FT6)
Reference standard: NFPA Standard 262 or ULC S102.4

CSA FT1 Flame Test
The FT1 is a vertical flame testing procedure that has the cabled subjected to a 15-second test of a 3,000 BTU/hour flame five times.

The pass or fail criteria for this is a finished conductor shall not convey flame or continue to burn for more than 60 seconds after five 15-second applications of the test flame. If more than 25 percent of the extended portion of the indicator is burned, the conductor shall be considered to have conveyed flame.





CSA FT2 Flame Test
The FT2 horizontal testing procedure for the FT2 certification has 1,700 BTU/hour flame applied to a horizontal wire or cable sample for 30 seconds.

The pass or fail criteria is the length of the charred portion of the specimen of cord shall not exceed 100 mm, nor shall it drop flaming particles (CSA C22.2 No.49).





CSA FT4 Flame Test
The FT4 certification is one of the most popular as it has one of the toughest tests to pass, given the 70,000 BTU/hour flame. This certifications testing procedure has cables mounted on a vertical tray, which are exposed for 20 minutes to a 70,000 BTU/hour flame. This test is identical to the IEEE 1202 flame test. The FT4 and IEEE 1202 reduced char height requirements make them slightly more difficult to pass than the UL1685 vertical tray version.

The pass or fail criteria for the FT4 certification is the finished wires or cables shall not exhibit charred material beyond a length exceeding 1.5 m (5 ft.) from the lower edge of the burner face when subjected to the test (CSA C22.2 No.38).

CSA FT5 Flame Test
The FT5 horizontal flame test is used for power cables and portable cords like the SHD-GC for use in surface or underground mining applications.

The testing procedure for the FT5 certification involves three one-meter samples that are set up horizontally. The specimens are heated with electric current (DC or AC voltage source) until the conductor temperature reaches 205˚C. Once this conductor temperature has been reached, a 1,700 BTU/hour flame is applied for 60 seconds at the center of the cable.

The pass or fail criteria for the FT5 is that the cable shall not have a length of the burned area exceeding 150 mm and shall not continue to burn for more than four minutes when subjected to the flame test (CSA No.96).





CSA FT6 Flame Test
The American version of this test is called NFPA 262, the Steiner Tunnel flame test. This test measures flame spread and smoke generation in the air handling plenum. The testing procedure for the FT6 certification has a 25-foot Steiner Tunnel with intake and exhaust ducts that control the airflow. The cables are mounted within a tray on one level and sealed. Two circular burners are then mounted vertically at the tunnel's intake end, just in front of the cable tray. Methane is burned along with 240 ft./min. Through the tunnel for twenty minutes, at which point the flame is extinguished. Flame spread and smoke density are monitored throughout the test.

The pass or fail criteria for the FT6 flame travel distance not exceeding 1.52 m (5 ft.). A peak optical density of smoke not exceeding 0.5 and an average optical density not exceeding 0.15 is described as having adequate fire-resistant and low smoke-producing characteristics (NFPA 262).


C(UL) Certifications
UL/NEC-Approved cables may also be C(UL)/CEC-Approved as communications cables meeting the requirements of the Bi-National Standard CSA C22.2 No. 214/UL 444 and Section 60 of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I (CEC). The C(UL) cable designation (and its meaning) would be one of the following:

1. CMP — Cable meeting CSA FT6 or NFPA 262 (UL 910)

2. CMR — Cable meeting UL 1666, CSA FT4

3. CMG — Cable meeting CSA FT4

4. CM — Cable meeting UL 1685 (UL 1581, Sec. 1160) Vertical-Tray, CSA FT1

5. CMX — Cable meeting UL 1581, Sec. 1080 (VW-1), CSA FT1

6. CMH — Cable meeting CSA FT1
 


The CSA FT 1-6 ratings are an important part of the cabling industry in Canada. With various tests focusing on horizontal and vertical flame reduction, these tests are required for all building types, commercial and residential. Whether it be CSA, UL, NEC, CE, HAR, or even VDE, all approvals are essential for safety and application success. As a certified international distributor, we have the ability to supply any certification to just about every country around the world. From vertical and horizontal flame testing, application-specific certifications, high voltage certifications or even the simple RoHS, Sycor has the capabilities to make your cabling application a reality.

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TEST PROCEDURES FOR FLAME RETARDANCY
Flame Retardancy in a cable describes the ability of the materials to cease burning once the source of heat is removed. Several tests have been formulated to measure this property, with the most common being:


VW-1 (Vertical-Wire) Flame Test (UL 83) (Formerly FR-1)
Very similar to the "All Wires Flame Test" except that after the flame application, the flame is not reapplied after 15 seconds if the sample is still burning, but only when the flame is extinguished. If the sample burns for longer than 60 seconds after any application, this constitutes a failure.

Horizontal Flame Test (UL 44, 83)
A moderate flame test conducted on a horizontal sample in a special enclosure. A Tirrill gas burner with a 1500F flame is applied to the sample for 30 seconds. The flame must not spread more than 2" left or right of the point of application or ignite cotton on the floor of the test chamber by means of burning particles falling from the cable.

All Wires Flame Test (UL 83)
A vertical flame test in an enclosure using a Tirrill gas burner with a 1500 F flame. A paper flag is positioned on the sample, 10 inches above the point at which the flame touches the specimen. The flame is applied for 15 seconds removed for 15 seconds and then re-applied for 15 seconds. The total number of flame applications being 5. The sample shall be considered unsatisfactory if more than 25% of the paper flag is burned away or flaming or glowing particles ignite the cotton base of the enclosure or if after the last application of flame the sample continues to burn for longer than 60 seconds.

Vertical-Tray Flame Test (IEEE 383)
A stringent test which is usually applied to jacketed cables lashed to a vertical metal ladder type tray 8 feet high. The combustion source is a ribbon burner with a flame temperature of 1500F and heat source of 70,000 BTU's per hour. Burn time is 20 minutes. The cable is required to not propagate the flame to the top of the tray, a distance of 6 feet from the point of application.

Vertical-Tray Flame Test (UL 83, UL 1277)
Based upon the IEEE test with minor modifications such as flame temperature 1600 – 1750F.

Vertical-Tray Flame Test (210,000 BTU)
Similar to 70,000 BTU per hour test with the exception of the heat source being increased to 210,000BTU per hour.

CSA has a performance standard C22.2 No. 210.2 for Appliance Wiring Material that has the following ratings:

FT1 – Vertical Flame Test (similar to "All Wires Flame Test")
FT2 – Horizontal Flame Test (similar to "Horizontal Flame Test")
FT3 – Burning Particles Flame Test (similar to "VW-1 Flame Test")
FT4 – Vertical Flame Test (similar to "UL1685 Vertical Tray Flame Test")

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