What is the Meaning of FT1, FT2, FT4, FT5 and FT6 cable flame tests?

These are different flame test ratings showing how the cable is resistant to flames/fire as shown below: 


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)


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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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")

Flame/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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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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