IEEE 1580 Cable Code Designation

(informative)
Previously used cable designations

The following information is for historical purposes only. This has been replaced with 5.19 marking
requirements.

D.5.19 Previously used cable designations

D.5.19.1.1 Cable type (service symbol)

"S"           Single conductor distribution
"D"           Two conductor distribution
"T"           Three conductor distribution
"F"           Four conductor distribution
"Q"           Five conductor distribution
"C"           Control cable (1)
"TP"         Twisted pair (1)
"TT"         Twisted triad (1)
(1) = Insert AWG size of conductors following service symbol for C, TP, and TT.
D.5.19.1.2 Shielding

No marking     Unshielded
"OS"                Overall shield
"IS"                 Individual shield
"IS-OS"           Individual and overall shield
"OBS"             Overall braid shield

D.5.19.1.3 Insulation type (2)

"E"           Ethylene propylene rubber
"X"           Crosslinked polyethylene
"P"           Crosslinked polyolefin
"S"           Silicone rubber
"LSX"      Low smoke, halogen-free crosslinked polyolefin
"LSE"      Low smoke, halogen-free ethylene propylene rubber
"LSS"       Low smoke, halogen-free silicone rubber
"T"           Polyvinyl chloride
"T/N"       Polyvinyl chloride/nylon
(2) = For insulation types E, X, T, T/N, and S where the VW-1 is the option, the letter "V" is
added after the insulation type to indicate compliance with this optional requirement.

D.5.19.1.4 Jacket type

"T"           Polyvinyl chloride
"CP"         Chlorosulfonated polyethylene
"N"           Polychloroprene (neoprene)
"L"           Low smoke, zero halogen crosslinked polyolefin
"TPO"      Low smoke, zero halogen thermoplastic polyolefin
"CPE"      Thermoset chlorinated polyethylene

D.5.19.1.5 Armor

No marking         Unarmored
"A"                     Aluminum armor
"B"                      Bronze armor
"T"                      Tinned copper armor
"_S"                    Armor and sheath (3)
"CWCMC"         Continuously corrugated metal armor

(3) = Add the type of armor, A, B, or T, before the S.


D.5.19.1.6 Size
The wire size is designated for distribution cable by adding a dash (-), followed by the conductor
size in kcmil.


D.5.19.1.7 Voltage rating


The rated distribution cable voltage is added to the symbol following a dash (-), as follows:
2 000 V                          2 kV
5 000 V                          5 kV
8 000 V                          8 kV
15 000 V                        15 kV
25 000 V                        25 kV
28 000 V                        28 kV
35 000 V                        35 kV

The complete type designation should include the following parts:
—    Cable type (S, D, T, F, Q, C, TP, TT)
—    Shielding designation, if applicable
—    Insulation type
—    Jacket type
—    Armor, if applicable
—    "S" if jacket over armor

For Types S, D, T, F, and Q, distribution cables.
Following a dash (-), the conductor size in kcmil is as follows:

—    DTTB-4  =  AWG  14  (4.11  kcmil),  two-conductor,  polyvinylchloride-insulated, 
thermoplastic
polyvinyl chloride jacketed, and bronze armored
—    SXNA-250  =  250  kcmil,  single  conductor,  cross-linked  polyethylene  insulated, 
Thermoset neoprene jacketed, and aluminum armor
—    TPNBS-313 = 3 conductor, 313 kcmil, polyolefin insulation with neoprene jacket, bronze armor,
and overall sheath

Following a second dash (-), the voltage rating is as follows:
—    TPNBS-313-5KV = 3 conductors, 313 kcmil, polyolefin insulation with neoprene jacket, bronze
armor, and overall sheath, 5 kV.

For Types C, TP, and TT, the number of conductors, pairs or triads, as applicable; the number  of
conductors of control, and the number of conductor pairs/triads of signal cable, is added to the
cable designation, as follows:
—    C14TCPB-20  =  20  conductor  control  cable,  14  AWG,  thermoplastic-insulated,  Thermoset
chlorosulfonated polyethylene jacketed, and bronze armor
—    TP18TNA-10  =  10  twisted  pair  signal  cable,  18  AWG,  thermoplastic-insulated, 
Thermoset neoprene jacketed, and aluminum armor
—    C14PCP-3  =  3  conductor,  14  AWG,  polyolefin  insulated,  and  chlorosulfonated 
polyethylene jacketed
—    TP (OS) 18PNBS-2 = 2 twisted pairs, 18 AWG with polyolefin insulation, overall tape shield and
drain wire, neoprene jacketed, with bronze armor and overall outer sheath

⚓ IEEE 1580 (Legacy) Cable Code Designation Guide
Informative – Previously used system, replaced by IEEE 1580 Clause 5.19

🅐 Cable Type (Service Symbol)

S	Single conductor distribution
D	Two conductor distribution
T	Three conductor distribution
F	Four conductor distribution
Q	Five conductor distribution
C	Control cable (Insert AWG size after C)
TP	Twisted Pair cable (Insert AWG size after TP)
TT	Twisted Triad cable (Insert AWG size after TT)

🅑 Shielding Type

(none)	Unshielded
OS	Overall shield
IS	Individual shield
IS-OS	Individual and overall shield
OBS	Overall braid shield

🅒 Insulation Type

E	Ethylene propylene rubber
X	Crosslinked polyethylene
P	Crosslinked polyolefin
S	Silicone rubber
LSX	Low smoke, halogen-free crosslinked polyolefin
LSE	Low smoke, halogen-free ethylene propylene rubber
LSS	Low smoke, halogen-free silicone rubber
T	PVC
T/N	PVC/Nylon
EV, XV, TV, etc.	Add "V" to indicate VW-1 flame rating compliance

🅓 Jacket Type

T	Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
CP	Chlorosulfonated polyethylene
N	Polychloroprene (neoprene)
L	Low smoke, zero halogen crosslinked polyolefin
TPO	LSZH thermoplastic polyolefin
CPE	Thermoset chlorinated polyethylene

🅔 Armor Type

(none)	Unarmored
A	Aluminum armor
B	Bronze armor
T	Tinned copper armor
_S	Armor and outer sheath (A_S, B_S, or T_S)
CWCMC	Continuously corrugated metal armor

🅕 Conductor Size (kcmil or AWG)
Add after a dash `-`, e.g. `-313`, `-14`

🅖 Voltage Rating (kV)
Add after a second dash `-`, e.g. `-5KV`, `-15KV` 

2KV	2000 V
5KV	5000 V
8KV	8000 V
15KV	15000 V
25KV	25000 V
28KV	28000 V
35KV	35000 V

🧪 Full Designation Examples
DTTB-4 
→ 2-conductor, PVC-insulated, thermoplastic PVC jacketed, bronze armored, AWG 14 (4.11 kcmil)

SXNA-250 
→ Single conductor, XLPE insulation, neoprene jacket, aluminum armor, 250 kcmil

TPNBS-313 
→ 3 twisted pairs, polyolefin insulation, neoprene jacket, bronze armor, outer sheath, 313 kcmil

TP(OS)18PNBS-2 
→ 2 twisted pairs, 18 AWG, polyolefin insulation, overall shield, neoprene jacket, bronze armor, outer sheath

C14TCPB-20 
→ 20-conductor control cable, 14 AWG, thermoplastic insulation, CPE jacket, bronze armor

TP18TNA-10 
→ 10 twisted pairs, 18 AWG, thermoplastic insulation, neoprene jacket, aluminum armor

This system is often used in marine, oil & gas, shipboard, and offshore platform environments.