Description

Ths paper presents concepts and test methods used at the Factory Mutual Research Corporation (FMRC) to evaluate the fire behavior of wires and cables. In the experiments, a laboratory-scale apparatus was used. The wires and cables were examined in terms of their resistance to initiation of a fire (combustible vapor generation and ignition), electrical failure, generation of heat, toxic, and corrosive products, and smoke. Different types of wire and cable samples, ranging in size from 10 AWG to 2000 MCM, of various insulation/jacket materials, have been examined.