A single cable burning tells little about a tray full of them. IEC 60332-3 mounts bundles of cables on a vertical ladder inside a chimney tower, applies a ribbon burner for a set time according to the category (A, B, C or D by volume of non-metallic material), and measures how far the char extends. EN 50399 takes the same geometry further for CPR classification: the cables burn under an exhaust hood where heat release, smoke and flaming droplets are measured to feed EN 13501-6 classes.
How the Bunched Cable Flame Test Apparatus works
Cable lengths are mounted on the ladder to the non-metallic volume of the category and conditioned. The burner is applied for the category time (40 minutes for categories A and B, 20 minutes for C and D in the IEC method). After burning and cooling, the extent of charring is measured from the burner level; in the EN 50399 arrangement the exhaust analysis runs throughout the test.
Key specifications
| Standards | IEC 60332-3-10 and parts 3-21 to 3-24 (categories A-D); EN 50399 configuration for CPR classification measurement (FIGRA, THR, smoke, droplets) |
|---|---|
| Geometry | Vertical ladder in a chimney enclosure; burner application at the ladder base |
| Categories | Test arrangements by non-metallic material volume per metre, as the standard defines |
What the test reports
- Extent of char / damage above the burner
- For EN 50399: heat release indices, total heat release, smoke production and flaming droplet observations
Applications
Cable manufacturers supplying construction projects under CPR, and utilities and transit authorities with their own bunched-cable specifications, need this rig. It is the centrepiece of the cable fire testing category together with the single-cable flame test and the IEC 60331 fire resistance rig.
Frequently asked questions
Which standard should I order against?
Order against the standard your reports must cite. The instrument platform is shared across the listed standards, but fixtures, software templates and calibration routines differ, so name the standard (and its year) in your inquiry and the configuration will be matched to it.
Can the instrument be installed in an existing laboratory?
Yes, in most cases. Tell us the available floor space, ceiling height, exhaust capacity and gas supplies in your inquiry; large systems such as the SBI and tunnel furnaces need a dedicated exhaust arrangement, which is confirmed in the layout proposal before ordering.
IEC 60332-3 only, or EN 50399 as well?
If your market is CPR classification in Europe, you need the EN 50399 measurement arrangement; if your specifications are IEC category based, the base rig suffices. Many laboratories order the combined rig; state your markets in the inquiry.
Configuration, installation and support
Every Bunched Cable Flame Test Apparatus is supplied as a configured system, not a bare instrument: the test chamber or frame, the burner or heater assemblies named in the method, the measurement chain and the control software with the report templates for IEC 60332-3, EN 50399. Before quotation we confirm the installation conditions with you - floor loading and ceiling height for large rigs, exhaust and extraction routes, gas and fuel services, and power supply - because a fire test instrument only produces defensible data when the room around it is right. Commissioning covers assembly, calibration of the measurement chain against the method's own checks, and training of your operators on running the test and maintaining the apparatus. Spare ignition parts, thermocouples and other consumables for the first period of operation can be included in the supply, and the instrument is supported with calibration and maintenance services after installation.
What to include in your inquiry
To quote the Bunched Cable Flame Test Apparatus correctly the first time, send: the standard and edition you will test to (IEC 60332-3, EN 50399); the materials or products you will test and their sizes; the configuration options you already know you need; and the destination laboratory's location and available services. If you are building a new fire laboratory rather than adding one instrument, say so - this apparatus is often planned together with the other instruments in its category, and a combined layout and exhaust plan is cheaper than three separate ones.