Fire alarm, emergency lighting and firefighting circuits must keep working while the building burns around them. Circuit-integrity cables prove it in this test: the cable is fixed to a backing board or ladder, connected to a live circuit with fuses or lamps to show continuity, and exposed to a burner flame at the method temperature - with mechanical shock in some methods, and water spray in the BS 6387 W category sequence. Survival time without a fuse blowing or a lamp going out is the result.
How the Cable Fire Resistance Tester (IEC 60331) works
The cable specimen is mounted as the method specifies and energised at its rated voltage. The ribbon burner is positioned to play on the cable, and the test runs for the duration of the class being claimed (for example 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes in the EN 50200 PH classes). Continuity is monitored continuously; any interruption ends the test and is timed.
Key specifications
| Standards | IEC 60331 series, BS 6387 (categories C, W and Z arrangements), EN 50200, BS 8434 and BS 8491 family configurations as listed for this tester |
|---|---|
| Principle | Energised cable exposed to flame; continuity monitored by circuit indicators |
| Options by method | Mechanical shock arrangement and water spray arrangement where the called-up method requires them |
What the test reports
- Survival time maintaining circuit integrity
- Pass/fail against the claimed time class
- Failure mode observation (open circuit or short circuit)
Applications
Cable makers certifying fire-resistant wiring for alarms, emergency systems and life-safety circuits use this tester, often alongside the bunched cable flame rig and the 3-metre cube smoke test as a complete cable fire package.
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.
Which voltages can be applied?
The circuit arrangement follows the method and the cable's rated voltage. State the cable types and rated voltages you test in your inquiry so the transformer and monitoring set are matched.
Do I need the shock and water options?
Only if your target specification calls for them - BS 6387 category W and Z routes involve water and shock respectively, while the base IEC 60331 and EN 50200 routes are flame-only. Name the specification and we will include the right arrangements.
Configuration, installation and support
Every Cable Fire Resistance Tester (IEC 60331) 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 60331, BS 6387, EN 50200. 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 Cable Fire Resistance Tester (IEC 60331) correctly the first time, send: the standard and edition you will test to (IEC 60331, BS 6387, EN 50200); 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.