Wire (earthing and bonding, aluminum)

1 Scope

These specifications apply to the production and delivery of insulated aluminium conductor to Norwegian National Rail Administration (NNRA).

The insulated aluminium conductor will be installed in:

  • outdoor environment
  • tunnels
  • indoor environment

The insulated aluminium conductor is to be installed at places exposed to or vulnerable of wilful plundering.

2 Functional requirements

2.1 General requirements

2.1.1 Quality system

  1. The Contractor shall maintain a quality system that meets ISO 9002 or equivalent. A copy of the quality manual shall be provided to NNRA on request (or as the basis for technical approval).
  2. For the production of insulated aluminium conductor the Contractor shall develop a quality plan describing the main activities, including proposed procedures for testing and handling of measurement results. The quality plan shall provide reference to specifications and standards.

2.1.2 Life cycle

  1. The life cycle of insulated aluminium conductor shall be a minimum of 50 years.

2.2 Environmental requirements

  1. Relevant environmental conditions are depicted in EN 50125-2.

2.2.1 Corrosion

  1. The insulated aluminium conductor shall be made to resist corrosion.

The method for corrosion protection shall be documented and presented.

2.3 Markings

  1. The insulated aluminium conductor shall be marked at every meter with:
    • running length (in meter)
    • insulation voltage
    • cross section area of conductor
  2. The labels shall be durable and readable during the whole life cycle, and should not reduce the quality of the insulated aluminium conductor.

2.4 Package, drums and delivery

  1. Preferred sizes of drums are depicted in the table below.
    1. The drums shall be properly made.
    2. The drums shall be closed for transportation.
      Product Drum size
      Insulated aluminium conductor K11– K14

  2. Bundles or drums with insulated aluminium conductor shall be marked with:

    • the name of the manufacturer
    • order number
    • the drum number/serial number
    • the designation of the insulated aluminium conductor
    • the length
    • any catalogue number

  3. Practical delivery lengths shall be specified and should have a tolerance in length of -0 m, +20 m.

    1. The inner end of the insulated aluminium conductor shall be accessible on the outer side of the drum and the first mark indicating the running length, shall be visible.
    2. The windings of the insulated aluminium conductor shall be smoothly and closely laid to avoid kinks.
  4. There shall be only one insulated aluminium conductor for each cable drum.
  5. Delivery of insulated aluminium conductor the following delivery should be used, see table below:
Default lengths
Product Delivery on Drums Delivery in bundles Length [m]
Insulated aluminium conductor X on request 500

2.5 Documentation

  1. Documentation of production batches shall be kept by the manufacturer and shall be made available for NNRA on request. Documentation includes:
    • Sampling-based test protocols
    • Tracking protocol
  2. Installation documents and maintenance guidelines shall be made available in Norwegian.

2.6 Technical requirements for insulated aluminium conductor

Insulated stranded aluminium conductor
Type Nominal cross
section area
[mm2]		 Cross
section area
[mm2]		 Outer diameter
[mm]		 Strand diameter
[mm]		 Number of
strands		 Weight Material Insulation voltage/
color		 Flame retardant,
zero halogen		 Standards F.no.
IXXX 50, Al 50 52,4 10,0 0,41 397 5,04 N/m Aluminium 750 V/black ZH IEC 60228 (class-5)  
IXXX 50, Al 50 52,4 10,0 0,41 397 5,04 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green ZH  
IXXX 50, Al 50 52,4 10,0 0,41 397 5,04 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green-blue ZH  
IXXX 95, Al 95 95,8 13,0 0,51 469 6,46 N/m Aluminium 750 V/black ZH  
IXXX 95, Al 95 95,8 13,0 0,51 469 6,46 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green ZH  
IXXX 95, Al 95 95,8 13,0 0,51 469 6,46 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green-blue ZH  
IXXX 150, Al 150 147,3 16,0 0,51 721 9,63 N/m Aluminium 750 V/black ZH  
IXXX 150, Al 150 147,3 16,0 0,51 721 9,63 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green ZH  
IXXX 150, Al 150 147,3 16,0 0,51 721 9,63 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green-blue ZH  

An inner sheath may be provided for extended protection (i.e. corrosion), please provide any information.

Insulated solid aluminium conductor
Type Nominal cross
section area
[mm2]		 Cross
section area
[mm2]		 Outer diameter
[mm]		 Strand diameter
[mm]		 Number of
strands		 Weight Material Insulation voltage/
color		 Flame retardant,
zero halogen		 Standards F.no.
IXXX 50, Al 50 50 8,0 – – 4,9 N/m Aluminium 750 V/black ZH IEC 60228 (class-5)  
IXXX 50, Al 50 50 8,0 – – 4,9 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green ZH  
IXXX 50, Al 50 50 8,0 – – 4,9 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green-blue ZH  
IXXX 95, Al 95 95 11,0 – – 6,4 N/m Aluminium 750 V/black ZH  
IXXX 95, Al 95 95 11,0 – – 6,4 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green ZH  
IXXX 95, Al 95 95 11,0 – – 6,4 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green-blue ZH  
IXXX 150, Al 150 150 13,82 – – 9,8 N/m Aluminium 750 V/black ZH  
IXXX 150, Al 150 150 13,82 – – 9,8 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green ZH  
IXXX 150, Al 150 150 13,82 – – 9,8 N/m Aluminium 750 V/yellow-green-blue ZH  

An inner sheath may be provided for extended protection (i.e. corrosion), please provide any information.

2.7 Conductor construction requirements

  1. Stranded wire construction shall be done according to IEC 60228:2024, class 5, alumimium alloy.
  2. Solid wire construction shall be done according to IEC 60228:2024 paragraph 5.2, aluminium alloy.

2.8 Fire requirements

  1. The cables shall fulfil the requirements in IEC 60332-3-x (related to fire).

2.9 Halogenes

  1. The cables shall be free of halogenes. The cables should be tested for acidity, EN 50267-2-3.

3 References and standards

  1. EN 50125-2 Railway applications – Environmental conditions for equipment – Part 2: Fixed electrical installations
  2. IEC 60332-3 Tests on electric cables under fire conditions – Part 3–X: Test for vertical flame spread of vertically-mounted bunched wires or cables
  3. EN 50267-2-3 Common test methods for cables under fire conditions – Tests on gases evolved during combustion of materials from cables – Part 2–3: Procedures – Determination of degree of acidity of gases for cables by determination of the weighted average of pH and conductivity

4 Checklist

Clause req. Complient
(YES/NO)		 Comments
2.   ---/--- Functional requirements
2.1   ---/--- General requirements
2.1.1 a ---/--- Quality system
  b    
2.1.2 a ---/--- Life cycle
2.2   ---/--- Environmental requirements
  a    
2.2.1   ---/--- Corrosion
  a    
2.3   ---/--- Markings
  a    
  b    
2.4   ---/--- Package, drums and delivery
  a    
  b    
  c    
  d    
  e    
2.5   ---/--- Documentation
  a    
  b    
3   ---/--- Technical requirements for insulated aluminium conductor
  IXXX 50 mmm2 Al b    
  IXXX 50 mmm2 Al y/g    
  IXXX 50 mmm2 Al y/g/b    
  IXXX 95 mmm2 Al b    
  IXXX 95 mmm2 Al y/g    
  IXXX 95 mmm2 Al y/g/b    
  IXXX 150 mmm2 Al b    
  IXXX 150 mmm2 Al y/g    
  IXXX 150 mmm2 Al y/g/b    
3.1   ---/--- Fire requirements
  a    
3.2   ---/--- Halogenes
  a