Draka Cables: Our commitment to high quality cable manufacture with Cable Markings
With changes in legislation it’s now vital that buyers and installers of electrical cable use only products from reputable cable manufacturers. With many poor quality cables still available in the market, Draka has produced this simple cable markings guide showing you what to look for.
All good quality cable should have the following cable markings to signify to the buyer or the installer that it’s a product of authenticity.
 Cable Manufacturer’s Origin Mark - All cable should bear a manufacturer’s name.
 British Standard Number – By marking the cable with this standard number, the manufacturer has confirmed conformity to this standard. This amounts to a claim by or on behalf of the manufacturer that the product meets the requirement of the standard. The accuracy of this claim is solely the claimants and it should not be confused with 3rd party accreditation.
 BASEC Marking – This will only appear if the cable has been tested by BASEC and continues to meet the surveillance requirements.
 Harmonised Cable Mark and Harmonised Designation – As a part of the pan European CENELEC harmonisation scheme, these markings denote that the cable is harmonised. HAR is a voluntary mark which signifies a quality cable.
 Conductor Size – This cable marking denotes the cross sectional area of the copper conductor.
 Year Letter – A letter marking that is attributable to the year of manufacture of the cable.
 Origin of Manufacture – Country of origin.
 Harmonised Core Colours – From 2004 UK core colours fell into line with the rest of Europe.
 If it’s not marked, it’s not worth it.
From our research it’s apparent that unmarked and often poor quality cable is still finding its way onto the UK marketplace.
Unmarked cables, if installed, could prove to be lethal. With no markings on the cable it’s difficult to ascertain its origins and more importantly whether you can trust that it’s a product that is safe to install.
At Draka UK, we’re believe that “if it’s not marked, it’s not worth it”.
We would like you to join our campaign by sending us examples of any unmarked cables you come across. Help us by supporting our message and to uphold the high standards we set. Send your samples to Mark Froggatt, Marketing Manager, Draka Limited, Alfreton Road, Derby, DE21 4AE stating where and when you acquired the cable and what you think the problem is.
You can also request a free copy of our Cable Markings Guide by filling out our online form.
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