318-Y is the general purpose circular PVC flexible cable used throughout the UK for appliance cords, luminaire supplies and short connections to equipment. Two layers of PVC — insulation over each core and an overall sheath — give it enough protection for indoor use where the cable is not subject to much mechanical stress. It carries the harmonised designation H05VV-F and the individual types are numbered by core count, so 3183Y is three core and 3185Y is five core.
Key applications
- Flexible cords on domestic and commercial appliances
- Luminaire and pendant drops
- Office and kitchen equipment supply leads
- Light-duty extension leads indoors
- Short connections from a fused outlet to fixed equipment
- Control wiring inside enclosures and panels
Features and benefits
- Class 5 stranded copper gives good handling and termination
- BASEC approved product is widely available and fully colour-coded
- Circular profile grips cleanly in standard cord grips and glands
- Low cost relative to rubber or LSZH alternatives
Specification notes and limitations
H05VV-F is a light-duty cord and is only rated 300/500 V, so it must not be used on 400 V three-phase circuits or anywhere a 450/750 V flexible is called for. It is not suitable for direct burial, for permanent fixed wiring, for continuous outdoor or UV exposure, or for cables subject to tension, abrasion or repeated flexing in a drag chain — a rubber flexible or a dedicated flexing cable belongs in those positions. PVC softens as it warms and hardens below about -5°C, so avoid installing it in the cold and keep it clear of hot surfaces, luminaire bodies and heating plant. Keep bends well above the cable's own diameter and never allow the sheath to be nipped in a cord grip hard enough to deform the cores.
