BV-450/750V
BV Single-Core Rigid Copper Building Wire, 450/750 V
The 450/750 V rigid copper wire that IEC-aligned projects name on the drawing, in every colour an electrician asks for.
BV is the default wire on GB/T and IEC-aligned projects: a single core, a rigid copper conductor, and a PVC/C compound over it, rated 450/750 V. The word rigid matters. Up to 6 mm² the conductor is a single solid wire of Class 1, which holds its shape when it is dressed into a board and gives a gas-tight termination under a screw terminal. Above 6 mm² it moves to Class 2 stranding, because a solid 35 mm² conductor cannot be pulled or bent at all.
The compound does the rest of the work. PVC/C is rated for a 70 °C continuous conductor temperature, which is the basis of the current ratings in the GB/T 5023 and IEC 60227 tables, and it is produced in the full range of colours a wiring regulation demands. Voltcore supplies BV from 1.5 mm² to 400 mm² in 100 m coils, and marks the coil with the size, the voltage and the standard.
Specification
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Rated voltage U0/U | 450/750 V |
| Conductor | Class 1 solid copper to 6 mm², Class 2 stranded from 10 mm², IEC 60228 |
| Cross-section range | 1.5 – 400 mm² |
| Number of cores | 1 |
| Insulation | PVC/C compound, 0.7–2.4 mm nominal by size |
| Maximum conductor temperature | +70 °C continuous |
| Short-circuit temperature | 160 °C for 5 s |
| Minimum installation temperature | 0 °C |
| Minimum bending radius | 4 × overall diameter |
| Voltage test | 2.5 kV AC for 5 min in water |
| Flame behaviour | IEC 60332-1-2 |
| Standard | GB/T 5023.3, IEC 60227-3 |
Layer-by-layer construction
Listed from the conductor outward. Read this alongside the specification table — the two together tell you whether the cable will survive its installation method.
- 1. ConductorClass 1 solid annealed copper to 6 mm², Class 2 stranded from 10 mm², to IEC 60228
- 2. InsulationPVC/C compound, 0.7–2.4 mm nominal wall, circular and concentric, coloured
- 3. Surface and markingSmooth finish with printed marking at intervals: GB/T 5023.3, BV, size, voltage rating
- 4. Package100 m coils as standard, shrink-wrapped and labelled, or drums for larger sizes
Reference dimensions and weights
| Nominal cross-section (mm²) | Conductor structure (n×mm) | Insulation thickness (mm) | Approx. overall diameter (mm) | Approx. weight (kg/km) | Max. DC resistance at 20 °C (Ω/km) | Current rating in conduit at 30 °C (A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | 1 × 1.38 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 20.3 | 12.1 | 15.5 |
| 2.5 | 1 × 1.78 | 0.8 | 3.5 | 31.5 | 7.41 | 21 |
| 4 | 1 × 2.25 | 0.8 | 4.0 | 45.5 | 4.61 | 28 |
| 6 | 1 × 2.76 | 0.8 | 4.5 | 63.0 | 3.08 | 36 |
| 10 | 7 × 1.35 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 110 | 1.83 | 50 |
| 16 | 7 × 1.70 | 1.0 | 7.1 | 163 | 1.15 | 68 |
| 25 | 7 × 2.14 | 1.2 | 8.8 | 254 | 0.727 | 89 |
| 35 | 7 × 2.52 | 1.2 | 10.0 | 343 | 0.524 | 111 |
Reference figures for preliminary sizing and drum planning. Overall diameter and weight vary with strand construction and sheath thickness tolerance; certified drawings are issued with each quotation.
Engineering characteristics
- 450/750 V rating to GB/T 5023.3 and IEC 60227, which is the voltage class IEC projects specify.
- Solid Class 1 conductor to 6 mm², so a termination under a screw terminal stays gas-tight.
- 70 °C continuous conductor temperature and 160 °C for 5 s short-circuit rating on the PVC/C compound.
- Insulation wall from 0.7 mm to 2.4 mm, tabulated per size, which is what a voltage test at 2.5 kV confirms.
- Resistance and current rating tabulated per size, for a drop calculation on a long final circuit.
- Produced in the full colour range, including green-yellow for protective earth.
- Resistance figures are for plain annealed copper to IEC 60228, the highest-conductivity option.
Typical applications
- Fixed wiring inside conduit and trunking in buildings
- Power and lighting final circuits in housing and commercial units
- Distribution board internal wiring
- Clipped direct runs on joists and walls inside a building
- Control panel and switchgear internal wiring
- Machine tool and equipment internal wiring
Ordering options
- 1.5–400 mm² in 100 m coils or on drums
- Full colour range: brown, blue, black, grey, red, green-yellow, yellow, white
- Solid Class 1 up to 6 mm², Class 2 stranded from 10 mm²
- Tinned copper conductor for humid and coastal projects
- Private-label coil labels and OEM printing for distributors
Standards manufactured to
- GB/T 5023.3
- IEC 60227-3
- IEC 60228
- IEC 60332-1-2
- CCC
Manufactured to other standards on request. Send the standard number with your RFQ and we will quote against it rather than against a near-equivalent.
Price and availability for BV Single-Core Rigid Copper PVC Building Wire
Include cross-section, core count, voltage grade, route length and installation method — those five determine price more than anything else on the page.
- Engineer-reviewed before pricing
- Reference drawings issued with the quotation
- Free sample up to free sample up to 5 m
BV Single-Core Rigid Copper PVC Building Wire — frequently asked questions
Can I use BV where the project calls for THHN?
Not as a straight substitution. BV is rated 450/750 V to GB/T 5023 and has a single PVC wall with no nylon jacket. THHN is rated 600 V to UL 83 and carries that nylon jacket, which is what survives a pull through metal conduit. On an NEC project the inspector looks for the UL listing mark and the THHN/THWN-2 print, and BV does not carry them.
Why is BV solid up to 6 mm² and stranded above?
Handling. A solid 10 mm² or 25 mm² conductor is too stiff to bend into a terminal or pull through a bend, so GB/T 5023.3 moves to Class 2 stranded from 10 mm² upwards. Below that, the solid conductor is the better choice: it holds its shape when dressed and makes a tighter termination under a screw.
What colours do you keep in stock?
Brown, blue, black, grey, red, yellow, white and green-yellow, which covers the phase, neutral and protective earth functions a wiring regulation asks for. Green-yellow is produced to the bi-colour requirement for protective conductors. Colours outside the standard range are made to order on volume, with the standard 500 m minimum per size.
What is the current rating I should design to?
Use the tabulated rating for the installation method, not the free-air figure. The values in the size table are for three loaded conductors in conduit at 30 °C ambient, which is the common case in a building. For more than three loaded cores in one conduit, or for an ambient above 30 °C, apply the group and temperature derating factors from the wiring regulation you work to.