BVR-450/750V
BVR Stranded Flexible Building Wire, 450/750 V
The same 450/750 V building wire as BV, with a Class 2 stranded conductor that pulls through conduit without fighting back.
BVR is BV with the conductor changed. The voltage class, the PVC/C compound and the insulation thickness are the same; what changes is that the conductor is Class 2 stranded at every size instead of solid up to 6 mm². That one change is worth a great deal to the person on the end of the draw tape, because a 2.5 mm² stranded core bends around a conduit bend where a solid one resists.
The trade is at the termination. A stranded conductor under a screw terminal should be crimped with a bootlace ferrule, or it will shed strands and loosen over time, and that is a habit that has to be specified with the wire. Voltcore supplies BVR from 1.5 mm² to 70 mm², in the same colour range as BV, with the stranding counts tabulated so a pull calculation can be done before the order.
Specification
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Rated voltage U0/U | 450/750 V |
| Conductor | Class 2 stranded copper, IEC 60228 |
| Cross-section range | 1.5 – 70 mm² |
| Number of cores | 1 |
| Insulation | PVC/C compound, 0.7–1.6 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 2 stranded annealed copper, 19 to 133 wires, to IEC 60228
- 2. InsulationPVC/C compound, 0.7–1.6 mm nominal wall, circular and concentric, coloured
- 3. Surface and markingSmooth finish with printed marking at intervals: GB/T 5023.3, BVR, size, voltage rating
- 4. Package100 m coils as standard, shrink-wrapped and labelled, or drums for the 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 | 19 × 0.32 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 21 | 12.1 | 15.5 |
| 2.5 | 19 × 0.41 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 33 | 7.41 | 21 |
| 4 | 19 × 0.52 | 0.8 | 4.2 | 48 | 4.61 | 28 |
| 6 | 19 × 0.64 | 0.8 | 4.8 | 67 | 3.08 | 36 |
| 10 | 49 × 0.52 | 1.0 | 6.4 | 116 | 1.83 | 50 |
| 16 | 49 × 0.64 | 1.0 | 7.6 | 172 | 1.15 | 68 |
| 25 | 98 × 0.58 | 1.2 | 9.4 | 268 | 0.727 | 89 |
| 35 | 133 × 0.58 | 1.2 | 10.7 | 362 | 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
- Class 2 stranded conductor at every size, so a 2.5 mm² core pulls through a conduit bend without resistance.
- 450/750 V rating with the same PVC/C compound and insulation wall as BV.
- 70 °C continuous conductor temperature, 160 °C for 5 s on short circuit.
- Stranding counts tabulated per size, from 19 wires at 1.5 mm² to 133 at 35 mm².
- Resistance identical to BV for the same cross-section, so the two are interchangeable on a drop calculation.
- Full colour range including green-yellow, produced to the bi-colour requirement.
- Minimum bending radius of 4 × overall diameter, which is what a board wiring layout needs.
Typical applications
- Conduit runs with multiple bends in commercial buildings
- Distribution board and consumer unit wiring
- Appliance and equipment internal wiring
- Lighting circuits in suspended ceilings
- Machinery and control cubicle wiring
- House wiring where the local practice is stranded throughout
Ordering options
- 1.5–70 mm² in 100 m coils or on drums
- Full colour range including green-yellow
- Finer stranding available for flexible panel work
- Tinned copper conductor for humid and coastal projects
- Private-label coil labels and OEM printing
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 BVR Stranded Flexible 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
BVR Stranded Flexible Building Wire — frequently asked questions
BV or BVR: which should I order?
It depends on the installation method. BV has a solid conductor up to 6 mm², which holds its shape when clipped or stapled and terminates cleanly under a screw. BVR is stranded at every size, which pulls far more easily through conduit with bends and is easier to gather inside a board. Many projects use both: BV for the fixed clipped runs, BVR for the conduit sections.
Do I need ferrules when terminating BVR?
Yes, for a screw terminal. A stranded conductor under a screw will spread and shed strands, and the joint loosens with thermal cycling. A bootlace ferrule crimped onto the end solves it and is the standard practice wherever stranded building wire is used. For a spring-cage terminal the ferrule is not required, because the spring keeps its pressure on the strands.
Is the current rating the same as BV?
For the same cross-section and the same installation method, yes. The resistance per kilometre is identical, and the heat generated is therefore identical too. What differs is the heat that the conductor sheds and the practical handling, not the rated current. Use the same table, and derate for grouping and ambient temperature in the same way.
What sizes do you keep in stock?
1.5 mm² to 70 mm² across the standard colours, with 1.5 mm², 2.5 mm² and 4 mm² holding the deepest stock because those are the lighting and socket circuit sizes. The standard minimum order is 500 m per size, samples up to 5 m are free, and lead time is 15–25 working days from Yixing for a mixed container.