MV-YJV22-8.7-15kV
8.7/15 kV Medium Voltage Cable — Armoured MV YJV22 to IEC 60502-2
4.5 mm insulation and steel tape armour: the specification for 15 kV feeders laid directly into open ground.
At 8.7/15 kV the nominal XLPE wall thickens from 3.4 mm to 4.5 mm, and with it every downstream dimension — larger OD, heavier drum, tighter bending radius. The build otherwise follows the same screened logic as lower grades: extruded conductor screen, insulation, insulation screen and metallic screen per core, then laid up, bedded, armoured with two galvanised steel tapes and finished in PVC.
Voltcore recommends this construction where the MV route runs outside buildings with no duct. Backfill loads along a 15 kV feeder are no different from those along a 1 kV feeder, but the consequence of damage is: a strike that reaches a screened MV core causes a high-energy fault at 15 kV. Where the route later leaves the ground and rises vertically, note that the tape armour does not carry suspended weight — take YJV32 with wire armour for that section.
Specification
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Rated voltage U0/U (Um) | 8.7/15 (17.5) kV |
| Conductor | Class 2 stranded compacted copper, IEC 60228 |
| Core count | 1 and 3 core (3-core sizes 25 - 400 mm²) |
| Insulation thickness | 4.5 mm nominal |
| Conductor screen | Extruded semiconductive cross-linked compound, approx. 0.8 mm |
| Insulation screen | Extruded semiconductive cross-linked compound, strippable or bonded, approx. 0.8 mm |
| Metallic screen | Copper tape min. 0.10 mm or copper wires plus counter-helix tape, 16 - 50 mm² |
| Armour | Two layers galvanised steel tape, 0.5 mm per tape standard for 15 kV diameters |
| Oversheath | PVC type ST2, black |
| Max conductor temperature, continuous | 90 °C |
| Max conductor temperature, short circuit (5 s) | 250 °C |
| Partial discharge level | Below 10 pC at 1.5 U0 |
| Minimum bending radius | 12 × overall diameter, armoured multi-core |
| Test voltage at 50 Hz | 30.5 kV AC, 5 min |
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. ConductorCompacted Class 2 stranded copper per IEC 60228, round up to 70 mm² with shaped strands available above
- 2. Conductor screenExtruded semiconductive cross-linked compound over the conductor to hold the field smooth at the strand boundary
- 3. Insulation4.5 mm nominal XLPE co-extruded with both screens in a triple head and cured in a nitrogen-filled tube
- 4. Insulation screenExtruded semiconductive layer over the insulation, strippable for heat-shrink and cold-shrink jointing systems
- 5. Metallic screenCopper tape per core, or copper wires with counter-helix tape, selected against the specified earth-fault current and time
- 6. Bedding, armour and oversheathLaid-up cores with fillers and binder, PVC bedding, two counter-lapped galvanised steel tapes, then black PVC oversheath
Reference dimensions and weights
| Nominal cross-section (mm²) | Conductor structure (no./mm) | Insulation thickness (mm) | Steel tape thickness (mm) | Approx. overall diameter (mm) | Approx. net weight (kg/km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3×25 | 7/2.14 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 51.0 | 4150 |
| 3×35 | 7/2.52 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 54.0 | 4650 |
| 3×50 | 19/1.78 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 57.0 | 5300 |
| 3×70 | 19/2.14 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 61.0 | 6200 |
| 3×95 | 19/2.52 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 65.0 | 7300 |
| 3×120 | 37/2.03 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 68.5 | 8400 |
| 3×150 | 37/2.25 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 72.5 | 9500 |
| 3×185 | 37/2.52 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 77.0 | 11000 |
| 3×240 | 37/2.85 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 83.5 | 13300 |
| 3×300 | 61/2.52 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 89.5 | 15700 |
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
- 4.5 mm XLPE wall gives the higher U0 needed on networks where single earth faults persist before protection clears.
- Steel tape armour over an extruded bedding withstands trench backfill and third-party excavation loads without deforming the screened cores.
- Bending radius reduced to 12 × overall diameter versus 15 × for unarmoured constructions, useful in congested substation trenches.
- Partial discharge measured below 10 pC at 1.5 U0 per drum, with a 30.5 kV five-minute routine withstand test.
- Strippable insulation screen standard, cutting termination preparation time on cold-shrink jointed routes.
- Metallic screen sized against the declared short-circuit duty rather than a nominal default, so protection coordination holds.
- Optional semi-conductive water-blocking tapes protect against tree initiation in permanently submerged duct banks.
Typical applications
- Utility primary distribution laid directly in open ground at 15 kV
- Industrial park feeder routes crossing roads and landscaped areas
- Transformer to ring main unit connections in outdoor compounds
- Wind farm internal collection networks buried between turbines
- Mining and quarry distribution where routes take surface traffic loads
- Water and wastewater treatment plant MV distribution networks
Ordering options
- Copper wire screen with larger cross-section for fault levels above 20 kA
- Single-core construction with aluminium wire armour rather than steel tape
- Tree-retardant XLPE for wet-environment projects with long design life
- Anti-termite oversheath compound for tropical buried routes
- 6/10 kV, 12/20 kV or 18/30 kV builds supplied on the same armouring line
Standards manufactured to
- IEC 60502-2
- GB/T 12706.2
- IEC 60228 (conductor)
- IEC 60885-3 (partial discharge measurement)
- IEC 60332-1-2 (flame propagation)
- IEC 60811 (material tests)
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 YJV22 8.7/15 kV Armoured Medium Voltage Cable
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
YJV22 8.7/15 kV Armoured Medium Voltage Cable — frequently asked questions
Why is 8.7/15 kV insulation thicker than 6/10 kV?
Because the insulation must survive the higher conductor-to-earth stress for the whole design life. Nominal XLPE thickness rises from 3.4 mm at 6/10 kV to 4.5 mm at 8.7/15 kV, which increases overall diameter and weight by roughly 15 % but buys far lower average stress in kV per mm and therefore slower ageing.
Can I use this armoured MV cable on a vertical run?
Not for suspended lengths. The tape armour resists radial pressure, not hanging weight. Above roughly 30 m drop the weight transfers into terminations and will damage the screened cores. Specify YJV32 with round steel wire armour for that section, or cleat the route to carry mechanical load.
How do I check that the metallic screen carries our earth-fault current?
Apply the adiabatic method with k = 143 for copper starting at 90 °C, using your fault level in kA and protection clearing time in seconds. A 25 kA, 1 s duty needs roughly 175 mm² of copper, far beyond a standard screen, so an additional earth conductor becomes necessary. Voltcore runs this check if you send the figures.
Is direct burial without ducts acceptable for 15 kV MV cable?
It is common practice when the trench is prepared properly: 100 mm sand bed, screened backfill free of sharp stone, and marker tape. Many utilities additionally require concrete covers or ducts under trafficked areas. The armour protects against mechanical damage; it is not a substitute for sound civil works.
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