N2XSY-0.6-1kV
N2XSY Cable — European Designation Cu/XLPE/PVC Power Cable to IEC 60502-1
The VDE letter-code version of the same IEC 60502-1 build, quoted against European and African tender documents.
N2XSY is not a different cable from YJV; it is the European way of writing it down. Under the DIN VDE 0276-603, later harmonised as HD 627, the initial N marks a standard-conforming power cable, 2X marks cross-linked polyethylene insulation, and the final Y marks a PVC oversheath. The letter in between carries real hardware: S is a metallic screen of copper wires with a counter-helix copper tape, so N2XSY includes a screen while the unscreened code N2XY does not.
That distinction is worth money on a tender. Ordering N2XSY when N2XY would do adds copper and cost you do not need; specifying N2XY where the network must return earth-fault current through the cable risks failing protection coordination. Voltcore reads both codes and quotes exactly what the schedule means, stating screen cross-section in mm² so the fault-current capacity can be checked. Build quality follows IEC 60502-1, with the option of VDE-specific sheath compound designations where the project insists.
Specification
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Rated voltage U0/U (Um) | 0.6/1 (1.2) kV |
| Code without screen | N2XY, unscreened build |
| Code with screen | N2XSY, copper wire screen with counter-helix copper tape |
| Conductor | Class 2 stranded copper to EN 60228, circular or sector-shaped (rm/sm) |
| Core count | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 3+1, 4+1 |
| Cross-section range | 1.5 - 630 mm² |
| Insulation | XLPE compound DIX-8 to HD 620 / HD 627 |
| Oversheath | PVC compound DMV-6, red (VDE practice) or black |
| Screen construction, N2XSY | Copper wires minimum 16 mm² for 240 mm² and above, with copper tape counter-helix |
| Max conductor temperature, continuous | 90 °C |
| Max conductor temperature, short circuit (5 s) | 250 °C |
| Minimum bending radius, multi-core | 15 × overall diameter |
| Test voltage at 50 Hz | 4 kV, 5 min |
| Flame behaviour | VDE 0482-332-1-2 / IEC 60332-1-2 |
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. ConductorPlain annealed copper to EN 60228 Class 2, supplied circular (re/rm) or sector-shaped (se/sm) above 50 mm² per VDE notation
- 2. InsulationExtruded XLPE compound DIX-8 per HD 620, applied and cross-linked in line, with core identification to DIN VDE 0293 or HD 186
- 3. Laying-up and fillerInsulated cores cabled with extruded or taped filler to restore circular form on multi-core builds, bound with a non-hygroscopic tape
- 4. Screen (N2XSY only)Concentric layer of bare copper wires with a copper tape applied in counter-helix to close the gaps and stabilise the wire pitch
- 5. OversheathExtruded PVC compound DMV-6, red per German utility practice or black on request, with optional concentric corrugated variants
Reference dimensions and weights
| Nominal cross-section (mm²) | Conductor structure (no./mm) | Screen cross-section (mm²) | Approx. overall diameter (mm) | Approx. net weight (kg/km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3×25 RM/16 | 7/2.14 | 16 | 24.6 | 1520 |
| 3×35 RM/16 | 7/2.52 | 16 | 26.9 | 1960 |
| 3×50 RM/16 | 19/1.78 | 16 | 29.8 | 2570 |
| 3×70 RM/16 | 19/2.14 | 16 | 34.2 | 3490 |
| 3×95 SM/16 | 19/2.52 | 16 | 38.6 | 4580 |
| 3×120 SM/16 | 37/2.03 | 16 | 42.4 | 5660 |
| 3×150 SM/25 | 37/2.25 | 25 | 46.8 | 7010 |
| 3×185 SM/25 | 37/2.52 | 25 | 51.5 | 8630 |
| 3×240 SM/25 | 37/2.85 | 25 | 57.8 | 11050 |
| 3×300 SM/25 | 61/2.52 | 25 | 63.9 | 13720 |
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
- Supplied to both IEC 60502-1 and VDE 0276-603 / HD 627, so the same drum satisfies a European consultant's schedule and an IEC-based utility specification.
- Screen cross-section stated in mm² against every size, letting the designer verify earth-fault current capacity rather than accepting a nominal figure.
- Sector-shaped (SM) conductors are used above 50 mm², cutting finished diameter by up to 10 % compared with the circular RM equivalent.
- 90 °C continuous and 250 °C short-circuit ratings, identical to the YJV build, with no cross-derating between the two designations.
- Counter-helix copper tape over the screen wires holds contact resistance stable through repeated thermal cycling.
- Red DMV-6 sheath as standard European practice, or black with UV-stabilised compound for outdoor sections.
- Type-tested constructions documented with full dimensional and electrical test records issued per production batch.
Typical applications
- European utility and EPC tenders written against HD 627 or VDE letter codes
- African and Middle East distribution projects that inherit former colonial tender specifications
- Industrial plants where earth-fault return through a concentric copper screen is required by protection design
- Public infrastructure such as water treatment plants with a European funding compliance requirement
- Replacement of ageing paper-insulated or PVC network cable on existing German-coded routes
- Renewable plant collection networks specified by European engineering consultants
Ordering options
- Screened N2XSY or unscreened N2XY from the same production line, mixed within one container
- PE oversheath variant written N2XS2Y where higher moisture resistance is specified
- Sector-shaped (SM) conductors at 50 mm² and above for diameter reduction
- Concentric neutral constructions written NYCWY for network operator practice
- Red, black or custom sheath with project-coded metre marking and drum labelling
Standards manufactured to
- IEC 60502-1
- DIN VDE 0276-603
- HD 627 S1 (harmonised distribution cable)
- HD 620 S2 (medium-voltage reference, applies where higher grades are ordered)
- DIN VDE 0293 / HD 186 (core identification)
- DIN VDE 0482-332-1-2 (flame propagation)
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 N2XSY / N2XY IEC 60502-1 XLPE Power 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
N2XSY / N2XY IEC 60502-1 XLPE Power Cable — frequently asked questions
What is the difference between N2XSY and N2XY?
The S. Both use XLPE insulation and a PVC sheath, but N2XSY carries a concentric copper wire screen with a counter-helix copper tape, while N2XY has none and relies on a separate protective conductor. Choosing N2XSY adds copper cost; choosing N2XY where a screen is needed risks protection coordination failure.
Is N2XSY the same as YJV?
Electrically at 0.6/1 kV the base build is equivalent: copper conductor, XLPE insulation, PVC oversheath to IEC 60502-1. The difference is notation and the potential screen. Many enquiries write N2XSY when the schedule really needs unscreened N2XY. Voltcore clarifies the requirement and states it on the offer.
How do I size the copper screen in N2XSY?
Calculate from the maximum earth-fault current and tripping time using the adiabatic method, k = 143 for copper with a typical start of 90 °C. For a 25 kA / 1 s case you need roughly 175 mm², far beyond the standard 16 mm² or 25 mm² screen, so a separate earth conductor becomes necessary. We supply the calculation with the quote.
What do re, rm, se and sm mean in the size code?
They describe conductor form. r is round, s is sector-shaped; e is single-wire Class 1 to EN 60228, m is multi-wire Class 2. So 3×185 SM/25 is sector-shaped Class 2 stranded with a 25 mm² screen. Voltcore offers both forms and will advise shaped conductors from 50 mm² upward to save installation space.
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