YY Control Cable 300/500V: Flexible PVC, Numbered Cores, 0.75 to 2.5 mm²
YY control cable is a flexible, unscreened 300/500V PVC multicore cable for machine tools, conveyors, control cabinets and assembly lines, with Class 5 copper conductors, black numbered cores, a green/yellow earth from three cores and a grey PVC sheath.
- Rated voltage300/500 V
- ConductorClass 5 flexible bare copper
- Insulation / sheathPVC / grey PVC
- Core identificationBlack, white numbers + G/Y
- Typical sizes0.75 to 2.5 mm²
- Temperature (flexing)-5 °C to +70 °C
- Min. bending radius12.5 × outer diameter
- ScreenNone (unscreened)
YY control cable is a flexible PVC multicore control cable for low-voltage equipment wiring, machine tools, automation and general industrial control. Both the core insulation and the outer sheath are PVC, which is what the two letters Y stand for, and the cable has no screen or braid. It is rated 300/500 V and uses Class 5 flexible copper conductors.
The cores are black with white numbers, and from three cores upward one core is green/yellow for the protective earth, so long multicore runs can be terminated by number. The YY designation is used broadly in international trade, and German catalogues list a closely comparable construction as YSLY. Conductor class, voltage, colour coding, temperature and approvals are confirmed on the datasheet issued with the quotation.
Browse the PVC Control & Data Cable category for related cables.
Application & Features
Selection overview
YY is the general-purpose interconnecting cable of the machine shop and the control room: between control cabinets and machine tools, along conveyors and assembly lines, to sensors, valves and small motors, and inside measuring and regulating equipment. The numbered cores make it easy to follow a circuit diagram when one cable carries many separate control signals.
It suits fixed installation and free movement without tensile load in dry and damp indoor areas and other protected environments. The PVC sheath is not UV resistant, so outdoor runs need trunking or another sunlight barrier. Confirm oil, UV, water, drag-chain, torsion and reeling requirements before using YY in demanding motion applications; where the cable needs mechanical protection, the steel-braided YSLYSY cable is the armoured relative.
- Machine tools and conveyorsInterconnecting control cable for machine tools, conveyors, assembly and production lines.
- Numbered coresBlack cores with white numbers and a green/yellow earth from three cores.
- Flexible Class 5 copperFine-stranded conductors for routing through cabinets, ducts and machine frames.
- Protected environmentsFor dry and damp indoor areas; outdoors only where shielded from sunlight.
Specifications
Technical data
Typical values for YY constructions. The final construction is confirmed on the TEBAOFLEX datasheet issued with your quotation.
Electrical, mechanical and material data
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Designation | YY = PVC core insulation and PVC outer sheath, unscreened |
| Rated voltage | 300/500 V |
| Conductor | Plain annealed copper, flexible, IEC 60228 Class 5 |
| Core insulation | PVC compound type TI2 (EN 50363-3) |
| Core identification | Black with white numbers; green/yellow earth from 3 cores; colour-coded cores on request |
| Outer sheath | PVC compound type TM2 (EN 50363-4-1), grey |
| Screen | None |
| Temperature, flexing | -5 °C to +70 °C |
| Temperature, fixed installation | -15 °C to +70 °C |
| Installation temperature | Not below -5 °C |
| Minimum bending radius, flexing | 12.5 × outer diameter |
| UV resistance | Not UV resistant; protect from direct sunlight outdoors |
| Environment | Dry and damp indoor areas; light mechanical stress |
YY typical constructions
| Cores × size | Max. conductor resistance at 20 °C | Approx. outer diameter | Approx. weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 × 0.75 mm² | 26.0 Ω/km | 5.2 mm | 46 kg/km |
| 3 × 0.75 mm² | 26.0 Ω/km | 5.5 mm | 54 kg/km |
| 4 × 0.75 mm² | 26.0 Ω/km | 6.1 mm | 67 kg/km |
| 7 × 0.75 mm² | 26.0 Ω/km | 7.2 mm | 100 kg/km |
| 12 × 0.75 mm² | 26.0 Ω/km | 9.5 mm | 165 kg/km |
| 3 × 1.0 mm² | 19.5 Ω/km | 5.9 mm | 68 kg/km |
| 4 × 1.0 mm² | 19.5 Ω/km | 6.6 mm | 84 kg/km |
| 7 × 1.0 mm² | 19.5 Ω/km | 7.8 mm | 125 kg/km |
| 3 × 1.5 mm² | 13.3 Ω/km | 6.7 mm | 88 kg/km |
| 4 × 1.5 mm² | 13.3 Ω/km | 7.5 mm | 110 kg/km |
| 7 × 1.5 mm² | 13.3 Ω/km | 9.1 mm | 175 kg/km |
| 3 × 2.5 mm² | 7.98 Ω/km | 7.9 mm | 125 kg/km |
| 4 × 2.5 mm² | 7.98 Ω/km | 8.7 mm | 160 kg/km |
Selection note: before ordering, ask our engineers to confirm the core count, cross-section and core identification, the voltage marking, the temperature range and bending radius for your installation, and any oil, UV, drag-chain or flame-test requirement. Outer diameter and weight in the table are approximate.
Standards & References
Applicable standards and compliance
- Construction referenceBuilt generally to BS EN 50525-2-11 (formerly BS 6500) practice for flexible PVC cables, with numbered cores for control use.
- Conductor referencePlain copper conductors to IEC 60228 (BS EN 60228) Class 5.
- MaterialsPVC insulation type TI2 to EN 50363-3 and PVC sheath type TM2 to EN 50363-4-1.
- Voltage scopeRated 300/500 V for control and signal circuits.
- ApprovalsNational standard marking, flame-test reports (IEC 60332-1-2) and regulatory requirements are confirmed and quoted per order.
Construction
Material and build-up
YY is a round multicore cable with a single PVC sheath and no screen or armour. The numbered cores are laid up in layers, which keeps the cable flexible and the outer diameter small for its core count.
- Conductor: plain annealed copper, Class 5 flexible to IEC 60228, for routing through cabinets and machine frames.
- Insulation: PVC (TI2) on each core; black cores printed with white numbers, plus a green/yellow earth core from three cores.
- Layup: cores stranded together in layers to a round, compact bundle.
- Outer sheath: grey PVC (TM2) for abrasion protection in dry and damp indoor areas.
- Screen: none; select a screened control cable for EMC duties, or the steel-braided YSLYSY where mechanical protection is needed.
FAQ
Selection questions
What does YY mean on a control cable?
The two letters describe the materials: Y for PVC core insulation and Y for a PVC outer sheath. A YY cable has no screen or braid. The same naming adds C for a tinned copper braid screen (CY) or S for a galvanised steel wire braid (SY).
What is the difference between YY, CY and SY cable?
All three share the same numbered PVC cores. CY adds a tinned copper braid under the sheath to screen against electrical interference, and SY adds a galvanised steel wire braid for mechanical protection under a clear outer sheath. Our steel-braided version is the YSLYSY cable.
YY or LiYY: which one do I need?
YY is a 300/500 V control cable with numbered cores from 0.75 mm² upward. LiYY is a smaller data and signal cable with DIN 47100 colour-coded cores and a 250 V peak operating voltage, used inside electronic equipment. Choose YY when the cable feeds contactors, valves, small motors or other mains-voltage control circuits.
Can YY be used in drag chains or outdoors?
YY is intended for fixed installation and free movement without tensile load. It is not designed for continuous drag-chain, torsion or reeling duty, and its PVC sheath is not UV resistant, so outdoor runs must be protected from sunlight. Tell us the motion and environment and we will propose a suitable construction.
What should I send for a quotation?
Send the core count and cross-section, numbered or colour-coded cores, the length or drum lengths, the installation method and environment, any motion duty, and the standards or markings your project requires.
Request this cable.
Send the core count, cross-section, length, installation method, environment, motion duty and required standards.
Quality Assurance
Testing at every stage in our own workshop and laboratory, from incoming copper to the packed drum.
Raw Material Inspection
Every batch of copper rod, rubber compound and reinforcing material is checked before it reaches the line.
- Copper: conductor resistance, elongation and surface condition on incoming rod and drawn wire
- EPR, CPE, PUR and silicone compounds: hardness, tensile strength, elongation and ageing samples from each mix
- Suppliers and batch numbers are recorded so every drum can be traced back to its materials
Manufacturing Process Control
Stranding, insulation extrusion, core assembly and sheathing run under recorded process parameters.
- Class 5/6 stranding with lay length and tension monitored for trailing and reeling flexibility
- Continuous-vulcanisation extrusion with wall thickness and spark tests logged on every length
- Operators sign off each stage before the cable moves to the next machine
Electrical Testing
Finished lengths go through the routine tests required by the referenced VDE, ICEA, IEC or NEK standard.
- Conductor resistance and insulation resistance on every length
- Voltage withstand (3.5 kV and higher) and partial-discharge measurement in the shielded HV laboratory
- Screen and pilot-core continuity checks for mining and reeling constructions
Mechanical and Ageing Tests
Samples from production are tested for the duty a mining, crane or submersible cable will actually see.
- Tensile strength and elongation of insulation and sheath before and after ageing
- Hot-set, ozone, oil-immersion and low-temperature bending tests
- Constant-temperature water bath for insulation resistance of submersible constructions
Flame Test and Final Inspection
Before packing, the cable is checked against the order and the flame-performance requirement of its standard.
- Single-cable vertical flame test to IEC 60332-1-2 where specified
- Metre marking, printing, drum length and appearance inspection
- Test report and packing list issued with every shipment
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