A Summary of IEC 60502-1 (2009)
Reference Standard for Low Voltage (0.6/1 kV) and 1.8/3 kV Cables

1) Conductor
The conductors shall be either of Class 1 or Class 2 of plain or metal-coated annealed copper or of plain aluminium or aluminium alloy or of Class 5 of plain or metal-coated copper in accordance with IEC 60228

2) Insulation
The insulation shall be extruded dielectric of one of the types listed in following Table.
For halogen free cables, the insulation shall meet the requirements given in the table named : Halogen free compound Requirements .Insulating compounds The types of insulating compound covered by this standard are listed in following Table . together with their abbreviated

3) Assembly of multicore cables Inner coverings and fillers
The inner coverings may be extruded or lapped Material
The materials used for inner coverings and fillers shall be suitable for the operating temperature of the cable and compatible with the insulating material.

For halogen free cables, the inner covering and fillers shall meet the requirements given in the table named : Halogen free compound Requirements .For cables having neither armour, nor concentric conductor, nor other collective metallic layer the inner covering may be omitted, provided the outer shape of the cable remains practically circular.

4) Metallic layers for single-core and multicore cables
The following types of metallic layers are included in this standard:
a) metallic screen
b) concentric conductor
c) lead sheath
d) metallic armour

The metallic layer(s) shall comprise one or more of the types listed above and shall be nonmagnetic when applied to either single-core cables or individual cores of multicore cables.

4-1) Metallic screen
Construction :
The metallic screen shall consist of one or more tapes, or a braid, or a concentric layer of wires or a combination of wires and tape(s).
Requirements :The dimensional, physical and electrical requirements of the metallic screen shall be determined by national regulations and/or standards.

4-2) Concentric conductor
Construction :
Gaps in the concentric conductor shall comply with national regulations and/or standards.
Requirements :
The dimensional, physical and electrical requirements of the metallic screen shall be determined by national regulations and/or standards.

Concentric conductor cross section acc to VDE 0271 (for NYCY and similar) :

4-3) Metallic sheath (Lead sheath)
The sheath shall consist of lead or lead alloy and shall be applied as a reasonably tight-fitting seamless tube.
Lead Sheath is used to protect the cables against penetration of moisture and specially oil and chemicals in petrochemical plants and refineries .

4-4 ) Metallic armour
Types of metallic armour :
The armour types covered by this standard are as follows:
a) flat wire armour
b) round wire armour
c) double tape armour

Round or flat wires shall be of galvanized steel, copper or tinned copper , aluminium or aluminium alloy. Tapes shall be of steel, galvanized steel, aluminium or aluminium alloy.

Steel tapes shall be hot- or cold-rolled of commercial quality.

For cables having conductor cross -section equal or less than 6 mm2 , Braid armour could be used.

The armour of single-core cables for use on a.c. systems shall consist of non-magnetic material, unless a special construction is chosen.

5) Oversheath
General :
All cables shall have an oversheath.
The oversheath is normally black but a colour other than black may be provided by agreement between the manufacturer and the purchaser, subject to its suitability for the particular conditions under which the cable is to be used.

The oversheath shall consist of a thermoplastic compound (PVC or polyethylene or halogen free) or an elastomeric compound (polychloroprene, chlorosulfonated polyethylene or similar polymers). Halogen free sheathing material shall be used on cables which exhibit properties of reduced flame spread, low levels of smoke emission and halogen free gas emission when exposed to fire.
The oversheath (ST8) of halogen free cables shall meet the requirements given in The table named : Halogen free compound Requirements .

The sheathing material shall be suitable for the operating temperature in accordance with following Table.

Chemical additives may be requested for use in the oversheath for special purposes, for example termite protection, but they should not include materials harmful to mankind and/or the environment.

NOTE : Examples of materials considered to be undesirable include:
Aldrin 1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-1,4,4a,5,8,8a-hexahydro-1,4,5,8-dimethanonaphthalene
Dieldrin 1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-6,7-epoxy-1,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-octahydro-1,4,5,8-dimethanonaphthalene
Lindane Gamma Isomer of 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachloro-cyclohexane.

Sheathing compounds
The maximum conductor temperatures for the different types of sheathing compound covered by this standard are given in following Table .