pvc vs xlpe Cable

Aluminum core cables are relatively cheap, copper cables have outstanding advantages in cable power supply, especially in the field of underground cable power supply. The use of copper core cables for power supply underground has the characteristics of low accident rate, corrosion resistance, high reliability, and convenient construction and maintenance. This is also the reason why Cu cables are mainly used in underground power supply.

PVC-Insulated Cables
PVC-Insulated Cables are widely used and have a long term permissible operational temperature of up to 70°C. These cables have perfect bending properties for easy installation and maintenance, which makes them a popular choice for indoor and outdoor uses for voltage requirements of 1kV and below. Should there be a requirement for ground emplacement, the armoured cable is preferred for higher electrical and mechanical protection.

XLPE-Insulated Cables
XLPE (Cross-linked polyethylene) is an excellent insulation material that has several advantages over conventional thermoplastic insulating material. Some advantages included zero halogen & permissible operational temperature up to 90°C, allowing the cables to with stand a greater current rating compared with PVC cables. The variance gets wider as the conductor size increases, which is also the reason XLPE insulated cables are widely chosen where bigger cables are required for main power supply.
On the other hand, XLPE insulated cables are less flexible compared with PVC cables, hence making it a less favourable choice for smaller conductor size cables where the current rating advantage is less significant.