Cable Management
telecoms manufacturer, so don’t do the same with cable cleats. Look at the company behind the product, their technical expertise, the post-sales support they off er, and where else have their cleats been used. Are any of the installations similar? Testing. Will the cable cleats you are considering be up to the job? Some manufacturers will highlight the strength of their products based solely on a static mechanical tensile test. Unfortunately, this can be misleading as the forces applied in this type of test are applied in a slow and controlled manner, unlike in a short-circuit fault, where dynamic forces are applied almost instantaneously and oscillate in every direction. A short circuit test really is the only reliable way of knowing a cable cleat can withstand a specifi c set of fault conditions and is essential for anyone, anywhere to specify with confi dence.
Trust and testing carry over into cable glands and accessories, where they really should be at the heart of every specifi cation decision. Also necessary for consideration across the cable management spectrum are the environment of the installation and fi re safety properties of the products. For environmental compatibility, you must consider everything from operating temperatures to UV and corrosion resistance. When it comes to fi re resistance, cable cleats must have the same fl ame retardancy as the cable they’re securing.
Cable glands require additional consideration due to the issue of electromagnetic interference (EMI) – something that is governed by the EMC 2014/30/EU Directive. This enforces limitations on all electrical and electronic equipment that
“Put simply, for any electrical installation to be deemed safe, cables need to be protected and restrained by devices proven to withstand the forces the cables generate - especially during a short circuit.”
may cause or be aff ected by EMI and requires that products must not generate unwanted electromagnetic pollution or interference and that they must be immune to a reasonable amount of noise pollution or interference. However, there is a signifi cant oversight at the point of cable entry into an electrical enclosure. By adding openings in enclosures, pathways are created to allow noise to breach the shielded enclosure. Unterminated or poorly terminated cable shields can allow noise to be carried into the enclosures, acting as antennas to radiate noise onto sensitive circuits. Grounding the cable shield eff ectively inside a cable gland at point of entry eliminates a potential noise pathway and reduces the risks of radiated emissions being carried into the enclosure.
Cable glands that employ a robust 360-degree circumferential termination of the cable screen, shield braid or armour (e.g. with a cone and clamping ring, or a dedicated EMC continuity device) in their metallic body, contribute to the electromagnetic compatibility of installations through reliable low impedance connections. Stats that are backed up by a number of industry studies into the role they can play in EMC protection.
It is therefore vital that specifi ed cable glands have been tested for attenuation of EMI and provide the protection required. Underspecifi ed cable glands could cause signifi cant issues to the integrity of the electrical systems on which they are fi tted.
When it comes to improving electrical safety, whether it be with the intention of protecting people, power supplies or data, it is imperative that every potential step is taken to ensure the systems are the most robust they possibly can be. As such, suitably proven cable management products need to be given careful consideration so that they do not become the weak link in the system – causing operational failure and tarnishing reputations.
ewnews.co.uk
July 2025 electrical wholesaler | 27
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