Before you start warming up your vocal cords, let me set the record straight; wire harmonization has very little to do with a capella groups and barber shop quartets. Instead, wire harmonization focuses on a standard developed in Europe to bring together wires from different companies.
Wire harmonization refers to a European process where several European standards are merged into one. Since Europe is densely populated, as well as divided into many countries, harmonization was developed in order to bring together standards, making it easier to wire electrical devices across the continent.
Harmonized standards apply to PVC jackets and rubber jacketed cables. Every harmonized wire will start with “H” to symbolize harmonization. Each part of the name of harmonized wire helps you to understand its purpose.
For every harmonized wire, after the H there will be a number, either 01, 03, 05 or 07. This refers to the rated voltage. This will be followed by letters, which refer to the material it is made from for the insulated material, metallic coverings, non-metallic sheath and constructional components. The next part will refer to the conductor material, conductor forms and number of cores. The final part of the name refers to the number of cores and minimal cross-sections of conductors.
That was a lot of information! However, it gets simpler the more you learn. Let’s use and example with the cord H05VVF3G1. The “H” stand for harmonized. The “05” refers to voltage, which is 300/500 volts. The first V stand for PVC for insulating material. The second V stand for PVC for the non-metallic sheath. The F stand for flexible, and lets you know that the conductor is flexible. The 3, refers to the number of cores. G denotes that a green or yellow core is included, and the 1 is the size of the conductor in millimeters squared.
All of this can be a lot to take in. If you are looking for harmonized cords, or want more information on wire harmonization, do not hesitate to contact our sales department!
By Clark Cable
Clark dabbled in several barber shop quartets before taking up the accordion full time. He sung tenor in the Electri-choir, until differing views on polarization and electrical safety drove them apart.