UL 1277 Tray Cable, 2 Conductor

Two-conductor tray cable is useful when an industrial circuit requires a dedicated pair of conductors rather than a larger multi-conductor cable.

A two-conductor configuration can be appropriate for simple power, control, switching or auxiliary circuits that do not require multiple conductors within the same cable. Using a cable built specifically around a conductor pair can provide a compact solution while still delivering the mechanical protection and installation characteristics of tray cable. The required conductor size, voltage and shielding should be matched to the specific circuit.

This category includes 18, 16, 14 and 12 AWG two-conductor cable.

The available constructions range from 18 AWG through 12 AWG, giving designers and buyers several options for matching conductor size to the electrical requirements of the circuit. Both shielded and unshielded versions are offered across these sizes, so conductor gauge and interference protection can be selected independently based on the installation.

The shielded version adds an aluminum Mylar shield and copper drain wire, while the unshielded version uses the same basic conductor pair without the shielding system.

Both constructions use stranded tinned copper conductors with PVC insulation, nylon coverings and an overall PVC jacket. The shielded version adds 100% aluminum Mylar coverage and a stranded copper drain wire. This gives specifiers the option of selecting additional interference protection when the circuit or electrical environment calls for it, while choosing the simpler unshielded construction where shielding is unnecessary.

Tinning adds a protective coating over the copper strands and can help improve conductor durability in demanding environments.

Each conductor in this cable is made from stranded tinned copper rather than bare copper. The tin coating provides an additional layer over the copper strands and can help protect the conductor surface from oxidation and corrosion. Stranding also provides greater flexibility than a comparable solid conductor, which can make routing and installation easier in industrial equipment and cable tray systems.

It verifies the cable's flame performance under a demanding tray-cable flame test.

The materials used in this cable pass the UL 70,000 BTU flame test, which Custom Cable notes is comparable to the IEEE 383 flame test. This testing evaluates how cable performs when exposed to a high-energy flame source and is particularly relevant for cables installed together in tray systems, where limiting flame propagation is an important design consideration.