Underground Direct Burial SWA Armoured 4x240mm2 Copper XLPE Insulated Power Cable

Product Overview

This four core 240mm2 copper cable is engineered for direct burial feeders in 0.6/1kV distribution networks, where soil pressure, backfill stones and occasional vehicle loading are everyday risks. The stranded class 2 copper conductor carries heavy feeder current with a voltage drop that stays under one percent on a 400 m run, and the extruded cross-linked polyethylene insulation keeps dielectric loss stable through decades of daily thermal cycling. Each core leaves our line after a 12 kV spark test, so insulation defects are rejected before the armouring stage.

The SWA armoured design wraps a layer of galvanised steel wires under the black PVC oversheath. That layer gives the assembly enough crush and rodent resistance to survive compaction and gravel backfill without a concrete duct, and it doubles as the earth continuity path when the gland kit is correctly bonded. Because the conductors, the XLPE wall and the armour sit in one concentric assembly, installation crews can pull longer trench runs and cut the number of joints, which is where most buried cable failures actually start.

Technical Specifications

Key Advantages

• Direct burial without concrete duct: the steel wire armour absorbs backfill and traffic loads.
• 240mm2 copper keeps voltage drop below one percent on typical 400 m feeder routes.
• XLPE rated at 90 C continuous allows a higher current rating than PVC insulated cable of the same section.
• Rodent, crush and tensile protection reduce repair claims on long underground routes.
• Every drum passes a 3.5 kV routine voltage test before it is released for shipment.

Typical Applications

• Industrial park substation feeders and ring mains
• Utility distribution trenches and street lighting circuits
• Ports, mining sites and plants with heavy vehicle traffic
• Wind and solar farm collector circuits
• Hospital, data centre and standby power routes

Quality Assurance and Test Data

Production runs under an ISO 9001:2015 system with in-house conductor resistance, insulation thickness and hot set testing. Type test reports to IEC 60502-1 are issued with each shipment, and our engineers will review your trench drawing, soil thermal resistivity and pulling tension before the order is released. Because the assembly is a complete XLPE Insulated Power Cable with bonded armour, no separate earth conductor is needed in the trench.

Ordering and Delivery Notes

Ordering an underground run is mostly a question of drum logistics and joint count. This XLPE Insulated Power Cable is supplied on 500 m drums, and where a trench has more than one pull point our engineers propose joint positions so the 4x240mm2 copper sections land on straight lengths. For the SWA armoured variant we quote glands, earth tags and warning tape in the same package, because an underground direct burial feeder is only as good as the accessories that terminate it.

Selection and Test Summary

• For a feeder that runs under a yard, specify the underground direct burial version and confirm the backfill depth with our engineers before the drum plan is fixed.
• The SWA armoured assembly is the variant most contractors choose when the XLPE Insulated Power Cable has to cross a roadway or a hard standing area.
• Samples of 4x240mm2 copper are available for gland trials, and we can ship a one metre piece of the SWA armoured cable with the quotation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can this cable be laid directly in soil without sand bedding?
A: Yes. The SWA armour is designed for direct burial, so sand bedding plus a warning tape is enough for most routes. Where sharp rock is present we recommend 100 mm of screened backfill.

Q: How long a run can be pulled from one drum?
A: A 500 m drum of 4x240mm2 cable weighs about 6.8 tonnes. Pulling lengths beyond 350 m are checked against sidewall pressure and bend radius before we confirm the drum plan.

Q: What short circuit temperature does the XLPE insulation allow?
A: The conductor may reach 250 C for a maximum of five seconds during a fault, which is why the XLPE wall is specified at 1.7 mm for this section.

Q: Is the armour suitable as an earth conductor?
A: The galvanised steel wires provide earth continuity when bonded at both ends with the correct gland and a copper link; our engineers will confirm the fault current rating for your design.

Q: Do you supply the SWA armoured cable with glands and earth tags?
A: Yes. We match steel wire armour glands, brass earth tags and a stainless steel pulling stocking to the SWA armoured construction, and we confirm gland size against the 4x240mm2 copper section before dispatch.

Send your route length, burial depth and expected fault level, and our engineers will return a section check, drum plan and price for this underground direct burial XLPE Insulated Power Cable within one working day.