The National Electrical Code requires that riser cables have sufficient fire resistance so they will not spread fire from floor to floor in a shaft. Fire tests were conducted as the initial task in developing a test method for determining compliance with the Code. The tests provided data on the flame propagation characteristics of riser cables in a simulated riser shaft. The shaft design was based on information from a field survey. The data indicated that with a large ig nition source, simulating burning combustibles in a shaft without fire stops, some cables propagated fire from floor to floor; others utilizing newer fire resistive materials, did not exhibit the same propensity to promulgate fire.
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References
1.
National Electrical Code 1981 Edition, National Fire Protection Association, No. 70-1981 Section 800-3(b).
2.
C.J. Hilado, editor, Flammability Handbook for Plastics . 2nd edition, Westport, Conn. , Technomic Publishing Co., 1974 , p. 48.
3.
H.M. Dillow, T.S. Dougherty, "New Color Coded Dual Insulated Riser Cables," Proceedings of the 30th International Wire and Cable Symposium , 1981, p. 318.
4.
S. Kaufman, C.A. Landreth, "Development of Improved Flame Resistant Interior Wiring Cables," Proceedings of the 24th International Wire and Cable Symposium, 1975, p. 9.
