Low Smoke Halogen Free (LSHF)

What Does It Mean?

Robert Bellassai, RCDD
UL LLC
 What We Will Discuss Today!
What's all the confusion about!!
Demand Drivers
Why is LSHF Important?
Whats a Halogen?
Common Materials used in the Wire & Cable Industry
New Industry Standards
Q&A
What's All the Confusion About!!
NON - THIS
THAT - FREE
LOW - OTHER
HFFR
LSZH
LSFOH
LSF (Low Smoke and Fume)

HALOGENS
 Many Standards
Standard Application Requirement Test Description

MIL-DTL-24643C Cables, Electric, Low Smoke Halogen-Free, For Shipboard All materials shall be halogen-free and have no more halogen content of cable jacket or fillers shall be determined byXRF or analytically following
(1 October 2009) Use than 0.2 % halogen content. an inspection and analyses of the chemical composition of all ingredients
General used.
Halogen-Free

ICEA T-33-655-1994 Guide for Low Smoke, Halogen-Free Polymeric Cable ..materials having less than 0.2% weight of any halogen halogen content of the cable jacket or fillers shall be determined XRF or analytically
Jackets following an inspection and analyses of the chemical composition of all ingredients
used.

UL 44, Clause 5.14.8.4 Standard For Safety For Thermoset-Insulated Wires and 20% by weight of halogen acid gas Halogen Acid Gas Emission
Cables

TUV Pfg 1169/08.2007 Cables for use in photovoltaic-systems Qualitative F, Cl, & Br Qualitative Colormetric Test.

Halogen-free PV Cable Tests on Gases evolved During Combustion of Materials from Cables Part 1 Apparatus &
Determination of the degree of acidity of gases for materials by measuring pH and
Annex B (Test of absence of halogen) indicates conductivity
Insulation and Sheath shall pass the requirement as
follows Determination of the amount of halogen gas (not suitable for zero-halogen determination,
see below)

Flexible Insulated Sleeving

 Low Smoke Halogen Free (LSHF)
Two distinct properties:
1. LS - Amount of smoke a complete cable construction produces on combustion
2. HF - Amount of halogens present in each combustible cable component

Low Smoke
Determined by IEC 61034-2 test method

Halogen Free, Zero Halogen, No Halogen

Methods include: Combustion - Ion Chromatography (C-IC), X-ray
fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), Beilstein or Sodium Fusion
testing.
Common Industry halogens; i.e. Fluorine, Chlorine, Bromine
Different halogen content requirements
 Demand Drivers
Concern: Combustion Products Corrosivity / Toxicity
(e.g. Acid Gas, Dioxins formed when halogenated materials are burned under
the right conditions form dioxins)

Government / Industrial (End Product Manufacturer) Restrictions Closed spaces

such as subways, ships, submarines, etc.

PVC Fallout (Phthalates - plasticizers, Lead & Cadmium heat stabilizer or colorant)

Green Movement /LEED Green Building Initiative & Precautionary Principle (Its bad in
one area so ban it in all areas)
 Why is LSHF Important?
Some industry claims:

Halogenated materials, when ignited generate smoke that can be corrosive with the potential to
damage electronics.
Applications where corrosion potential is of particular concern include communications
data centers, Emergency call centers, phone switching stations, etc.

Toxic/corrosive halogenated combustion product can be potentially hazardous to persons if they

cannot easily evacuate from the area.

Cables containing halogens also produce significantly higher levels of carbon monoxide (CO) gas
during combustion.
 What's a Halogen?
Halogens impart are used to improve flame retardant properties of polymeric materials used in wire & cable.

Fluorine
Chlorine
Bromine
Iodine
Astatine
Primary Halogen Sources in Polymeric Materials
Resins (e.g. PVC, FEP, CPE)

Additives
Flame Retardants (e.g. brominated compounds)
Mineral fillers (e.g. fluorine in silica/glass)

Color Concentrates
Common Flame Retardants used in Non-Hal Applications
Metal Hydroxides
Aluminum TriHydrate (ATH)
Magnesium Hydroxide

Phosphorous or Melamine Based

Others
 Common Resins used in Non-Hal Applications
Polyolefins
Polyethylene
Polypropylene

Others
Polyesters
Polyamides (e.g. Nylon)
Polystyrene (Not used in W&C)
Polycarbonate (Not used in W&C)
Etc.
 New Industry Standards
UL 2885, Standard for acid gas, acidity and conductivity of combusted material
and assessment of Halogens dated 02-12-2015. (Based on IEC 62821-1, -2 &
-3;
IEC 62821-1; Electric Cables Halogen Free, Low Smoke Thermoplastic-
Insulated and Sheathed Cables of Rated Voltages up to and Including
450/750V Part 1: General Requirements
IEC 62821-2; Electric Cables Halogen Free, Low Smoke Thermoplastic-
Insulated and Sheathed Cables of Rated Voltages up to and Including
450/750V Part 2: Test Methods
IEC 62821-3; Electric Cables Halogen Free, Low Smoke Thermoplastic-
Insulated and Sheathed Cables of Rated Voltages up to and Including
450/750V Part 3: Flexible Cables (Cords)
 UL 2885 Halogen Free (HF)
Four step test protocol to determined HF content for cable components,
i.e. insulation, fillers, jacket, tapes, etc.:

Stage 0 Sodium Fusion

Stage 1 pH & Conductivity
Stage 2 Bromine and Chlorine as HCl
Stage 3 Fluorine content
 Low Smoke (LS) Test Method
IEC 62821-3; Electric Cables Halogen Free, Low Smoke Thermoplastic-
Insulated and Sheathed Cables of Rated Voltages up to and Including
450/750V Part 3: Flexible Cables (Cords)

Establishes LS part of LSHF, the complete cable construction subjected to

IEC 62821-3 standard specifies IEC 61034-2 as the reference method.
 Cable Marking
Current UL Listed cable requirements do not change.

ALL combustible cable components must be individually considered HF

ULs new optional -LSHF or -HF cable mark applicable for all Listed and Recognized cables.
Type OFNR-LSHF, CMR-LSHF, etc.
Questions?
Thank You!!