CABLE ROUTING

IN THE
LOW VOLTAGE SYSTEM

Eng. Ahmed Osama Abdel-Hak

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Cable Routing Methods
1. Direct Buried in the ground
2. Buried in the duct bank
3. Cable in conduit
4. Cables in free air
4.1 Under ground cable trench ( specific condition)
4.2 Cable tray
4.3 Cable ladder
4.4 Cable cellar

1. Direct Buried in the ground

 This method is used in infrastructure
1.1 make a hall with height = 80cm for low voltage cables and 100cm for medium
voltage cables.
1.2 Make a layer by putting 10cm of fine sand in the bottom of the hall, then press on
it to make it compact layer
1.3 Put the cable above the fine sand layer
1.4 Make another layer of the fine sand ( 10 cm for lv cables and 20 cm for mv cables )
1.5 Put bricks above the fine sand layer, to be used as a physical protection layer and
also as a warning layer
1.6 Make a layer from the sand of the ground until (20 cm for lv cables and 30 cm for
mv cables)
1.7 Put a warning tape above the sand layer
1.8 Make the final layer from the sand of the ground.

 Should put bricks between the cables.

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2. Buried in the duct bank
 This method is used in infrastructure
 When used a ducts beside each others, they will make the duct bank, but if used a
concrete between these ducts, will be a concrete enclosed duct banks which is
used for road crossing.

 Can use high density High Density Polyethylene duct ( HDPE) instead of using
concrete duct bank, so when use HDPE can put it direct buried in the ground.
The Manhole
The manhole is used to can access to the cables and pull it if there is any fault in the
cables.
 The man hole is used in three cases :
1. The length of the cable routing is more than 25m
2. If there is any change in the direction or level of the cable routing
3. In the location where the cable is distributed to feed different loads.
The distance between the manholes is 20-25 m
 The dimension of the man hole is according to NESC
1. The length and the width of the manhole :
The length and the width are 90 cm for each one or can
be 75 cm if the cables is put in one side of
the cable routing, and can be 60 cm width
and 120 cm length in case of communication cables.
2. The depth of the manhole :
The depth of the manhole is 180 cm and should
be a stair to help the technician to can access the manhole
3. The Diameter of the hole of the manhole:
The diameter is 65 cm, and this hole mustn’t be direct above
the cables, and if it a rectangular shape, its dimension will be 55*65 cm

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3. Cable trench
 This method is used in the electrical rooms and between buildings
 It’s also known as cable trough
 The cables will be inside this cable trench by two methods:
1. In a cable tray
2. In sand inside the trench
 There are two types of the cable trench depending on the construction method:
1. Cast in the site
2. Pre cast concrete
 The trench cover is removable cover for outdoor application use ( concrete cover),
but for indoor application can use the chequered plates

Important note
Cable trench with no air circulation must be considers as cables in ducts when choose
the derating factors
4. Cable tunnel
When cable trench becomes too large, so use the cable tunnel
 Height of the cable tunnel: allowing free movement for maintenance, but the
minimum height is 1.8 m
 Width of the cable tunnel: cable tray width + number of columns + maintenance
access passage

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5. Cable tray
 This method is used inside the buildings
 It’s used above the false ceiling to carry the feeder cables, or in the roof to feed
the mechanical loads ( HVAC)
 It can’t contain single insulation cables ( wires ), because the fear of the mouses.

Cable tray types

Perforated: it’s the most used one, and contain the power cables.
Ladder: used for the Mv cables and in the riser.
Duct: used for data cables instead of conduits.
Cable trunk: used for data &wires (branch circuits), usually it installed on the wall.

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Cable tray accessories

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Cable tray supports

 The support is used every 1.5m along the cable tray

Cable tray materials

1. Aluminum
2. Galvanized steel ( the common one )
3. Stainless steel

Cable tray Sizes

The size is the cable tray is consist of two parameter:
1. Width of the tray: 50-100-150-200-250-300-350-400-450-500-550-600-650-700-
750-800-850- 900 mm
And this value is depending on the number of cables in the tray and also the CSA of
these cables
2. Height of the tray: 50- 100 - 150 mm
 The values of width and height can be vary from the manufacturers.

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Cable tray Sizing
Multi core cables
1. The distance between the cable and the side of the tray = D/2
2. The distance between the two cables = the biggest diameter of the two cables

Single core cables

1. The distance between the cable and the side of the tray = D
2. The distance between the two cables = 2 * the biggest diameter of the two cables

In the NEC code, for the single core cables in the cable tray:
1. The distance between the cable and the side of the tray = 2.15 D / 2
2. The distance between the two cables = 2.15* the biggest diameter of the two cables

Notes
 20-30% spare should be added in the cable tray size for future extension.
 There will be a cable tray for emergency and another one for normal circuits, or
can use only one for the two circuits but must use a fire barrier between the two
types of circuits.
 Cable diameter is gotten from the catalogue of the manufacturer
So the cable tray size will be:
The required distance between the first cable and the tray edge + the diameter of the
first cable + the required distance between the first and the second cable + the
diameter of the second cable … etc + 20-30% spare
Cable trunk size
 Cable trunk sizing is according to filling ratio = 40% according to NEC or 45%
according to EC code.

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Notes for cable tray installation:
1. The vertical distance between two trays must be more than 300mm
2. The vertical distance between the cable tray and the floor must be more than
250mm
3. The horizontal distance between the tray and the wall must be more than 20mm
4. The horizontal distance between the two trays must be 300 mm ( for the
accessibility for maintenance )
5.

6.

7. Can install cables with different voltage level, but must use a metallic or non
metallic barrier between them according to NEC or with distance equal 30 cm
according to EC code

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Figures for cable tray installation
1. Typical cable tray fixing details

2. Cable tray earthing

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3. Typical installation for riser cable ladder

4. Typical installation for trefoil single core bales

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5. Typical installation for connection between cable tray and panel

6. Typical installation for connection between cable tray and conduit

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7. Typical installation for cables with different voltage level

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Special notes for cable tray
1. Cable tray can be used in the roof, but the cables must be sunlight resistance
2. Can’t use cable tray in the hall of the elevators
3. Use fiber glass cable tray or galvanized steel cable tray in the factories
4. If use a single core cables in a cable tray, the CSA of the cable must be more than
or equal 50mm2
5. Single conductor installation in the cable tray may be in three methods
5.1 Flat
 CSA of the cable is equal or more than 50mm2 and below than 120mm2
 The distance between cables must be equal to the biggest diameter

5.2 Trefoil
 The distance between cables must be equal to the 2.15* biggest diameter

5.3 quadratic
 The distance between cables must be equal to the 2.15* biggest diameter

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6. Conduits
 This method is used inside the buildings
 There are three types of conduits:
1. PVC conduit
2. EMT conduit
3. RGS conduit

1. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) conduit

 Conduit sizes is defined by the outer diameter of the conduit:
Conduit sizes: 20-25-32-40-50 mm,
 There are three types of the conduits:
( heavy gauge - medium gauge - light gauge )

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2. Electrical metallic (EMT) conduits
 It’s used only in exposed installation

3. Rigid Galvanized Steel (RGS) conduits

It’s used exposed only, in the mechanical and electrical rooms

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 The conduits may be installed by three methods:
1. Embedded in slab
2. Above false ceiling
3. Under finished floor

1. Embedded in slab
 This method is used in the new construction projects, and PVC conduits only can
be used

 Can’t use more than 2 inch conduit in this method due to structure considerations

2. Above false ceiling

 This method can be used in new construction project or existing project
 Use PVC or EMT conduits, the decision is depending on the HVAC system, if
the return air in the duct so can use PVC conduit but if it doesn’t return in a duct
so must use EMT conduit

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3. Under finished floor
According to practice
 PVC conduits are used in this method
 Usually this method is used to connect between sockets

 Then put a layer of concrete above the conduits to protect it

According to codes
1. Egyptian code

 So according to EC, this method isn’t permitted to be used.

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2. National Electrical Code NEC

Eng. Ali Hassan

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Stub-up connection

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Summary of conduits location

The choice of use the embedded or exposed above false ceiling for new construction
will depending on some factors as:
1. In fast track project, it’s preferred to use exposed above false ceiling method
2. Use a pre-cast concrete, so exposed above false ceiling method will be used

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Conduit Size
 The filling ratio must be lower than 40%

 Get the inner diameter by subtract 2* thickness of the conduit, get the cable
diameter from the catalogue

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