To be or not to be Low Smoke Zero Halogen LSZH

There is a lot to be said about LSOH cables, especially in view of changing market demands.  Taking the American market into consideration, engineers are striving to bring a product that will meet all the customer’s demands.  The new cable has to be LSOH, flame resistant and durable; in other words, a cable with super powers.  However, this was not the scenario a few decades ago. 

Previous Market Trends

Previously there was a trend in the American market as opposed to the European market, with the US placing a lot of importance on cable being resistant to fire and that it should, under no circumstances, propagate it.  The European market, on the other hand, focussed on low smoke and zero halogen for the past few decades. 

So there was a period in the US cable history where LSOH was not the main character of the story, but the twist came when people found that LSOH was a life saver in case of fire or extreme heat.  However, the takers for these cables were few as the cost of manufacturing was high. Therefore, the cables had high price tags.  Thanks to modern technology, our engineers have found a way to manufacture the same at a lower cost.

Changing Market Trends

So today, the market trend has shifted with consumers demanding a cable that performs well in high temperatures, especially in the instance of a fire, which also has LSOH properties, and is available at a reasonable cost.  Not surprisingly, today we see such cables also possessing other desirable qualities such as toughness, flexibility, and a long life. 

However, the new super cables are still on the more expensive side when compared to PVC cables.  Industries still prefer to use the new ones as they do not emit toxic gases while burning, and so are perfect for use in extreme conditions and in space constricted work areas.  Moreover, the LSOH cables are not inferior in performance and still give the same electrical performance.  So keeping in mind the safety of the working environment, the employees and equipment, it pays to have LSOH cables installed.