Can someone please recommend what type and size of cable would be used in place of 10/4 SOOW cable in the European Union?
What's SOOW?
OK. We'd use 4-core steel wire armoured cable. Outside diameter is about 20mm. We have a cable gland at the entry to the equipment. The part of the gland that goes through the hole is about the same size - the outer sheath and the armouring end at the gland.SOOW means that the conductors as well as the jacket are oil resistant and water resistant. SOOW is a little more robust and tuff than plain SO cable.
I am trying to size an opening in my equipment so that the customer can install their power cable. In the US, I would use a 10/4 SOOW cable. The entry point on the equipment is circular and a grommet is installed for abrasion resistance. I have strain relief inside the equipment on the sub panel.
For 10/4 SOOW cable I normally size the opening to 1" (25.4mm).
What is the outside diameter of a typical 4 conductor (3 lines and 1 ground) that uses all 6mm^2 cable?
No, SOOW is commonly called "Portable Cord", it is fine stranded to be extra flexible. Like what you would find in an extension cord, and is unshielded.OK. We'd use 4-core steel wire armoured cable. Outside diameter is about 20mm. We have a cable gland at the entry to the equipment. The part of the gland that goes through the hole is about the same size - the outer sheath and the armouring end at the gland.
I'd post some pics but photobucket is playing up.
Very magnanimous...The 6mm2 is correct however.
In the US, I would leave a 1/2 inch or 1 inch circular cutout in the panel to fit an Appleton cable gland in the final installation. Will this be of any use to someone trying to install the equipment in the UK or elsewhere in the EU? Or would the available cable glands there not be able to used with my 1/2inch or 1 inch circular cutout?
It is difficult to provide a cable gland when you do not know exactly what cable will be used. I believe the 4 conductor 6mm^2 cable will be used. I am hoping that it is not 20mm in outside diameter!
I typically do not supply any cable glands, and the final customer must provide their own when they install the equipment. The equipment is not chord and plug connected, but is permanently connected equipment. The customer provides the cable/wire to their power supply, and I supply a distribution block inside of the equipment for them to land.
In the US, I would leave a 1/2 inch or 1 inch circular cutout in the panel to fit an Appleton cable gland in the final installation. Will this be of any use to someone trying to install the equipment in the UK or elsewhere in the EU? Or would the available cable glands there not be able to used with my 1/2inch or 1 inch circular cutout?
That would be OK if your customer reaches the same conclusion about wire size that you do. If they decide to go bigger (VD maybe) then your gland is too small. I prefer Jraef's solution. Or at least make it easy for them to pull out your gland and punch their own hole.According to this page http://www.superimpex.com/cable_glands/technical_data.htm
I will need a size 20 gland to fit a 3+1 6mm^2 cable. It also indicates that a 1/2 inch entry thread located on the equipment will work for mounting this gland. Am I reading this correctly?
All of the other information indicates that I will need a size 25 gland to fit this cable that has a approximately 18-20mm outside diameter.
At 6.0mm2 it would not be a typical flexible cord here - that's typically 0.75mm2 and double insulated.No, SOOW is commonly called "Portable Cord", it is fine stranded to be extra flexible. Like what you would find in an extension cord, and is unshielded.
I think it would be IEC 60245 specification multi-core (3+1) cable, with Class 5 or 6 flexibility, but I don't know if that includes the same oil resistance specs.
The 6mm2 is correct however.