Detailed Description
3+3 — The Optimal Minimum Configuration
A 3-phase motor with brake and limit switch requires 5–6 conductors: 3 phases (L1/L2/L3), protective earth (PE), and 1–2 control/signal wires. The 3+3 configuration provides exactly this — 3 power cores for the motor phases, and 3 auxiliary cores for PE + brake + limit switch, or PE + thermal sensor + speed sensor.
This is more efficient than a 4-core power cable (where one auxiliary signal requires a separate cable) and more cost-effective than a larger 7–12 core configuration (where half the auxiliary cores are unused).
| Configuration | Total Cores | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 3-core power only | 3 | Motor with independent PE, no auxiliary |
| 4-core power (3+PE) | 4 | Motor with integral PE, no auxiliary |
| 3+3 (this product) | 6 | Motor + PE + 2 auxiliary signals |
| 3+6 or larger | 9+ | Motor with multiple auxiliary functions |
Common 3+3 Applications
| Application | Power Cores | Auxiliary Cores | Cable Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop hoist | 3 × 2.5 mm² | PE + brake + limit switch | Motor power + safety |
| Small winch | 3 × 4 mm² | PE + up/down limit | Power + directional control |
| Stage hoist | 3 × 1.5 mm² | PE + data + DMX return | Motor + communication |
| Conveyor drive | 3 × 6 mm² | PE + speed sensor + thermal | Power + monitoring |
| Pump reel | 3 × 2.5 mm² | PE + float switch × 2 | Power + level control |
Construction and Configuration Notes
- Compact and efficient: One cable does what would normally require two — reduces reel size and simplifies installation
- PET fleece power/control separation: Prevents control core insulation damage from adjacent power conductors during reeling flex
- Custom core sizing: Need 3 × 10 mm² power + 3 × 1.5 mm² control? We build it — not limited to catalog cross-sections
- CR or PUR jacket: Match the jacket to your environment — indoor workshop or outdoor construction
Power and Control Core Assignment
The cable uses six conductors in a fixed assignment. The three power cores, sized 1.5 to 35 mm² and built from IEC 60228 Class 5 copper, carry the three motor phases. The three auxiliary cores, sized 0.75 to 2.5 mm², carry the protective earth and two control or signal functions. A typical assignment is earth plus brake plus limit switch, or earth plus thermal sensor plus speed sensor. This matches the minimum a 3-phase motor with brake and limit switch requires, and does so without the unused cores of a larger 7 to 12 core cable.
Core identification follows the same convention as the rest of the range. Power cores are brown, black, and gray for L1, L2, and L3, or numbered; the protective earth is green-yellow, integrated as one of the three auxiliary positions or as an additional core. Control cores are blue, brown, and black or numbered 4, 5, and 6. Core insulation is ethylene propylene rubber or PVC, colour coded or numbered so the installer terminates the correct conductor at the terminal.
Jacket, Tensile Core, and Service Life
The jacket is CR neoprene in black or PUR in black or orange, both halogen-free for the PUR version. CR is rated -25 °C to +70 °C and PUR -40 °C to +80 °C, so the jacket choice follows the lowest service temperature. An optional galvanized steel wire rope or Kevlar tensile core runs centrally for longer reel lengths and higher winding tension, and an optional CR or NBR inner sheath can be applied over the core assembly.
The six cores are stranded concentrically with a PET fleece separator between the power and control layers, preventing control-core insulation damage during reeling flex. With a drum-to-cable diameter ratio of at least 10 to 1 (12 to 1 recommended), the cable is rated for more than 50 000 reeling cycles at 12 to 1, and the compact outside diameter of about 14 mm for a 3 × 2.5 mm² plus 3 × 1.0 mm² build fits standard industrial cable glands without special connectors.