Industrial, Mining & Control Cables /Welding Cable

Welding Cable (Flexible) — IEC 60245 / HD 22 EPR or CR Insulated Single-Core Extra-Flexible Welding Electrode and Work Return Cable with Class 6 Ultra-Fine Stranded Copper Conductor for MMA, MIG/MAG, TIG, and Submerged Arc Welding Equipment Connection in Workshops, Shipyards, Construction Sites, and Industrial Fabrication

Name: Welding Cable (Flexible) — IEC 60245 / HD 22 EPR or CR Insulated Single-Core Extra-Flexible Welding Electrode and Work Return Cable with Class 6 Ultra-Fine Stranded Copper Conductor for MMA, MIG/MAG, TIG, and Submerged Arc Welding Equipment Connection in Workshops, Shipyards, Construction Sites, and Industrial Fabrication
Brand: Yichi Cable
SKU: welding-cable-flexible

Welding cable flexible: IEC 60245 / HD 22 EPR or neoprene insulated single-core. Class 6 ultra-fine copper 16–120 mm². For MMA, MIG/MAG, TIG welding electrode and work return. Oil, spark, abrasion resistant. Orange or black. -25°C to +85°C. CE, RoHS.

Key Features

IEC 60245-6 / HD 22.6 compliant — the international standard for arc welding electrode and work return cables; the cable is designed for the specific duty of welding: high DC or low-frequency AC current (typically 100–600 A), continuous flexing as the welder moves around the workpiece, and resistance to weld spatter, hot metal contact, oil, and mechanical abrasion on the workshop or construction site floor

IEC 60228 Class 6 ultra-fine stranded bare copper or tinned copper conductor — the finest stranding class defined by international standards (single wire diameter 0.08–0.12 mm); Class 6 provides maximum flexibility for the welder to move the electrode holder freely around the workpiece without the cable fighting the welder's hand movement and causing fatigue

EPR (ethylene propylene rubber) or CR (neoprene) single-layer insulation — the insulation combines the function of core insulation and outer sheath in one thick rubber layer; EPR provides excellent flexibility and thermal stability; CR provides superior oil, spark, and weather resistance for outdoor and heavy industrial welding environments

High current rating — 16 mm² to 120 mm² copper cross-section for welding currents from 100 A to 600 A+; the cable is sized for the welding machine's maximum output current under the duty cycle and the cable length between the machine and the workpiece

Weld spatter and hot metal resistant CR jacket — the rubber jacket does not sustain combustion when hot metal droplets (weld spatter at >1 500°C) land on the cable surface; the spatter cools on contact with the rubber and falls off without burning through or adhering to the jacket — a critical safety characteristic for welding cable

Oil, grease, and solvent resistant — the EPR or CR rubber jacket resists the oils, cutting fluids, and solvents commonly found in welding workshops, fabrication shops, and shipyard environments; PVC-jacketed 'welding cable' would soften, swell, and degrade within months of exposure to these chemicals

Orange, black, or dual-colour jacket — orange is the standard colour for welding cable (high visibility on the workshop floor, reduces trip hazard and accidental damage); black for heavy industrial environments where the cable will become dirty and the colour is cosmetic; red/black dual colour for easy identification of electrode vs work return cables

Flexible at low temperature — the EPR/CR jacket remains flexible to -25°C, allowing the welder to work in unheated workshops, outdoor construction sites in winter, and cold-region fabrication yards without the cable becoming stiff and unmanageable

Applications

Manual metal arc (MMA/SMAW) welding — flexible electrode cable from the welding machine to the electrode holder; the cable is continuously flexed as the welder moves the electrode holder around the workpiece, changes electrodes, and repositions; the electrode cable carries the full welding currentMIG/MAG (GMAW) and TIG (GTAW) welding — welding cable for the wire feed gun or TIG torch; in MIG/MAG, the cable often contains additional conduits (gas hose, wire feed liner) inside a composite welding cable construction; the power cable supplies the welding current to the contact tip in the welding gunWork return (earth) cable — the cable connecting the workpiece or welding table back to the welding machine to complete the welding current circuit; a separate flexible welding cable, typically of the same cross-section as the electrode cableSubmerged arc welding (SAW) — high-current welding cable for automated submerged arc welding installations in pipe mills, shipyards, and heavy fabrication where the welding current can exceed 600 A and multiple parallel cables per pole are requiredArc gouging and cutting — welding cable for carbon arc gouging (air carbon arc cutting) where the current demand is higher than for welding (typically 400–1 000 A for large gouging carbons) and the duty cycle is highResistance welding — flexible cable for the secondary (low-voltage, high-current) connections of spot welding, seam welding, and projection welding machines in automotive and sheet metal fabricationShipyard and construction site welding — heavy-duty welding cable for outdoor, all-weather welding in shipbuilding, bridge construction, pipeline welding, and structural steel erection where the cable is exposed to weather, mechanical abuse, and oil and grease from construction equipment

Technical Specifications

Standard	IEC 60245-6 (Rubber insulated cables — arc welding electrode cables); HD 22.6 S3 (CENELEC harmonized document); VDE 0282-6 (Germany); BS 638-4 (UK — welding cables); the standards define the conductor stranding, insulation material, test voltages, and current ratings for welding cables
Rated Voltage — DC (Welding)	100 V DC maximum (open circuit voltage of the welding machine); the welding cable insulation is NOT rated for mains voltage — the cable is for the secondary (welding) side of the welding machine only, between the machine output terminals and the electrode holder / workpiece
Rated Voltage — AC (Test)	The cable is tested at 1 000 V AC / 5 min for insulation integrity, but the operating voltage on the secondary side of a welding machine must not exceed 100 V DC (or 113 V peak for AC welding machines) per the standard
Conductor Material — Standard	Bare copper; IEC 60228 Class 6 ultra-fine stranded; single wire diameter 0.08–0.12 mm; the ultra-fine stranding is the defining feature of welding cable flexibility — Class 5 would be noticeably stiffer and more fatiguing for the welder to manipulate
Conductor Material — Optional	Tinned copper; for welding in humid, marine, or chemically aggressive environments where bare copper would corrode and increase resistance at the electrode holder and work return clamp connections
Conductor Cross-Sections — Standard Range	16, 25, 35, 50, 70, 95, 120 mm²
Conductor Construction — Class 6 Strand Count (Example)	50 mm²: approximately 1 400–1 800 strands × 0.08–0.10 mm diameter; the high strand count provides the maximum flexibility for a given cross-section — the cable is as limp as rope and follows the welder's hand movement without resistance
Insulation — EPR (Standard)	Ethylene propylene rubber (EPR); rated 85°C maximum conductor temperature; single-layer insulation that combines core insulation and outer jacket functions; the EPR compound provides excellent flexibility, thermal stability, and electrical insulation
Insulation — CR / Neoprene (Heavy Duty)	Polychloroprene rubber (CR); rated 85°C; superior oil, weather, and flame resistance compared to EPR; specified for outdoor, shipyard, and heavy industrial welding where the cable is exposed to oil, grease, and weather
Insulation — Natural Rubber (Economy)	Natural rubber compound; for light-duty workshop welding where cost is the primary consideration; lower oil and weather resistance than EPR/CR but adequate for clean, indoor welding environments
Insulation Thickness — Per IEC 60245-6 Table	The combined wall thickness is selected for the conductor cross-section and the mechanical duty of welding cable service; 2.0 mm (16 mm²) to 3.5 mm (120 mm²) approximately
Core Identification — Jacket Colour	Orange (standard — high visibility on the workshop floor); Black (heavy industrial); Red (electrode cable) and Black (work return cable) for dual-colour identification; the colour is integral to the rubber compound
Maximum DC Conductor Resistance at 20°C — Class 6 Copper	Per IEC 60228 Class 6; 1.21 Ω/km (16 mm²); 0.780 Ω/km (25 mm²); 0.554 Ω/km (35 mm²); 0.386 Ω/km (50 mm²); 0.272 Ω/km (70 mm²); 0.206 Ω/km (95 mm²); 0.161 Ω/km (120 mm²)
Insulation Resistance at 20°C — EPR/CR	≥100 MΩ·km (at 500 V DC, 1 min)
Test Voltage (AC) — Routine	1 000 V AC / 5 min (finished cable) per IEC 60245-6; the test voltage is substantially higher than the 100 V DC maximum operating voltage to verify the insulation integrity with a significant safety margin
Spark Test (In-Line)	100% in-line spark testing of the insulation during manufacturing at 6 kV AC per EN 50356; detects any pinhole or thin spot in the rubber insulation
Temperature — Conductor (Continuous)	85°C (EPR/CR rated for continuous operation at the welding current that produces this conductor temperature)
Temperature — Ambient (Moving / Flexing)	-25°C to +60°C; the rubber jacket remains flexible across this temperature range for the welder to manipulate the cable
Temperature — Ambient (Fixed / Stored)	-40°C to +85°C
Minimum Bend Radius — During Use (Flexing)	6× cable OD (the cable is designed to be flexed continuously during welding; the Class 6 conductor and the rubber jacket accommodate this without conductor fatigue or jacket cracking)
Minimum Bend Radius — Fixed Routing	4× cable OD
Current Rating (Typical, Single Cable in Free Air, 30°C Ambient, 85°C Conductor Temperature, 60% Duty Cycle)	16 mm² = 100–130 A; 25 mm² = 140–180 A; 35 mm² = 180–230 A; 50 mm² = 230–300 A; 70 mm² = 300–380 A; 95 mm² = 380–470 A; 120 mm² = 470–560 A; the rating depends on the duty cycle and the cable length — for a 100% duty cycle automated welding application, the current rating is approximately 70% of the 60% duty cycle values
Duty Cycle De-Rating	The welding machine's duty cycle means the cable carries current only for a percentage of the time — for a 60% duty cycle, the average I²R heating is 60% of the continuous current value, allowing a higher rated current than for a 100% duty cycle cable. The cable must be de-rated for higher duty cycles: for 100% duty cycle, multiply the 60% rating by approximately 0.7–0.8
Cable Length — Voltage Drop (Example)	For a 200 A welding current over a 30 m one-way electrode cable (60 m total circuit length), 35 mm² copper: voltage drop per meter one-way = (0.554 × 200 / 1 000) = 0.111 V/m; total one-way drop = 3.3 V; total circuit drop (electrode + work return) = 6.6 V; the welding machine's open circuit voltage (typically 50–80 V DC) minus this voltage drop determines the arc voltage and the welding process stability
Weld Spatter Resistance — CR Jacket	The CR jacket does not sustain combustion when molten steel droplets at >1 500°C land on the cable surface; the spatter cools and falls off; PVC jackets would burn through, exposing the conductor; standard EPR jackets have moderate spatter resistance; CR is recommended for heavy welding with significant spatter generation (MMA and flux-cored arc welding)
Oil Resistance — CR / EPR	CR: excellent — resistant to mineral oils, hydraulic fluids, and grease; EPR: good — resistant to oils but can be swollen by extended contact with petroleum-based fluids; for oily workshop and shipyard environments, specify CR jacket
Flame Retardant — CR	IEC 60332-1-2; CR is inherently flame-retardant
Certifications	CE; RoHS; VDE on request; ISO 9001 manufactured

Detailed Description

What Is Flexible Welding Cable?

Flexible welding cable is a single-core, Class 6 (ultra-fine stranded) copper conductor insulated with a thick layer of EPR or CR rubber, designed for the secondary (low-voltage, high-current) side of arc welding equipment — the cable that connects the welding machine to the electrode holder (the "hot" lead) and the workpiece or welding table back to the machine (the "work return" or "earth" lead). The cable is defined by its flexibility: the welder holds the electrode holder and manipulates it continuously around the workpiece; a stiff cable makes the welder fight the cable as much as the weld puddle, causing fatigue and reducing weld quality.

The flexibility of a welding cable is a function of the conductor stranding. A standard power cable with Class 2 (stranded) or Class 5 (flexible) conductor has 7–50 strands per conductor. A Class 6 welding cable has hundreds to thousands of individual strands — a 50 mm² welding cable contains approximately 1 400–1 800 strands, each 0.08–0.10 mm in diameter. The individual strands can slide relative to each other during bending, allowing the cable to be as flexible as a rope. This is the defining characteristic of a welding cable — if the cable resists bending and fights the welder's hand, it is not a welding cable, regardless of what the insulation says.

EPR vs CR Jacket — Which for Your Welding Environment?

Environmental Condition	EPR Jacket	CR (Neoprene) Jacket
Indoor workshop (clean, dry)	Suitable — most economical	Suitable
Heavy weld spatter (MMA, FCAW)	Moderate — spatter can adhere to and burn the jacket surface	Excellent — spatter does not adhere; CR is the standard for heavy welding
Oil and grease exposure	Good — EPR is oil-resistant but prolonged contact with petroleum-based oils can cause swelling	Excellent — CR is inherently oil-resistant and does not swell in contact with mineral oils and hydraulic fluids
Outdoor and weather exposure	Good — EPR is weather-resistant but degrades under UV over time	Excellent — CR is UV-stabilized and ozone-resistant
Shipyard and marine environment	Not recommended	Recommended — CR resists salt water, oil, and weather
Construction site	Suitable for short-term projects	Recommended for long-term and heavy construction
Cost	Reference	15–25% higher

For most indoor workshop and light fabrication welding, EPR jacket is adequate and cost-effective. For outdoor welding, heavy industrial fabrication, shipyard work, and any environment with significant weld spatter or oil exposure, CR jacket is the correct specification. The cost difference is recovered through extended cable service life in the demanding environment.

Why Choose Yichi Welding Cables

IEC 60228 Class 6 ultra-fine stranded copper — verified strand count: The strand count for each cross-section is controlled and verified — a 50 mm² welding cable does not contain 50 strands (Class 2) or 200 strands (Class 5) — it contains the 1 400+ strands that Class 6 requires for true welding cable flexibility. If the cable does not feel like a rope in the hand, it is not Class 6
Single-layer rubber insulation — thick wall for mechanical protection: The welding cable does not have a separate outer jacket — the insulation is the jacket. The wall thickness is designed for the mechanical abuse that welding cable experiences — dragged across the workshop floor, stepped on, run over by forklifts, and struck by falling metal pieces. A thin-walled insulation would be punctured or cut through within weeks
Orange, black, and red/black jacket colours — high visibility and polarity identification: Orange is the standard for welding cable — it stands out on the workshop floor, reducing trip hazard and making the cable easier to locate and manage. Red/black dual-colour cables enable immediate visual identification of electrode vs work return polarity — one less thing for the welder to check before striking an arc
Weld spatter resistant CR jacket — proven in heavy welding service: The CR jacket compound is formulated for spatter resistance — molten steel droplets do not adhere, burn through, or create a conductive path through the jacket. This is laboratory-verified by a spatter resistance test (a controlled arc generating spatter directed at the cable surface), not claimed from the compound data sheet
Full 16–120 mm² range — from light fabrication to heavy structural welding: One cable type for the complete workshop welding cable inventory. The cross-section is selected for the welding current, duty cycle, and cable length — provide these and we confirm the recommended cross-section per IEC 60245-6

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Product: Welding Cable (Flexible) — IEC 60245 / HD 22 EPR or CR Insulated Single-Core Extra-Flexible Welding Electrode and Work Return Cable with Class 6 Ultra-Fine Stranded Copper Conductor for MMA, MIG/MAG, TIG, and Submerged Arc Welding Equipment Connection in Workshops, Shipyards, Construction Sites, and Industrial Fabrication

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