Fire Testing
Flame Retardance
5. Flame retardance in accordance with IEEE 383
In the IEEE 383 test, cables are supported by a one foot wide vertical rack eight feet high. The cables are
positioned in the centre six inches of the rack, spaced one-half diameter apart. The rack is centered in an eight
foot enclosure. A ten inch ribbon burner ignites the cable with a 21 kW (70000 BTU). The burner is positioned 2
feet above the floor and 9 to 12 inches of cables are exposed to direct flames for 20 minutes. Cables on which
flame extends above the top of the 8 foot rack fail the test.