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Smoke hinders fire-fighting efforts and prevents safe evacuation from the building. Smoke extraction equipment helps, but low smoke products can stop the problem before it starts. Conventional insulation and sheathing materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can produce large volumes of smoke when burned, thus contributing to disorientation and smoke inhalation damage.
Measuring the density of smoke produced by burning cables is important as it is related to the evacuation of people and accessibility for fire fighting. The "3-meter cube test” (also known as IEC 61034) measures the amount of smoke created by cables in the event of a fire. A one-meter length of cable is placed in a 3m3 enclosed space, and exposed to a beam of light through a clear window. This light travels across the enclosed space to a photocell connected to recording equipment in the window on the other end. A fire is then generated within the container and the minimum light transmission recorded. A minimum light transmission value greater than 60% is acceptable.
