LSZH Foil and Braid Screened Signal Control Cables | LIH(St)CH & LI2Y(St)CH

Foil braid signal cable constructions from ETK Kablo combine an overall Al/PET foil with an overall tinned copper braid for electromagnetic screening in low-voltage signal and control circuits. This LSZH category includes LIH(St)CH and LI2Y(St)CH cable families in standard, TP/TT and PiMF/TiMF constructions.

All six products use IEC 60228 Class 5 stranded electrolytic copper conductors. LIH(St)CH cables use halogen-free conductor insulation, while LI2Y(St)CH cables use solid polyethylene insulation. Both families use a UV-resistant halogen-free outer jacket.

Standard and TP/TT versions use one combined overall screening system consisting of Al/PET foil and tinned copper braid. PiMF/TiMF versions additionally screen each pair or triad separately with Al/PET foil and a tinned copper earthing wire before the overall foil-and-braid screen is applied.

What Is a Foil Braid Signal Cable?

A foil braid signal cable combines two metallic screening methods around the cable core: an Al/PET foil and a conductive copper braid.

The foil provides continuous metallic coverage around the assembled core, while the tinned copper braid forms a second conductive screening layer. Together, they provide a different screening configuration from cables using only foil or only braid.

These screens perform an electrical function. They should not be confused with steel wire armor or steel wire braid used for mechanical protection.

ETK Kablo LSZH Foil and Braid Screened Cable Range

Product	Conductor Insulation	Conductor Arrangement	Screening
LIH(St)CH Signal Control Cable	Halogen-free	Conductors stranded in layers	Overall Al/PET foil + tinned copper braid
LIH(St)CH-TP/TT Signal Control Cable	Halogen-free	Twisted pairs or triads	Overall Al/PET foil + tinned copper braid
LIH(St)CH-PiMF/TiMF Signal Control Cable	Halogen-free	Individually foil-screened pairs or triads	Individual foil screens + overall foil + copper braid
LI2Y(St)CH Signal Control Cable	Solid polyethylene	Conductors stranded in layers	Overall Al/PET foil + tinned copper braid
LI2Y(St)CH-TP/TT Signal Control Cable	Solid polyethylene	Twisted pairs or triads	Overall Al/PET foil + tinned copper braid
LI2Y(St)CH-PiMF/TiMF Signal Control Cable	Solid polyethylene	Individually foil-screened pairs or triads	Individual foil screens + overall foil + copper braid

LIH(St)CH Foil and Braid Screened Signal Cable

LIH(St)CH is the halogen-free conductor-insulation family in this category. It uses IEC 60228 Class 5 stranded copper conductors with halogen-free insulation.

In the standard construction, the insulated conductors are stranded together in layers and wrapped with polyester tape. The complete cable core then receives an Al/PET foil and tinned copper braid. A UV-resistant halogen-free outer jacket completes the cable.

This construction can be selected where the project requires LSZH materials together with both foil and copper-braid electromagnetic screening.

LI2Y(St)CH Foil and Braid Screened Signal Cable

LI2Y(St)CH uses the same combined overall screening principle but a different conductor-insulation material.

Its IEC 60228 Class 5 stranded copper conductors use solid polyethylene insulation. The core receives polyester wrapping, Al/PET foil and tinned copper braid before the halogen-free outer jacket is applied.

Therefore, LI2Y(St)CH should not be described as having halogen-free conductor insulation. Its conductor insulation is polyethylene, while its outer jacket is halogen-free.

LIH(St)CH vs LI2Y(St)CH

Feature	LIH(St)CH	LI2Y(St)CH
Conductor	IEC 60228 Class 5 stranded copper	IEC 60228 Class 5 stranded copper
Conductor Insulation	Halogen-free	Solid polyethylene
Overall Foil Screen	Al/PET	Al/PET
Overall Braid Screen	Tinned copper braid	Tinned copper braid
Outer Jacket	Halogen-free	Halogen-free

The principal difference between LIH(St)CH and LI2Y(St)CH is the conductor-insulation system. Their overall foil-and-braid screening concept remains the same.

The insulation difference also affects published insulation resistance. ETK Kablo publishes higher insulation-resistance values for the polyethylene-insulated LI2Y(St)CH family.

What Do TP and TT Mean?

TP refers to a twisted-pair conductor arrangement, while TT refers to a twisted-triad arrangement.

In LIH(St)CH-TP/TT and LI2Y(St)CH-TP/TT, the insulated conductors are first twisted into pairs or triads. These groups are then stranded together before the overall Al/PET foil and tinned copper braid are applied.

TP/TT describes conductor organization. It does not mean that each pair or triad has its own metallic screen.

What Do PiMF and TiMF Mean?

PiMF refers to individually foil-screened pairs, while TiMF refers to individually foil-screened triads.

In these ETK Kablo constructions, each pair or triad receives polyester wrapping, a tinned copper earthing wire and an Al/PET foil screen.

The individually screened groups are then stranded together. The complete cable core receives additional polyester wrapping followed by an overall Al/PET foil and tinned copper braid.

PiMF/TiMF therefore provides individual screening between signal groups as well as combined overall screening around the complete cable core.

Standard vs TP/TT vs PiMF/TiMF

Construction	Conductor Arrangement	Individual Pair/Triad Screen	Overall Foil	Overall Copper Braid
Standard	Conductors stranded in layers	No	Yes	Yes
TP/TT	Twisted pairs or triads	No	Yes	Yes
PiMF/TiMF	Pairs or triads	Yes	Yes	Yes

The distinction matters when specifying circuits. TP/TT groups related conductors together, while PiMF/TiMF adds separate electromagnetic screening around each pair or triad.

Foil and Braid Screening vs Foil Screening

LSZH foil screened signal control cables use an overall Al/PET foil as their principal electrical screen.

LIH(St)CH and LI2Y(St)CH add an overall tinned copper braid in addition to the foil. This creates a combined screening system around the cable core.

The additional braid changes material content, cable dimensions, termination requirements and cost. Therefore, a combined screen should be specified when the electromagnetic environment or project requirement justifies it.

Foil and Braid Screening vs Braid Screening

LSZH braid screened signal control cables such as LIHCH and LI2YCH use a tinned copper braid without an additional overall Al/PET foil.

By contrast, LIH(St)CH and LI2Y(St)CH combine both overall screening methods.

Neither configuration is automatically superior for every application. Cable routing, interference sources, signal sensitivity, termination method and project specification should determine the required screen.

Foil and Braid Screened vs Unscreened Signal Cable

LSZH unscreened signal control cables such as LIHH do not contain a dedicated metallic electromagnetic screen.

A combined foil-and-braid construction provides substantially different electromagnetic screening from an unscreened design. However, additional screening should still be selected according to actual circuit requirements rather than used automatically.

Electrical Screening Is Not Mechanical Armor

The Al/PET foil and tinned copper braid in these products are electrical screens. They do not provide the same mechanical protection as galvanized steel wire armor or steel wire braid.

If an installation requires both electromagnetic screening and additional mechanical protection, an appropriate SWA or SWB signal-control construction should be specified separately.

LSZH vs PVC Foil and Braid Screened Signal Cable

The principal difference between LSZH and PVC variants is the material system rather than the basic screening principle.

ETK Kablo's PVC foil and braid screened signal control cables use PVC outer jackets, while the products in this category use halogen-free outer jackets.

The correct selection depends on project fire strategy, smoke and halogen requirements, operating conditions and technical specification.

Electrical Characteristics

Electrical characteristics vary with conductor cross-section and conductor-insulation material. Therefore, one voltage or insulation-resistance value should not be applied to the complete family.

Conductor Cross-Section	Operating Voltage	Test Voltage	LIH(St)CH Insulation Resistance	LI2Y(St)CH Insulation Resistance
0.22–0.34 mm²	250 V DC	1200 V DC / 1 min	200 MΩ/km	5000 MΩ/km
0.50–2.50 mm²	300/500 V	2000 V DC / 1 min	20 MΩ/km	5000 MΩ/km

The published maximum conductor resistance ranges from 85.0 Ω/km for 0.22 mm² to 7.98 Ω/km for 2.50 mm² at 20°C.

Operating Temperature and Bending Radius

ETK Kablo's current technical data specifies an operating temperature range of -30°C to +70°C for these constructions.

The published minimum bending radius is 7.5 × D, where D represents the actual outer diameter of the selected cable.

IEC 60228 Class 5 stranded conductors provide installation flexibility. However, Class 5 construction alone does not qualify these cables for drag-chain, robotic or continuously repeated flexing applications.

LSZH Fire Behavior

The current ETK Kablo documentation lists IEC 61034-2 for smoke density, IEC 60754-1 and IEC 60754-2 for halogen and corrosive-gas behavior, IEC 60332-3-24 for flame propagation and IEC 60332-1-2 for flame retardancy.

These characteristics describe smoke, halogen and flame-related behavior. They should not be confused with circuit integrity during fire.

Standard LIH(St)CH and LI2Y(St)CH constructions should not be described as FE180, PH120, E30, E60 or E90 cables unless the specific construction has been designed and tested for the relevant circuit-integrity requirement.

Is LSZH the Same as CPR?

No. LSZH and CPR address different fire-related properties.

LSZH describes material, smoke and halogen characteristics. CPR defines reaction-to-fire classification under the applicable European framework.

An LSZH cable does not automatically have a particular B2ca, Cca, Dca or Eca classification. If a project specifies a CPR class, the applicable Declaration of Performance should be checked for the selected cable.

Where Are Foil and Braid Screened Signal Cables Used?

Foil-and-braid screened LSZH signal control cables can be considered for low-voltage automation, monitoring, measurement and control circuits where the specification requires combined overall electromagnetic screening.

Typical applications can include industrial automation systems, control panels, building-management systems, HVAC controls, sensors, actuators, measurement circuits, process monitoring and other electronic control equipment.

The final selection should consider signal sensitivity, nearby interference sources, conductor grouping, circuit voltage, installation conditions and fire-related requirements.

How to Select a Foil Braid Signal Cable

First, select the conductor-insulation system. LIH(St)CH uses halogen-free insulation, while LI2Y(St)CH uses solid polyethylene insulation.

Next, define the conductor arrangement. Standard versions use conductors stranded in layers. TP/TT versions arrange conductors into twisted pairs or triads. PiMF/TiMF versions add a separate foil screen around each pair or triad.

Then select conductor cross-section and conductor, pair or triad count. Confirm the applicable operating voltage, temperature range and bending radius for the selected size.

Finally, verify the required LSZH tests, CPR classification where applicable, screen-termination method and project documentation.

What Should an RFQ Include?

A clear RFQ should identify LIH(St)CH or LI2Y(St)CH, conductor cross-section, conductor or pair/triad count, construction type and total required cable length.

The RFQ should also state whether standard, TP/TT or PiMF/TiMF construction is required.

Where applicable, include CPR classification, test documentation, cable marking, packing length and other project-specific requirements.

ETK Kablo as a Foil Braid Signal Cable Manufacturer

ETK Kablo manufactures foil-and-braid screened signal and control cables at its production facility in Istanbul, Türkiye.

The LSZH range includes LIH(St)CH and LI2Y(St)CH in standard, TP/TT and PiMF/TiMF constructions for distributors, automation contractors, system integrators, OEMs and industrial projects.

Alternative screening configurations are available within the wider LSZH signal control cable range.

What Determines Foil Braid Signal Cable Price?

Foil braid signal cable price depends on conductor cross-section, conductor or pair count, copper content, conductor-insulation system, Al/PET foil, copper-braid material, jacket material, cable diameter, order quantity and required documentation.

PiMF/TiMF constructions contain additional individual foil screens and earthing wires around each pair or triad. Their material content and manufacturing complexity therefore differ from standard and TP/TT versions.

Commercial comparisons should use the same conductor size, conductor arrangement, screening configuration, fire-related requirements and documentation scope.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a foil braid signal cable?

It is a signal or control cable that combines an overall foil screen with an overall conductive braid for electromagnetic screening. ETK Kablo uses Al/PET foil and tinned copper braid in the products in this category.

What is LIH(St)CH cable?

LIH(St)CH is an LSZH signal control cable with Class 5 stranded copper conductors, halogen-free conductor insulation, an overall Al/PET foil, an overall tinned copper braid and a halogen-free outer jacket.

What is LI2Y(St)CH cable?

LI2Y(St)CH uses Class 5 stranded copper conductors with solid polyethylene insulation, combined overall foil-and-braid screening and a halogen-free outer jacket.

What is the difference between LIH(St)CH and LI2Y(St)CH?

The principal difference is conductor insulation. LIH(St)CH uses halogen-free insulation, while LI2Y(St)CH uses solid polyethylene insulation.

What do TP and TT mean?

TP refers to twisted pairs and TT refers to twisted triads. These terms describe conductor grouping; they do not mean that each group is separately screened.

What do PiMF and TiMF mean?

PiMF uses individually foil-screened pairs, while TiMF uses individually foil-screened triads. These versions also retain the overall Al/PET foil and tinned copper braid around the complete cable core.

Is foil and braid screening the same as armor?

No. The Al/PET foil and tinned copper braid are electrical screens. Steel wire armor and steel wire braid provide mechanical protection and serve a different function.

Is an LSZH foil braid cable fire resistant?

Not automatically. LSZH and flame-retardant characteristics do not provide FE180, PH120 or other circuit-integrity performance unless the specific cable has been designed and tested for that requirement.

Is LSZH the same as CPR?

No. LSZH relates to smoke and halogen behavior, while CPR defines reaction-to-fire classification. A required Euroclass should be confirmed from the applicable product documentation and Declaration of Performance.

What is the operating temperature?

ETK Kablo currently publishes an operating temperature range of -30°C to +70°C for these constructions.

What is the minimum bending radius?

The current technical data specifies 7.5 × D, where D is the outer diameter of the selected cable.

What determines foil braid signal cable price?

Important factors include conductor cross-section, conductor or pair count, copper content, insulation system, foil and braid material, screening configuration, order quantity and required technical documentation.