Application & Operating Conditions
Type W Flat 600 V to 2,000 V trailing cable is the workhorse unshielded flat reel cable for underground coal, trona, salt, and hard-rock mining machines where level-wind drums demand compact minor-axis bending and anti-crossover layer stacking. Available in two-conductor builds for DC shuttle cars and roof bolters, and four-conductor builds for three-phase AC shuttle cars, mobile pumps, drills, and extensible face conveyors.
DC & AC Underground Shuttle Cars
Low-profile H × W cross-section winds smoothly across narrow traversing level-wind sheaves without wedging between lower drum wraps under sudden haulage reversing.
Roof Bolters, Drills & Face Pumps
Resists tire run-over impact, abrasive rib rubbing, hydraulic fluid, alkaline mine water, and repetitive dragging across rough underground floors.
Two-Layer Fiber-Reinforced CPE Web
High-strength synthetic yarn embedded between inner and outer mold-cured CPE layers prevents flat core rolling, longitudinal elongation, and jacket splitting.
Need a Dedicated Center Bare Ground Wire in a 2-Conductor Flat Profile? See Type G Flat 2kV (2C + Ground); for shielded 3-phase AC shuttle cars, see Type SHD Flat 2kV.
Cable Construction (ICEA S-75-381 Type W Flat 2/C & 4/C)
Parallel side-by-side unshielded core layout locked into a flat vulcanized elastomer profile with synthetic reinforcing fiber for relentless motorized reel duty.
| Layer / Component | Material & ICEA S-75-381 / NEMA WC 58 Engineering Specification |
|---|---|
| 1. Power Conductors (2× or 4×) | Flexible rope-lay stranded annealed tinned copper conductors (133/7×19 up to 532/19×28 stranding, 8 AWG to 4/0 AWG) per ASTM B172 and ASTM B33. |
| 2. 90°C EPR Insulation | Heat-, moisture-, and ozone-resistant Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPR): 0.060 in (1.52 mm) wall for 8–2 AWG; 0.080 in (2.03 mm) wall for 1–4/0 AWG. |
| 3. Core Identification | 2-Conductor Flat: Black, White | 4-Conductor Flat: Black, White, Red, Green arranged parallel in a single plane. |
| 4. Parallel Web & Reinforcement | Insulated conductors laid parallel with integral rubber web bridging and synthetic yarn reinforcement between jacket layers for high tensile tear strength. |
| 5. Flat Mold-Cured CPE Jacket | Extra-heavy-duty black mold-cured Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) outer sheath (optional CSP, PCP/Neoprene, NBR, or PVC compounds on request). |
Type W Flat 600–2000V cross-sections: (A) 2-Conductor Black & White DC shuttle-car profile and (B) 4-Conductor Black/White/Red/Green AC profile inside yarn-reinforced flat CPE.
Technical Characteristics
Electrical, thermal, bending, and standard compliance specifications for Type W Flat 600–2,000 V cables.
| Parameter | ICEA S-75-381 / NEMA WC 58 Rated Value |
|---|---|
| Rated Voltage | 600 V to 2,000 V AC / DC continuous underground & surface mining service |
| Configurations | Flat 2-Conductor (2/C) and Flat 4-Conductor (4/C), unshielded without bare grounds |
| Maximum Conductor Temperature | +90°C continuous operation | +250°C short-circuit limit |
| Minimum Bending Radius | 6 × minor flat cable height (H) across reel drums and guide rollers |
| Environmental Resistance | Heavy impact, rib abrasion, cutting, mineral oil, mud, moisture, ozone, and sunlight |
| Standards Reference | ICEA S-75-381 / NEMA WC 58; ASTM B172 & ASTM B33; CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 96; MSHA flame-resistant reference |
Flat 2-Conductor & Flat 4-Conductor H × W Dimensions & Ampacity
Complete dual-unit minor height × major width (H × W in inches and mm), rope-lay stranding, weights, and +90°C continuous ampacity ratings.
Table 1: Type W Flat 2-Conductor (2/C) — 600–2000 V Shuttle-Car Cable (8 AWG to 4/0 AWG)
| Construction | Area (mm²) | Rope Strands | EPR Wall (in / mm) | Nominal H × W (in) | Nominal H × W (mm) | Weight (lb/kft / kg/km) | Ampacity 40°C (A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 × 8 AWG | 8.37 | 133 (7×19) | 0.060 / 1.52 | 0.51 × 0.84 | 13.0 × 21.3 | 340 / 506 | 72 |
| 2 × 6 AWG | 13.30 | 133 (7×19) | 0.060 / 1.52 | 0.56 × 0.93 | 14.2 × 23.6 | 440 / 655 | 95 |
| 2 × 4 AWG | 21.15 | 259 (7×37) | 0.060 / 1.52 | 0.61 × 1.05 | 15.5 × 26.7 | 580 / 863 | 127 |
| 2 × 2 AWG | 33.62 | 259 (7×37) | 0.060 / 1.52 | 0.73 × 1.24 | 18.5 × 31.5 | 850 / 1,265 | 167 |
| 2 × 1 AWG | 42.41 | 259 (7×37) | 0.080 / 2.03 | 0.81 × 1.40 | 20.6 × 35.6 | 1,070 / 1,592 | 191 |
| 2 × 1/0 AWG | 53.49 | 259 (7×37) | 0.080 / 2.03 | 0.93 × 1.51 | 23.6 × 38.4 | 1,310 / 1,949 | 217 |
| 2 × 2/0 AWG | 67.43 | 329 (7×47) | 0.080 / 2.03 | 0.99 × 1.63 | 25.1 × 41.4 | 1,600 / 2,381 | 250 |
| 2 × 3/0 AWG | 85.01 | 418 (19×22) | 0.080 / 2.03 | 1.03 × 1.77 | 26.2 × 45.0 | 1,930 / 2,872 | 287 |
| 2 × 4/0 AWG | 107.2 | 532 (19×28) | 0.080 / 2.03 | 1.10 × 1.89 | 27.9 × 48.0 | 2,300 / 3,423 | 328 |
Table 2: Type W Flat 4-Conductor (4/C) — 600–2000 V Underground Mining Cable (6 AWG to 4/0 AWG)
| Construction | Area (mm²) | Rope Strands | EPR Wall (in / mm) | Nominal H × W (in) | Nominal H × W (mm) | Weight (lb/kft / kg/km) | Ampacity 40°C (A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 6 AWG | 13.30 | 133 (7×19) | 0.060 / 1.52 | 0.67 × 1.69 | 17.0 × 42.9 | 895 / 1,332 | 72 |
| 4 × 4 AWG | 21.15 | 259 (7×37) | 0.060 / 1.52 | 0.75 × 1.89 | 19.1 × 48.0 | 1,185 / 1,764 | 93 |
| 4 × 2 AWG | 33.62 | 259 (7×37) | 0.060 / 1.52 | 0.84 × 2.23 | 21.3 × 56.6 | 1,620 / 2,411 | 122 |
| 4 × 1 AWG | 42.41 | 259 (7×37) | 0.080 / 2.03 | 0.97 × 2.60 | 24.6 × 66.0 | 2,100 / 3,125 | 143 |
| 4 × 1/0 AWG | 53.49 | 259 (7×37) | 0.080 / 2.03 | 1.01 × 2.73 | 25.7 × 69.3 | 2,500 / 3,720 | 165 |
| 4 × 2/0 AWG | 67.43 | 329 (7×47) | 0.080 / 2.03 | 1.10 × 2.96 | 27.9 × 75.2 | 2,900 / 4,316 | 192 |
| 4 × 3/0 AWG | 85.01 | 413 (7×59) | 0.080 / 2.03 | 1.18 × 3.25 | 30.0 × 82.6 | 3,500 / 5,209 | 221 |
| 4 × 4/0 AWG | 107.2 | 532 (19×28) | 0.080 / 2.03 | 1.29 × 3.46 | 32.8 × 87.9 | 4,225 / 6,287 | 255 |
Flat vs. Round Portable Mining Cable Selection
Compare Type W Flat (2C & 4C) against Type G Flat (2C + Ground), Type W Round, and Type G-GC.
| Mining Cable Model | Voltage Class, Ground / Shield Architecture & Primary Mining Duty |
|---|---|
| Type W Round 2kV (3C & 4C) | Round unshielded portable power cable (no bare ground wires) with 3 or 4 flexible tinned copper EPR cores inside a reinforced black or luminous CPE jacket. |
| Type W Flat 2kV (2C & 4C) | Low-profile parallel flat unshielded cable (2-core DC or 4-core AC, no bare grounds) engineered for tight multi-layer shuttle-car and roof-bolter reels. |
| Type G Flat 2kV (2C + Ground) | Parallel flat DC shuttle-car cable adding a centered stranded tinned copper equipment grounding conductor between the two 90°C EPR power cores. |
| Type G-GC Round 2kV (3C + 2G + GC) | Round unshielded 3-phase portable mining cable with 2 interstitial bare tinned copper grounds and 1 yellow PP ground-check pilot conductor. |
| Type MP-GC Feeder (2kV–15kV) | Stationary 3-core mine power feeder cable (Class B bare copper, copper-tape phase screens, 2 grounds + GC, EPR/CPE or XLPE/PVC) for shafts, boreholes, and trays. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Answers to underground maintenance questions on 2-core DC vs. 4-core AC flat shuttle-car cables.
When do underground mines use Type W Flat 2/C versus Type G Flat 2/C?
Type W Flat 2/C provides two insulated power conductors only (Black and White) for two-wire DC trolley/shuttle-car systems using diode frame grounding over the negative return. Type G Flat 2/C adds a third dedicated bare tinned copper grounding conductor centered between the two power cores.
Why does Type W Flat 2/C have higher ampacity than 4/C of the same AWG size?
In a 2-conductor flat cable, only two current-carrying conductors generate Joule heat across a wide flat surface area (for example, 250 A for 2 × 2/0 AWG), whereas a 4-conductor cable carries three current-carrying phases in closer thermal proximity (192 A for 4 × 2/0 AWG).
Can Type W Flat be ordered in high-visibility yellow or polychloroprene (Neoprene)?
Yes. In addition to stock mold-cured black extra-heavy-duty CPE, we vulcanize custom runs in yellow/orange high-visibility CPE, polychloroprene (PCP/Neoprene), or TPU for specialized underground fleets.
Request a Type W Flat 2kV (2C or 4C) Shuttle-Car Quote
Share your flat core count (2/C or 4/C), conductor gauge (8 AWG to 4/0 AWG), and shuttle-car reel cut length for factory pricing and lead time.
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