Southwire recently launched the MC-PCS HCF Duo Cable, a metal clad cable designed to support lighting applications in healthcare facilities. The cable combines power and control/signal conductors and includes redundant grounding paths “to provide approximately 3.5 times better grounding performance than Type AC HCF Cable,” the company said.

“MC-PCS HCF Duo Cable is ideal for use with LED lighting with 0-10V dimming control in patient care areas of hospitals, nursing homes, dental offices, outpatient, and other healthcare facilities,” Southwire added. The metal clad cable “combines power conductors for lighting with 0-10V signal conductors for dimming control,” the company explained, “and includes Southwire’s patented redundant grounding system comprising an insulated copper ground and a bare aluminum bonding conductor that is in constant contact with the overall armor.”

Norman Adkins, president of Southwire’s electrical division, commented, “Southwire continues to lead the way in developing products that meet the needs of our customers. Our MC-PCS HCF Duo cable is another example of Southwire’s innovation and it’s also the first product of its kind to reach the healthcare marketplace.”

The cable is constructed with 12-AWG or 10-AWG CU Type THHN/THWN power and ground conductors, along with an oversized bare aluminum bonding/grounding conductor and a signal conductor assembly comprising a 30-mil PVC jacket covering two 16-AWG CU Type TFN conductors.

“The power conductors, insulated green ground, and signal conductor assembly are cabled together and a binder tape bearing the print legend is wrapped around the assembly,” Southwire explained. “A bare aluminum grounding/bonding conductor is located outside the binder tape, has the same lay as the insulated conductors, and maintains intimate contact with the overall armor. Green aluminum interlocking armor is applied over the cabled assembly. Yellow stripe/blocks are printed on the outside of the armor and circuit-identifying print is applied on every fourth yellow stripe/block. The cable is also available in steel armor or with an overall PVC jacket, and comes in 250-foot coils, 1,000-foot reels, boxes, or prefab assemblies.”

The cable meets UL and NEC requirements for combining power/lighting circuits, Class 2 or Class 3 signal or control circuits in the same cable, and redundant ground paths, including UL 1569 and NEC Articles 330, 725 and 517.13(A) and (B), according to Southwire.