PVC Insulated Copper Building Wire – BV (Solid) and BVR (Stranded)
BV and BVR PVC insulated copper building wire are the most widely used wire types in building electrical installations, industrial plant wiring, and electrical panel construction across Asia, Europe, and international markets. Both types share the same extruded PVC insulation rated at 450/750V and are produced from high-conductivity copper conductors, differing only in conductor construction: BV uses a solid (single strand) conductor suited to fixed conduit and duct wiring, while BVR uses a flexible multi-stranded conductor better suited to panel wiring, short connection leads, and installations requiring repeated repositioning.
The PVC insulation is available in multiple temperature grades — standard 70°C (BV), elevated 90°C, and high-performance 105°C — allowing the correct wire to be specified for the thermal environment of each installation. The 105°C grade is particularly valuable for panel wiring in compact enclosures where heat from adjacent equipment raises ambient temperature above the 70°C limit of standard wire, and for motor terminal connections where proximity to the motor winding raises the local temperature.
Both BV and BVR wire are recognised under UL AWM Styles 1015 and 10269, produced at our Yangzhou facility under UL Follow-Up Service File No. E333030 — providing verified electrical and mechanical performance for projects requiring UL-recognised components in addition to GB/T and IEC compliance.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | BV (solid conductor) | BVR (stranded conductor) |
|---|---|---|
| Conductor material | Solid copper (Class 1) | Stranded copper (Class 5 flexible) |
| Insulation material | Extruded PVC | Extruded PVC |
| Voltage rating | 450/750V AC | 450/750V AC |
| Temperature rating (standard) | 70°C continuous | 70°C continuous |
| Temperature rating (elevated) | 90°C or 105°C grade available | 90°C or 105°C grade available |
| Available cross-sections | 1.5 mm² – 400 mm² | 0.75 mm² – 240 mm² |
| Flame rating | IEC 60332-1 horizontal flame | IEC 60332-1 horizontal flame |
| Insulation thickness (1.5–10 mm²) | 0.7 mm average min | 0.7 mm average min |
| Standard | GB/T 5023-3, IEC 60227-3 | GB/T 5023-3, IEC 60227-5 |
| UL AWM style | 1015, 10269 (File No. E333030) | 1015, 10269 (File No. E333030) |
| Colour options | Red, black, yellow, green, blue, brown, grey, white, green/yellow earth | Same as BV |
| Packaging | 100 m / 200 m rolls or drum | 100 m / 200 m rolls or drum |
UL AWM Style Reference — Certified Specifications
| UL Style | Temperature rating | Voltage rating | Conductor range | Insulation | Flame |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1015 | 80°C / 90°C / 105°C | 600V AC | 30 AWG – 2000 kcmil | Extruded PVC, 30 mils min avg (30–9 AWG) | Horizontal |
| 10269 | 80°C / 90°C / 105°C | 1000V AC / 1250V DC | 30 AWG – 2000 kcmil | Extruded PVC, 30 mils min avg (30–9 AWG) | Horizontal |
Reprinted from Product iQ with permission from UL Solutions. ©2026 UL LLC. File No. E333030, last updated 2025-12-01.
Cross-Section & Current Capacity Reference
| Cross-section | Conductor type | Max current — 70°C (A) | Max current — 90°C (A) | Max current — 105°C (A) | Resistance (Ω/km at 20°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 mm² | BV solid / BVR stranded | 16 | 19 | 21 | 12.1 |
| 2.5 mm² | BV solid / BVR stranded | 22 | 26 | 29 | 7.41 |
| 4 mm² | BV solid / BVR stranded | 30 | 35 | 39 | 4.61 |
| 6 mm² | BV solid / BVR stranded | 37 | 44 | 49 | 3.08 |
| 10 mm² | BVR stranded | 52 | 61 | 68 | 1.83 |
| 16 mm² | BVR stranded | 68 | 81 | 90 | 1.15 |
| 25 mm² | BVR stranded | 89 | 106 | 118 | 0.727 |
| 35 mm² | BVR stranded | 108 | 129 | 143 | 0.524 |
| 50 mm² | BVR stranded | 130 | 155 | 172 | 0.387 |
| 70 mm² | BVR stranded | 160 | 191 | 212 | 0.268 |
| 95 mm² | BVR stranded | 191 | 228 | 253 | 0.193 |
| 120 mm² | BVR stranded | 218 | 260 | 289 | 0.153 |
Key Features
BV — solid conductor
- Solid Class 1 copper conductor — lower cost per metre
- Ideal for fixed conduit, duct, and trunking installation
- Easier to terminate in screw terminals — no strand spreading
- Lower resistance per cross-section vs stranded equivalent
- Standard for residential and commercial fixed wiring circuits
BVR — stranded conductor
- Class 5 multi-stranded copper — more flexible than BV
- Preferred for panel wiring, switchboard connections
- Easier to route in tight enclosure spaces
- Better fatigue resistance if repositioned during maintenance
- Standard for motor terminal connections and control panels
- UL AWM Style 1015 and 10269 recognised — File No. E333030, covers 80°C / 90°C / 105°C grades at 600V and 1000V
- 450/750V rating — covers all standard building circuit voltages including 230V single phase and 400V three-phase
- 70°C / 90°C / 105°C temperature grades — select the correct grade for the installation ambient temperature
- Full colour range — including green/yellow earth conductor, supports IEC and BS colour coding systems
- GB/T 5023, IEC 60227, and UL AWM compliant — single product covers domestic, international, and US market requirements
- RoHS compliant — lead-free PVC insulation compounds throughout
- Custom packaging — 50 m, 100 m, 200 m rolls or large drum supply for contractors
Common Applications
Building electrical fixed wiring
BV solid conductor wire is the standard specification for fixed circuit wiring in residential and commercial buildings — ring mains, radial circuits, lighting circuits, and socket outlet circuits — where the wire is installed in conduit, trunking, or directly clipped to structural surfaces and is not moved after installation. The solid conductor terminates cleanly in screw terminals and socket outlet connections without the strand spreading that can cause loose connections with stranded wire.
Electrical panel and switchboard wiring
BVR stranded conductor wire is the universal choice for wiring inside electrical distribution boards, motor control centres, and industrial switchgear panels. The flexible stranded construction allows the wire to be neatly routed around busbars, MCBs, and terminal blocks in compact panel enclosures, and the 90°C and 105°C grades allow a smaller cross-section to be used in high-density panels where derating due to grouping would otherwise require upsizing.
Industrial power distribution
BVR wire in larger cross-sections (35 mm² to 120 mm²) is used for sub-main feeds inside industrial plants, connecting distribution boards to motor control centres, welding machine supplies, and other high-current loads where a flexible single core is preferred over rigid armoured cable for its ease of routing and termination in confined cable chambers.
Motor terminal connections
Short connection leads from motor terminal boxes to variable speed drives and starter panels are almost universally made in BVR stranded wire, where the 105°C temperature grade is used to handle the elevated ambient temperature at the motor terminal box caused by motor winding heat and the additional heat generated by the drive harmonics in the supply cable.
Other applications
- Conduit wiring in warehouses, factories, and car parks
- Cable tray distribution runs inside industrial buildings
- Temporary power installation and site electrical supplies
- Solar PV DC string wiring (1000V DC, UL 10269 grade)
- EV charging infrastructure internal wiring
BV vs. BVR — Which to Specify
| Criteria | BV (solid conductor) | BVR (stranded conductor) |
|---|---|---|
| Installation type | Fixed — conduit, duct, trunking | Fixed or semi-flexible — panels, short leads |
| Flexibility | Limited — bend once at installation | Good — can be rerouted without fatigue |
| Termination | Clean screw terminal connection | May need ferrule crimp to prevent strand spreading |
| Cost (same cross-section) | Slightly lower | Slightly higher |
| Resistance (same cross-section) | Marginally lower | Marginally higher |
| Best for | Building circuits, conduit runs, trunking | Panel wiring, motor leads, control cabinets |
Ordering Information
Select conductor type (BV solid or BVR stranded), cross-section, temperature grade (70°C / 90°C / 105°C), colour, and reel length from the product variants above. UL AWM Style 1015 (600V) or Style 10269 (1000V) certification can be specified on the order for projects requiring UL-recognised components.
Green/yellow earth conductor available in all cross-sections. Full colour range in stock for 1.5 mm² to 10 mm². Larger cross-sections in black, red, and brown. Custom colours and printed identification markings from 500 m MOQ. Contact us for pricing within 24 hours.
Why Choose CableApex
CableApex supplies BV and BVR building wire produced to GB/T 5023 and IEC 60227 with UL AWM recognition under File No. E333030 for Styles 1015 and 10269. Our Yangzhou production facility operates 100% online spark testing at 2.5 kV and continuous laser OD measurement on all production runs. We supply to electrical wholesalers, building contractors, panel builders, and project procurement teams across more than 40 countries, with standard stock available for immediate despatch and custom reel lengths produced in 10–15 working days.
