When fire breaks out, the cable shouldn't add to it.
Where it's specified
Made for fire-safe spaces.
Building & industrial applications run on N2XH flex; marine & vessel installs run on XZ1-K — jump to marine compliance →
Public buildings
High-occupancy & high-rise
Data Centers
Server & comms rooms
Hospitals & Schools
Care & education
Transport & Rail
Stations & tunnels
Stadiums & Venues
Crowded public spaces
Standard PVC vs LSZH.
In a fire, an ordinary PVC cable is part of the hazard — dense black smoke and toxic, corrosive halogen gases. Not only is this a safety and cost risk — in many applications it's a code requirement. Here's how the two behave when it matters.
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| Standard PVC | TOXFREE® | |
| Best for | General & industrial | Public, data centre & transport |
| Smoke in fire | Dense black smoke | Low smoke — >60% (61034), >80% for N2XH flex |
| Halogen / toxic gas | Emits toxic halogens | Zero halogen — 60754-1 |
| After a fire event | Corrosive HCl gas — equipment damage well beyond the fire | Non-corrosive fumes — 60754-2 — plant beyond the fire survives |
| CPR fire class | Dca or lower | B2ca / Cca (N2XH flex only — CPR doesn't apply to marine) |
| Cable size for the job | Larger cross-section — 70 °C PVC rating | Runs a size smaller for the same load — 90 °C XLPE |
| Install effort | Rigid Class 1/2 — heavier pulls, bigger bends | Class 5 flexible — faster pulls, 5× bend radius |
Figures above are for the N2XH flex (building & industrial) variant. TOXFREE is also available as XZ1-K for marine & vessel installs, tested to different figures under IEC 60092-353 — see the compliance panels below.
Built once. Certified twice.
TOXFREE is one physical cable, tested and certified to two different frameworks. The core construction is identical either way — XLPE insulation, Class 5 flexible copper, 90 °C conductor rating, halogen-free and flame-retardant. What differs is which market's test regime it's certified against, because the underlying tests aren't the same. Use the panel that matches your installation.
Fixed & industrial installations
IEC 60502-1 (based on VDE 0276-604)| CPR fire classification | B2ca-s1a,d1,a1 / Cca-s1a,d1,a1 |
| Fire test (bunched cables) | IEC 60332-3-24 |
| Smoke light transmittance | >80% (IEC 61034) |
| Water / ingress rating | AD8 (submersion) |
| Minimum bend radius | 5× cable diameter |
| Certifying bodies | KEMA-KEUR |
| Min. installation temp | 0 °C handling (on cable surface) |
Marine & vessel installations
IEC 60092-353| CPR fire classification | Not CPR-classified — CPR is an EU building-products regulation and doesn't apply to marine/vessel work |
| Fire test (bunched cables) | IEC 60332-3-22 |
| Smoke light transmittance | >60% (IEC 61034) |
| Water / ingress rating | AD6 (waves) |
| Minimum bend radius | 4× diameter (≤25mm OD) / 6× diameter (>25mm OD) |
| Certifying bodies | ABS / DNV-GL / Bureau Veritas / Lloyd's Register |
| Min. installation temp | ‒15 °C lowest installation temp |
Same cable, two certifications — not two different products. Talk to a PAC to confirm which variant and documentation your project needs.
Why it matters for your project
The real cost of non-compliant cable isn't the purchase price. It's the total replacement exposure — ripping out installed cable, reinspection, programme delay and the liability of a non-conforming installation in a code-governed building. Specifying CPR-classified TOXFREE from an authorised source with documentation in hand closes that risk at the point of purchase, not after practical completion.
In a fire, most harm comes from smoke and toxic gas, not flame. Standard PVC cable releases dense black smoke and corrosive halogen gases — cutting visibility on escape routes and harming people and equipment. In public and high-occupancy buildings, LSZH is increasingly not just better, it's mandated.
TOXFREE N2XH flex is built from halogen-free compounds. It emits very low smoke, releases no toxic halogen gases (60754-1), and produces non-corrosive fumes (60754-2) that won't destroy nearby servers, switchgear and controls. As N2XH flex it's CPR-classified to Euroclass B2ca and Cca (EN 50575); the XZ1-K marine variant carries class-society certification instead — see the compliance panels above for the exact figures.
No electrical trade-off. XLPE insulation gives a 90 °C conductor temperature and 250 °C short-circuit rating, with Class 5 flexible copper for fast routing through trays, raised floors and conduit.
Exclusive Australian distributor — Top Cable.
TROPAC holds the exclusive distribution agreement for Top Cable in Australia. We stock TOXFREE — both N2XH flex (AS) and XZ1-K marine (AS) — locally in QLD, NSW and VIC, ready for same-day dispatch and cut-to-length to your run.
Full compliance documentation available for both certifications — so you can specify with confidence that your cable meets all required specifications and performance requirements for the project.
Specify with confidence.
Need a different cable?
TOXFREE is the LSZH fire-safety choice, for building or marine. For other jobs, step across to its siblings in the Top Cable range.
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The standard industrial version — same 0.6/1 kV, 90 °C XLPE, Class 5 spec at a lower cost, where fire-safety LSZH isn't required. For fixed sub-mains, VSD feeders and cable trays.
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The heavy-duty rubber version — a tough rubber sheath for abrasion, impact and repeated flexing. For construction, mobile plant, pumps, hoists and harsh outdoor power.
Talk to a Product Application Consultant.
Our PACs assist with cable selection, current and voltage sizing, compliance and installation advice — and cut TOXFREE to length off the drum before it ships. Technical support from local experts across QLD/NT, NSW/ACT and VIC/SA/TAS.
Top Cable TOXFREE® N2XH flex
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A halogen-free, flame-retardant 0.6/1 kV power cable from Top Cable's TOXFREE range. The N2XH designation is the harmonised name — N = standardised type, 2X = XLPE insulation, H = halogen-free sheath. "Flex" denotes the Class 5 flexible copper conductor for easy fixed installation. It's the building & industrial certification of TOXFREE — the same cable is also sold as XZ1-K (AS) with marine class certification; see the compliance panels above.
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One. N2XH flex (AS) and XZ1-K (AS) share the same underlying construction — XLPE insulation, Class 5 flexible copper, halogen-free and flame retardant — dual-tested and certified against two different frameworks because building and marine markets use different test regimes. Specify whichever certification matches your installation.
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No. "LSZH" describes an intent, not one fixed standard — quality and compliance vary between suppliers. Smoke transmittance can range from a 60% IEC 61034 minimum up to premium 80%+ (TOXFREE sits at >80%); the outer sheath has to be halogen-free too, not just the insulation; and "LSF" cables are often modified PVC that still releases significant hydrogen chloride — not the same as true LSZH. Always check the test report (60754-1/2, 61034-2, 60332-3-24) and CPR classification, not just the jacket print.
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In a fire, PVC gives off dense black smoke and toxic, corrosive halogen gases. N2XH flex is low-smoke zero-halogen — light transmittance >80% (61034), no halogens (60754-1), non-corrosive (60754-2) — and carries a CPR fire class (B2ca / Cca) that standard PVC can't.
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Two certifications of the same cable: N2XH flex (AS) for building & industrial installs, and XZ1-K (AS) for marine & vessel work. Within N2XH flex, earthing configuration is confirmed at order. Talk to a PAC for the exact configuration your job needs.
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Public and high-occupancy buildings — hospitals, schools, airports, stations, shopping centres, stadiums — plus data centres and industrial facilities, anywhere building codes or fire strategy mandate LSZH cable.
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This applies to the N2XH flex (building & industrial) variant — CPR is an EU building-products regulation and doesn't extend to the XZ1-K marine variant, which instead carries class-society approval (ABS / DNV-GL / Bureau Veritas / Lloyd's Register). N2XH flex is classified to Euroclass B2ca-s1a,d1,a1 or Cca-s1a,d1,a1 under EN 50575 (tested to EN 50399). B2ca releases less heat and spreads flame more slowly than Cca — specify to your project's reaction-to-fire requirement. CPR itself is a European regulation, not an Australian one — but it's built on the same underlying tests AS/NZS references locally (IEC 60754-1/2, 61034, 60332). A CPR-classified cable has already cleared a stricter, third-party-audited version of what AS/NZS requires, including the AS/NZS 1670.3 mandate for rail and underground installations, and the fire-safety provisions the NCC applies to commercial and public buildings.
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0.6/1 kV with XLPE insulation, a 90 °C maximum conductor temperature and 250 °C short-circuit rating (max 5 s) — a step up from 70 °C PVC. Minimum service temperature ‒40 °C.
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Class 5 flexible copper throughout. N2XH flex: 5× cable-diameter minimum bend radius, AD8 submersion, suited to open air, buried or in-conduit runs. XZ1-K marine: 4× diameter (≤25mm OD) or 6× diameter (>25mm OD) minimum bend radius, AD6 wave-rated. As with any flexible conductor, terminate with bootlace ferrules at terminals.
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N2XH flex is available in a range of cross-sections and core counts, supplied on drums or cut to length. Talk to a PAC for the right configuration and current rating for your project.
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The cable cost difference between LSZH and standard PVC is marginal relative to total installed cost. The relevant comparison is cable purchase price vs. the total cost of non-compliance — which means full cable rip-out, reinstatement labour, programme delay and potential liability exposure on a code-governed project. On any building where LSZH is mandated or likely to be mandated, specifying TOXFREE upfront is straightforwardly cheaper than replacing non-compliant cable after installation. The risk premium disappears; the cost of getting it wrong doesn't.
Low smoke. Zero halogen. Dual-certified.
Specify N2XH flex for buildings and industrial installs, or XZ1-K for marine and vessel work — one cable, tested and certified for both. Stocked, cut to length and supported locally through TROPAC.
Need help specifying?
Send the team your application and a TROPAC Product Application Consultant will come back with the right Top Cable product, stock position and account pricing — usually same business day.
- Selection & cross-reference from your current part numbers
- Live stock check across QLD, NSW & VIC
- Trade-account & project pricing