Everything To Know About Medium-Voltage MV 105 Power Cables

Jul. 14, 2025

Everything To Know About Medium-Voltage MV 105 Power Cables

A MV-105 Power Cable is one of the most popular power cables on the wire and cable market both in the United States and worldwide. This blog is a tell-all about MV-105 Power Cable, from its applications to variations and unique characteristics.

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What Is A MV-105 Power Cable And Where Is It Used?

A medium-voltage power MV-105 cable is a cable with a voltage between 2,4kV and 35kV that is used within the power grid to supply and transport electrical energy.

Despite the fact that medium-voltage cables are a part of the power grid, they do not actually transport the electric level from state to state across the country. This is the job of high-voltage cables on high-voltage power lines.

Medium-voltage cables like MV-105 are used on the preliminary stage between the national high-voltage network and the residential, commercial, and industrial buildings which are the end receivers of electricity.

Medium-voltage cables can be a part of state medium-voltage lines, but they are also very often owned by private companies. Large office premises, production, hospital and campuses, public premises, and radio towers possess their own medium-voltage lines.

What is the difference between MV-95 and MV-105 Cables?

MV-95 and MV-105 are essentially the same type of medium-voltage cable. The difference between them stems from the fact that MV-105 has a maximum conductor temperature of 105 ºC, while MV-95 has a maximum conductor temperature. This impacts the applications of these cables, as they are suitable for environments where the temperatures differ from each other.

The Voltage Of MV-105 Power Cables

MV-105 cables are available in different voltages that fall under the definition of medium voltage, from 2,4kv to 35kv. Some standard variations of medium-voltage cables are 2,4kv, 5kv, 8kv, 15kv, and 25kv/35kv. The 15Kv MV 105 power cable is the most popular one.

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Insulation Levels of MV-105 Power Cables: 100%, 133%, and 173%.

One concept that is quite unique to medium-voltage power cables is its insulation level. MV-105 cables are available with 100%, 133%, and 173% insulation levels. The insulation level essentially determines how good the insulation is at dealing with mechanical stress.

An insulation level of 100% means a standard level of coping with the mechanical stress on cables.

An insulation level of 133% is primarily for 15Kv cables, the voltage of which varies within the 15kV/1.732 range. This insulation level is great for environments where voltage variation occurs up to 1 hour at a time.

If the instability lasts more than an hour, then an insulation level of 173%, the strongest one available, is required.

What is an MV-105 Cable With A Concentric Neutral, And When Should It Be Used?

When a cable like MV-105 has a concentric neutral, it means that the said neutral will carry the faulty currents during the faulty conditions, ensuring safe operation of the cable within the electric circuit.

Because of this additional safety measure, MV-105 cables are used during power distribution, bringing electricity from the transmission lines to devices and equipment. While using an MV-105 cable with a concentric neutral in unstable currents is a necessity, one has to mind that this cable is not flexible and a bit more challenging to install.

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Where to Buy MV-105 Cable?

Nassau National Cable offers a large collection of high-quality MV-90 and MV-105 at excellent prices. Cables are available with and without concentric neutral, at any voltage from 2,4 kV to 35 kV. The cables are available with and without shielding. The insulation/ jacket combinations to choose from are XLP/PVC, EPR/PVC, and EPR/CPE, among others.

Medium voltage vs low voltage - Mike Holt's Forum

I apologize if this is not the correct forum. I am looking for general design consideration differences between medium voltage and low voltage. I do know the difference between the two: LV<600V, 600V
From an engineer point of view, what are the other "main" differences between the two?

Thanks

I apologize if this is not the correct forum. I am looking for general design consideration differences between medium voltage and low voltage. I do know the difference between the two: LV<600V, 600V
From an engineer point of view, what are the other "main" differences between the two?

Thanks

the = for MV is whatever the AHJ says it is.

I apologize if this is not the correct forum. I am looking for general design consideration differences between medium voltage and low voltage. I do know the difference between the two: LV<600V, 600V
From an engineer point of view, what are the other "main" differences between the two?

Thanks

Slight corrections:
ANSI /IEEE definitions:
LV = < V
MV = > V to 25kV
HV = > 25kV

NEC covers LV and MV but defines LV as <= 600V. Outside of North America there are pockets of 690V, especially in maritime industries, but generally the NEC doesn't apply to those places. Solar has been pushing that envelope though and I expect the NEC to shift the LV definition to match ANSI/IEEE. LV can be more destructive as modern switchgear design seem to have been cut to the bone, they are just about adequate for the task of in hand.

MV switchgear does tend to be more robust. After 40+ years in the trade and I've only seen one instance of flash over in MV switchgear. It was caused by a mouse somehow getting in to the busbar spouts, it created a bit of mess a and lost production.

LV can be more destructive as modern switchgear design seem to have been cut to the bone, they are just about adequate for the task of in hand.

MV switchgear does tend to be more robust. After 40+ years in the trade and I've only seen one instance of flash over in MV switchgear. It was caused by a mouse somehow getting in to the busbar spouts, it created a bit of mess a and lost production.

Yes, I've seen one instance of that too. It was in a paper mill and, for reasons I could never fathom, the buss bar chamber was close to floor level rather than the conventional arrangement along the top. And yes, a bit of a mess. The speculation is that the offending piece(s) of vermin was a rat although there wasn't enough of it left to tell. On the Stanford University campus I saw the aftermath of a squirrel climbing into a roll-out MV breaker section at an outdoor substation. The remnants of the animal was squirrel sized, but you could not be sure from just the tail bones that it was not a large rat.
It took about a full day before they had all of the carbon cleaned out of the switchgear and had the sub back in full operation.

On the Stanford University campus I saw the aftermath of a squirrel climbing into a roll-out MV breaker section at an outdoor substation. The remnants of the animal was squirrel sized, but you could not be sure from just the tail bones that it was not a large rat.
It took about a full day before they had all of the carbon cleaned out of the switchgear and had the sub back in full operation.

Not a pleasant clean-up job........

On the Stanford University campus I saw the aftermath of a squirrel climbing into a roll-out MV breaker section at an outdoor substation. The remnants of the animal was squirrel sized, but you could not be sure from just the tail bones that it was not a large rat.
It took about a full day before they had all of the carbon cleaned out of the switchgear and had the sub back in full operation.

GEC came out to take photographs of the carnage caused by our little fury friend. By the time they arrived I'd given our friend a christian burial.

Slight corrections:
ANSI /IEEE definitions:
LV = < V
MV = > V to 25kV
HV = > 25kV

NEC covers LV and MV but defines LV as <= 600V. Outside of North America there are pockets of 690V, especially in maritime industries, but generally the NEC doesn't apply to those places. Solar has been pushing that envelope though and I expect the NEC to shift the LV definition to match ANSI/IEEE.

Starting with the code and continuing into the NEC, most of the references to 600 volts or less have been replaced with volts or less.

My difficulty is arc flash hazard can be much greater in a LV system than that due to MV system even though the latter is capable of producing much longer arc........... The operation of MV protective gear must be much faster to prevent that from happening.

As a utility guy, I've seen more squirrel suicides than I can count in outdoor substations, mostly 12,470/. Usually the squirrel is vaporized, but little damage is done to the associated conductors or buswork, even if the fault becomes phase to phase. I think the difference in fault damage is probably due the fact than LV fault protection usually involves thermal/magnetic breakers, which have a fairly long clearing time unless it's a bolted fault. MV protection, on the other hand, usually involves CT supplied relaying or fuses. Likely faster clearing times. As far as physical differences, it's all about insulation values. Size of insulators (distance to grounds), wiring considerations (such as cabling construction, stress cones at terminations, etc). Explosions from arc faults are related to power and time and available metal, not just fault current. A MV fault may have more fault current than a LV fault, but there's likely much more metal associated with LV conductors and switchgear. I've seen 277/480V faults that are way more scary than faults. I'm sure there's more to it, but I'd rather be close to a MV distribution fault in open air than inside a switchgear with a 277/480V fault. Just me, though. Sorry about the "mission creep" from design considerations to arc faults.......

As far as design, it all depends on cost, components availability, distance of source to load, physical size, etc. Nuclear plants are a good example. Small motors (up to 500HP) are usually 480V, larger motors (up to HP) are usually V and the big boys (up to 12,000 HP) are usually 13,800 or 24,000V. Generator outputs in the gigawatt range are mostly 25,000V. Transmission out to the distribution substations is anywhere from 60KV to 345KV AC and 500KV to 1MV DC. So, your question is not a one line answer. That's why engineers need college degrees. NEC can't even begin to cover it all.

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