In industrial environments cable failure is rarely sudden—it’s gradual, silent and often invisible until it is too late.

One of the most overlooked causes?

UV Radiation.

Whether it’s a power plant in coastal India, an Oil & Gas installation in Australia or an outdoor infrastructure project prolonged UV exposure is actively degrading cable systems every single day.

And the worst part:

Most asset owners only react after failure.

This blog breaks down:

• How UV radiation damages cables
• How to extend the service life your cables by up to 25 years

What is UV radiation?

Ultraviolet is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted naturally by the sun and classified into three types – UVA, UVB and UVC. UVA has the longest wavelengths, while UVB and UVC have the shortest.

The Earth’s ozone layer absorbs all the UVC radiation and the majority of UVB rays, which means almost all the ultraviolet radiation your cables are exposed to is UVA.

This makes it the most damaging type of UV radiation.

What UV Radiation does to your cables:

UV rays emitted by the sun break down the chemical bonds in the polymer chains in thermoplastics such as PVC and thermoset insulators such as XLPEs through a process known as photodegradation.

This photodegradation causes a gradual degradation of the cables’ mechanical properties.

The degradation process:

Common stages of UV Damage

• Discolouration / Fading: One of the first visible signs
• Brittleness: The once-flexible sheath becomes hard and loses its elasticity.
• Micro Cracking / Scaling: In advanced stages, the sheath develops cracks. Invisible at first but gradually becoming visible during inspections and audits.
• Exposed Conductors: Eventually, the damaged sheath crack exposing the internal insulation or the bare conductors themselves

Consequences of UV Degradation:

• Water Ingress: Cracks allow rain and moisture to seep into the cable, leading to corrosion of the copper or aluminium conductors.
• Electrical Hazards: Exposure of internal conductors can cause short circuits, arcing and severe electrical faults.
• Reduced Life Expectancy
• Derating

All of which can – and often do – lead to costly Loss of Production or expensive cable replacement programmes

How to extend the service life your cables by up to 25 years

Coating your cables with CharCoat CC or CharCoat Xtend Intumescent coatings.

This will restore – and often improve – insulation and mechanical integrity, arrest further degradation and protect your cables against further environmental, chemical or mechanical stress.

These coatings are:

• 100% UV stable and certified
• Non-corrosive
• High resistance to chemicals and acids
• Highly flexible in cured form
• Zero maintenance required
• Single component (stir and spray)
• Solvent, Mercury and Asbestos free
• Water-based intumescent Latex
• Non-toxic/ non-hazardous
• Lightweight, thin-film 2 coat application
• Permanent cost-effective solution

Fireproofing Value Add

Not only will CharCoat Cc and CharCoat Xtend add decades to the service life of the cables, but they will also add maintenance free fire protection

• Fire rated up to 90 minutes at 750°C in a Cellulosic Fire
• Fire rated up to 90 minutes at ll00°C in a Hydrocarbon Fire

And this is completely supported by our CharCoat Product Performance Warranty.

Where This Matters Most

CharCoat products have successfully extended the lives of cables in the following sectors:

• Mining & Metals
• Utilities and Power Generation
• Industrial Manufacturing and Automation
• Oil & Gas
• Marine & Shipping
• Transportation Sector
• Construction and Infrastructure Development 
• Telecommunications and Data Transmission