L-824 Airfield Lighting Cable
L-824 is the FAA specification for the cross-linked polyethylene insulated, direct-burial cable that carries series circuit current between the CCR, isolation transformers, and every fixture on an airfield lighting loop. NLS sources L-824 cable in the current-carrying sizes and armour options a project's circuit design and duct or direct-burial routing require, for Saudi airbase and heliport lighting projects.
L-824 cable is the specific cable type an FAA-format airfield lighting circuit calls for by name on the drawings and specification, a cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulated conductor rated for the direct-burial and duct-routed conditions between a CCR vault and the field fixtures it powers. The specification covers several conductor sizes and cable types (types with and without a concentric neutral or shield), selected according to the series circuit's current rating and the specific run's electrical and mechanical duty rather than one universal cable size across a project.
What differentiates L-824 from a general-purpose direct-burial cable is the insulation's rated performance for the duty cycle a series circuit runs through, repeated energizing and de-energizing, dimming steps, and the moisture exposure of long buried runs beneath a runway or taxiway, combined with a manufacturing and testing regime specified against the FAA standard rather than a generic cable rating. A cable substituted for cost that doesn't carry the L-824 designation risks premature insulation failure under a duty cycle it wasn't tested against, a fault that shows up as buried and expensive to locate once the runway is paved over it.
Routing on a Saudi airbase or heliport project typically runs L-824 cable through PVC or HDPE duct beneath pavement sections and direct-buried in unpaved areas, connecting to isolation transformers, in-pavement, and elevated fixtures through the L-823 connector kits rated for the same current and voltage class. Cable sizing follows the circuit's series current, commonly 6.6A, and the total loop length, since voltage drop across a long series loop needs checking against the CCR's rated output voltage even though the current itself stays constant along the circuit.
A project team typically sends the circuit's current rating, total cable length per run, and duct or direct-burial routing from the civil and electrical drawings, and NLS returns matched L-824 cable sizing and a USD quote. Cable reel length and splice point planning matter on longer runway circuits, since minimizing splices reduces the number of potential moisture-ingress points along a buried run.
Specifications
- ✓Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulated conductor to FAA specification L-824
- ✓Sized to series circuit current rating (commonly 6.6A) and total loop length, with voltage drop checked against CCR output
- ✓Direct-burial and duct-routed (PVC/HDPE) rated for beneath-pavement and unpaved runs
- ✓Multiple conductor sizes and shielded/unshielded types available per circuit duty
- ✓Terminates at fixtures and isolation transformers through matched L-823 connector kits
- ✓Splice point planning minimizes moisture-ingress risk on long buried runway circuits
Frequently Asked Questions
What is L-824 cable used for?+
L-824 is the FAA-specified cable type that carries series circuit current between the CCR, isolation transformers, and fixtures on an airfield lighting loop, insulated and rated for the direct-burial and duct-routed conditions those runs go through.
Why not use a standard direct-burial cable instead of L-824?+
A series circuit's repeated energizing, dimming steps, and long buried exposure demand insulation performance tested against the FAA duty cycle L-824 specifies. A generic cable substituted for cost risks premature insulation failure that's expensive to locate once buried beneath pavement.
Who supplies L-824 airfield cable in Saudi Arabia?+
NLS sources L-824 cable sized to circuit current and loop length, along with the matched L-823 connector kits and isolation transformers the same circuit needs, for Saudi airbase and heliport projects.