For an electrician, cable ties are everyday consumables, like insulating tape or ferrules. Yet most jobs get by with just 2–3 sizes, and with quantities planned properly nobody has to drive to the hardware store mid-job. This article covers which cable ties electricians use most, how many a flat, a house or a commercial site needs, and what the flammability class means.
Three sizes that cover 90 % of installation work
| Size | Holds up to | Bundle Ø | Where it is used in installation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150×3.6 mm | 18 kg | 2–36 mm | Switchboards: wire bundles on DIN rails, breaker rows, wiring behind modular devices |
| 200×3.6 mm | 18 kg | 3–52 mm | Universal: cables in trunking and on trays, conduit fixing, temporary bundling on site |
| 300×4.8 mm | 22 kg | 4–80 mm | Cable runs on wire mesh trays, thicker supply cables, several conduits together |
It also helps to keep 100×2.5 mm for low-current wiring (internet, alarm, LED) and 370×7.6 mm for service entrance cables and thick bundles. Prices for all sizes are in the size and price table.
How many ties a job needs
Rules of thumb used by installation crews (cable fixed every 30–50 cm, each bundle in a switchboard at 2–3 points):
- Flat (2–3 rooms), full installation with a consumer unit: 60–120 ties. One pack of 200×3.6 mm and one of 150×3.6 mm is enough.
- Detached house up to 200 m²: 250–400 ties. 2 packs of 200×3.6, 1 pack of 150×3.6 and 1 pack of 300×4.8 mm.
- Commercial premises / office of 500 m² with cable trays: 800–1,200 ties. From 1,000 pcs it is worth taking a B2B quote, and the invoice is issued right at checkout.
For a crew working full time, the simplest approach is to keep 2 packs each of 150×3.6, 200×3.6 and 300×4.8 mm in the van – 600 ties, roughly a month of medium-volume work.
Flammability class UL94V-2: what it means in a switchboard
PA66 cable ties rated UL94V-2 are self-extinguishing – once the flame source is removed, the material stops burning. This matters in switchboards and closed trunking, where plastic must not become an extra path for fire spread. Kraften Premium ties are rated UL94V-2 and comply with RoHS and REACH, so they also suit sites that require material compliance documents.
Practical tips from site work
- Do not crush data cables (UTP, coax). A squeezed twisted-pair cable loses its parameters. Tighten only enough for the bundle to hold; where needed, choose a wider tie, which cuts in less.
- Turn the lock towards the inside or side of the bundle, not towards the enclosure door – a protruding lock gets in the way of closing the cover.
- Cut the ends flush with side cutters or a tensioning tool. Sharp ends in a switchboard are the most common cause of cuts.
- For temporary fixing on site use the cheapest 200×2.5 mm size, which is easy to snip off, and use 3.6 mm or wider for the final installation.
- For outdoor service entries and yard lighting only black UV-stabilised ties are suitable – more in the article on outdoor use.
Ordering for electricians and companies
Kraften Premium cable ties are sold in packs of 100, and all 8 sizes are in stock in Lithuania. Orders placed before 14:00 ship the same business day to an Omniva parcel locker (€3.99) or by courier; a company invoice is prepared automatically when company details are entered at checkout.
