BS EN 50289-4-17:2015

What is BS EN 50289-4-17- Electrical and optical fibre cable about? 

BS EN 50289-4-17 is a safety standard on communication cables. 

BS EN 50289-4-17 describes three methods to determine the UV resistance of sheath materials for electric and for optical fibre cables. These tests apply for outdoor and indoor cable applications according to the product standard. The samples of the sheath are taken from the finished cables. 

Although this test method in BS EN 50289-4-17 is written principally for communication cables, it may be used for energy cables if called up by the relevant product standard. 

Methods described in BS EN 50289-4-17 differ by the nature of the UV source. 

Note 1: Informative Annex B of BS EN 50289-4-17 gives guidelines for the use and interpretation of results. 

Note 2: Due to the excessive time to failure, the methods described are inappropriate to products where UV resistance is conferred by ≥ 2,0 % carbon black meeting the dispersion requirements defined in EN 50290-2-24. 

Who is BS EN 50289-4-17- Electrical and optical fibre cable for?  

BS EN 50289-4-17 on test methods for UV resistance evaluation of the sheath of electrical and optical fibre cable is relevant to: 

• Manufacturers of electrical and optical fibre cable 
• Manufacturers of testing apparatus 
• Electricians 
• Testing authorities of UV resistance test 
• Optical fibre cable technicians 
• Electrical engineers 

Why should you use BS EN 50289-4-17- Electrical and optical fibre cable? 

UV hazard assessment for synthetic compounds is possible using several UV sources. For the purposes of BS EN 50289-4-17, three alternative methods are given as follows: 

• Method A which uses a xenon arc source to simulate the UV effect on cable sheath. The effect is measured by the variation of mechanical characteristics and/or change in colour after exposure 
• Method B uses a fluorescent lamp to simulate the UV effect on cable sheath. Two different lamps may be used; type I (called UV-A lamps) and type II (called UV-B lamps). The effect is measured as for method A, by the variation of mechanical characteristics and/or change in colour after exposure 
• Method C uses a mercury vapour lamp to simulate the UV effect on cable sheath. As for methods A and B, the effect is determined by the variation of mechanical characteristics and/or change in colour after exposure. This test has been typically used for telecommunication cables 

For outdoor cable application only, the test specimens are periodically subjected to water attack, for methods A and B. A recent modification of method C now allows for a water immersion cycle. For method C, the round-robin tests made without water indicate the method may be applicable to outdoor environments. 

Other sources and determination methods can detect and analysing the UV hazard for a cable sheath. Examples of such methods are metal halide lamps or sunshine carbon arc lamps, in combination with proper filters to cut off most radiation having wavelengths lower than 290 nm. 

Overall, BS EN 50289-4-17 is useful as it describes methodologies to perform artificial accelerated UV ageing.