BS EN IEC 60794-1-215:2020

What is BS EN IEC 60794‑1‑215 about?  

BS EN IEC 60794 is a series on optical fibre cables. BS EN IEC 60794‑1‑215  defines test procedures to be used in establishing uniform requirements for the environmental performance of optical fibre cables for use with telecommunication equipment and devices employing similar techniques, and cables having a combination of both optical fibres and electrical conductors. 

BS EN IEC 60794‑1‑215 defines a test standard to determine the ability of a cable to withstand the effects of freezing water that can immediately surround the optical fibre cable sheath by observing any changes in the physical appearance of the sheath, or in the measured cable optical attenuation. 

BS EN IEC 60794‑1‑215 includes method F15 of IEC 60794-1-22:2017 as F15A: Cable external freezing test for a buried cable, as in wet earth or water. Throughout BS EN IEC 60794‑1‑215 the wording "optical cable" can also include optical fibre units, micro duct fibre units, etc. 

Who is BS EN IEC 60794‑1‑215 for? 

BS EN IEC 60794‑1‑215 on optical fibre cables is useful for: 

• Optical fibre cable manufacturers 
• Telecommunication companies 
• IT companies 
• Computer networking sectors 
• Computer cable manufacturers 

Why should you use BS EN IEC 60794‑1‑215?  

The optical fibre cables are very thin strands of pure glass, which transmit information in the form of light. BS EN IEC 60794‑1‑215 specifies the test procedures for establishing uniform requirements for the environmental performance of optical fibre cables. These tests include method F15A that simulate freezing of the medium surrounding a buried cable, as in wet earth or water. Method F15A is moved from method F15 in IEC 60794-1-22:2017 without any technical changes. 

The basic optical cable test procedure simulates freezing of the medium surrounding an outside cable in a rigid conduit (duct) which is made of rigid material, for example, steel. Method F15B as mentioned in BS EN IEC 60794‑1‑215 includes the solution to prevent the cable from being crushed when experiencing freezing conditions in a rigid conduit (duct). Pressure absorber pads and other such solutions are provided for cable protection. BS EN IEC 60794‑1‑215 ensures that optical fibre cables continue to function under extreme weather conditions.