EN IEC 60794-1-211:2021

Optical fibre cables - Part 1-211: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods - Sheath shrinkage, method F11

This part of IEC 60794 defines test procedures to measure the shrinkage of the sheath due to thermal exposure of cables. A first test method, F11A, is included for cables where the fibre or buffered fibre and the sheath of the cable are intended to be fully terminated into a connector at one or both cable ends. A second test method, F11B, is included in this document for sheath shrinkage testing for general purpose. See IEC 60794-1-2 for a reference guide to test methods of all types and for general requirements.

Lichtwellenleiterkabel - Teil 1-211: Fachgrundspezifikation - Grundlegende Prüfverfahren für Lichtwellenleiterkabel - Umweltprüfverfahren - Schrumpfung des Mantels, Verfahren F11

Câbles à fibres optiques - Partie 1-211: Spécification générique - Procédures fondamentales d’essais des câbles optiques - Méthodes d’essais d’environnement - Rétraction de la gaine, méthode F11

IEC 60794-1-211:2021 définit des procédures d’essai pour mesurer la rétraction de la gaine due à l’exposition thermique des câbles. Une première méthode d’essai, F11A, est incluse pour les câbles où la fibre ou la fibre sous revêtement protecteur et la gaine du câble sont destinées à être entièrement équipées d’un connecteur à l’une ou aux deux extrémités du câble. Une deuxième méthode d’essai, F11B, est incluse dans le présent document pour les essais de rétraction de la gaine des câbles destinés à un usage général. Voir l’IEC 60794-1-2 pour un guide de référence des méthodes d’essai de tous types et pour les exigences générales.

Optični kabli - 1-211. del: Splošna specifikacija - Osnovni preskusni postopki za optične kable - Okoljske preskusne metode - Krčenje plašča, metoda F11 (IEC 60794-1-211:2021)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 25-Mar-2021
• ICS: 33.180.10 - Fibres and cables
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 86A - Optical fibres and optical fibre cables
• Drafting Committee: IEC/SC 86A - IEC_SC_86A
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 26-Mar-2021
• Completion Date: 26-Mar-2021
• Ref Project: SIST EN IEC 60794-1-211:2021 - Optical fibre cables - Part 1-211: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods - Sheath shrinkage, method F11 (IEC 60794-1-211:2021)

Relations

• Replaces: EN IEC 60794-1-22:2018 - Optical fibre cables - Part 1-22: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods
• Effective Date: 07-Jun-2022

Overview

EN IEC 60794-1-211:2021 - “Optical fibre cables - Part 1-211: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods - Sheath shrinkage, method F11” - defines standardized procedures to measure sheath shrinkage of optical fibre cables caused by thermal exposure. The document splits the test into two targeted methods: F11A for cables intended to be terminated with connectors (patch-cord style) and F11B for general-purpose sheath shrinkage testing.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope: Measurement of sheath shrinkage due to thermal exposure; methods cover both connector-terminated and general-purpose cable types.
• Method F11A: Designed for cables where the fibre or buffered fibre and sheath are intended to be fully terminated into connectors. Thermal exposure uses temperature cycling (per IEC 60794-1-22 method F1). Results are reported as maximum sheath shrinkage, which shall not exceed values specified in the relevant detail specification. Test cycles are a fixed number as specified (no open-ended cycling).
• Method F11B: A general-purpose test procedure adapted from ANSI/TIA-455-86-A, intended for broader sheath shrinkage assessment.
• Sample preparation and measurement: The standard permits either measuring length between sheath ends on intact samples or using cut samples and measuring the distance between cut sheath ends. Figures and procedural steps detail sample preparation, apparatus, and reporting requirements.
• Reporting: Test details to be specified and reported (sample type, test temperatures/cycling, measured shrinkage, and conformance to specified limits).

Applications

• Used by optical fibre cable manufacturers for product qualification and production testing.
• Employed by independent test laboratories evaluating cable durability under thermal conditions.
• Referenced by system designers, procurement/specification engineers, and installers to ensure cables maintain termination integrity and connector compatibility after thermal exposure.
• Valuable for assessing risk of sheath retraction that could expose fibres or affect connectorization in indoor patch cords, outdoor assemblies, or mixed-use cable products.

Related standards

• IEC 60794 series (optical fibre cables), especially IEC 60794-1-2 (guide to test methods) and the now‑superseded IEC 60794-1-22.
• ANSI/TIA-455-86-A (source for F11B adaptation).
• IEC TR 62959 (cable shrinkage characterisation guidance) and IEC 60811-503 (sheath shrinkage method for electric/optical cables).

EN IEC 60794-1-211:2021 provides a focused, harmonized approach to quantify sheath shrinkage and ensure cables meet thermal performance expectations critical to connectorization and long-term reliability. Keywords: EN IEC 60794-1-211:2021, sheath shrinkage, optical fibre cables, test method F11, F11A, F11B, environmental test methods, cable testing.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-junij-2021
Nadomešča:
SIST EN IEC 60794-1-22:2018
Optični kabli - 1-211. del: Splošna specifikacija - Osnovni preskusni postopki za
optične kable - Okoljske preskusne metode - Krčenje plašča, metoda F11 (IEC
60794-1-211:2021)
Optical fibre cables - Part 1-211: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test
procedures - Environmental test methods - Sheath shrinkage, method F11 (IEC 60794-1-
211:2021)
Lichtwellenleiterkabel – Teil 1-211: Allgemeine Spezifikation – Grundlegende
Prüfverfahren für Lichtwellenleiterkabel – Verfahren zum Prüfen der Umwelteinflüsse –
Mantelschrumpf, Methode F11 (IEC 60794-1-211:2021)
Câbles à fibres optiques - Partie 1-211: Spécification générique - Modes opératoires de
base applicables aux essais des câbles optiques - Méthodes d’essais d’environnement -
Rétreint de la gaine, méthode F11 (IEC 60794-1-211:2021)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN IEC 60794-1-211:2021
ICS:
33.180.10 (Optična) vlakna in kabli Fibres and cables
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN IEC 60794-1-211

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
March 2021
ICS 33.180.10 Supersedes EN IEC 60794-1-22:2018 and all of its
amendments and corrigenda (if any)
English Version
Optical fibre cables - Part 1-211: Generic specification - Basic
optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods -
Sheath shrinkage, method F11
(IEC 60794-1-211:2021)
Câbles à fibres optiques - Partie 1-211: Spécification Lichtwellenleiterkabel - Teil 1-211: Fachgrundspezifikation -
générique - Procédures fondamentales d'essais des câbles Grundlegende Prüfverfahren für Lichtwellenleiterkabel -
optiques - Méthodes d'essais d'environnement - Rétraction Umweltprüfverfahren - Mantelschrumpf, Methode F11
de la gaine, méthode F11 (IEC 60794-1-211:2021)
(IEC 60794-1-211:2021)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2021-03-25. CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the
same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2021 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN IEC 60794-1-211:2021 E

European foreword
The text of document 86A/2074/FDIS, future edition 1 of IEC 60794-1-211, prepared by SC 86A
"Fibres and cables" of IEC/TC 86 "Fibre optics" was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and
approved by CENELEC as EN IEC 60794-1-211:2021.
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at national (dop) 2021-12-25
level by publication of an identical national standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national standards conflicting with the (dow) 2024-03-25
document have to be withdrawn
This document supersedes EN IEC 60794-1-22:2018 and all of its amendments and corrigenda (if
any).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 60794-1-211:2021 was approved by CENELEC as a
European Standard without any modification.
In the official version, for Bibliography, the following notes have to be added for the standards
indicated:
IEC 60794-1-2 NOTE Harmonized as EN IEC 60794-1-2
IEC 60811-503 NOTE Harmonized as EN 60811-503
Annex ZA
(normative)
Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments)
applies.
NOTE 1  Where an International Publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod),
the relevant EN/HD applies.
NOTE 2  Up-to-date information on the latest versions of the European Standards listed in this annex is available
here: www.cenelec.eu.
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year
IEC 60794-1-1 - Optical fibre cables - Part 1-1: Generic EN 60794-1-1 -
specification - General
IEC 60794-1-22 2017 Optical fibre cables - Part 1-22: Generic EN IEC 60794-1-22 2018
specification - Basic optical cable test
procedures - Environmental test methods

IEC 60794-1-211 ®
Edition 1.0 2021-02
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Optical fibre cables –
Part 1-211: Generic specification – Basic optical cable test procedures –

Environmental test methods – Sheath shrinkage, method F11

Câbles à fibres optiques –
Partie 1-211: Spécification générique – Procédures fondamentales d’essais des

câbles optiques – Méthodes d’essais d’environnement – Rétraction de la gaine,

méthode F11
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 33.180.10 ISBN 978-2-8322-9467-3

– 2 – IEC 60794-1-211:2021 © IEC 2021
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
INTRODUCTION . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Method F11A – Sheath shrinkage (cables to be terminated with connectors) . 6
4.1 Objective . 6
4.2 Sample . 7
4.3 Apparatus . 7
4.4 Procedure . 7
4.5 Requirements . 8
4.6 Details to be specified . 9
4.7 Details to be reported . 9
5 Method F11B – Sheath shrinkage (general purpose) . 9
5.1 Objective . 9
5.2 Sample . 9
5.3 Apparatus . 9
5.4 Procedure . 9
5.5 Requirements . 10
5.6 Details to be specified . 10
5.7 Details to be reported . 10
Annex A (informative) Comparison between method F11A and method F11B . 11
Bibliography . 12

Figure 1 – Cable sample preparation . 7
Figure 2 – Alternative cable sample preparation (cut ends) . 8

Table A.1 – Comparison between method F11A and method F11B . 11

IEC 60794-1-211:2021 © IEC 2021 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES –
Part 1-211: Generic specification –
Basic optical cable test procedures –
Environmental test methods – Sheath shrinkage, method F11
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
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9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of patent
rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
IEC 60794-1-211 has been prepared by subcommittee 86A: Fibres and cables, of IEC technical
committee 86: Fibre optics. It is an International Standard.
This document partially replaces IEC 60794-1-22:2017. This edition constitutes a technical
revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect
to IEC 60794-1-22:2017:
a) method F11 (cables intended for patch cords) of IEC 60794-1-22:2017 was renumbered
F11A and renamed as "sheath shrinkage (cables to be terminated with connectors)";
b) a second method F11B is newly included that was adapted from ANSI/TIA-455-86-A;
c) in method F11A, the thermal exposure from ambient to the specified temperature was
replaced by temperature cycling between a low and high temperature according to
IEC 60794-1-22, method F1;
– 4 – IEC 60794-1-211:2021 © IEC 2021
d) in method F11A, the continuing of the test cycles until the shrinkage exhibits a variation less
than ±1 mm was replaced with a fixed number of cycles specified by the detail specification;
e) in method F11A, the average was changed to maximum sheath shrinkage that shall not
exceed the value specified in the relevant detail specification;
f) in both methods, the alternative that the sample may be cut to length and the length between
the cut sheath ends measured is added.
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
86A/2074
...