EN IEC 61300-2-43:2022

Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components - Basic test and measurement procedures - Part 2-43: Tests - Screen testing of return loss of single-mode PC optical fibre connectors

IEC 61300-2-43:2022 is available as IEC 61300-2-43:2022 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.IEC 61300-2-43: 2022 aims at screening single-mode physical contact (PC) optical fibre connector plugs of an optical fibre patch cord or an optical fibre pigtail in terms of return loss, thus ensuring minimum return loss when the connector plugs are randomly mated with each other in the field. This document is intended to apply to cylindrical ferrule connector plugs. This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition published in 2014. This edition constitutes a technical revision. This edition includes the following significant technical change with respect to the previous edition: addition of Clause 3 containing terms, definitions, and abbreviated terms.

Lichtwellenleiter - Verbindungselemente und passive Bauteile - Grundlegende Prüf- und Messverfahren - Teil 2-43: Prüfungen - Verfahren zur Sortierprüfung von Einmoden-PC-LWL-Steckverbindern in Abhängigkeit von der Rückflussdämpfung

Dispositifs d'interconnexion et composants passifs fibroniques - Procédures fondamentales d'essais et de mesures - Partie 2-43: Essais - Sélection des connecteurs PC pour fibres optiques unimodales en fonction de leur affaiblissement de réflexion

IEC 61300-2-43:2022 est disponible sous forme de IEC 61300-2-43:2022 RLV qui contient la Norme internationale et sa version Redline, illustrant les modifications du contenu technique depuis l'édition précédente.L'IEC 61300-2-43: 2022 a pour objet de procéder à une sélection des fiches de connexion pour fibres optiques unimodales à contact physique (PC, physical contact) montées sur un cordon de brassage à fibre optique ou une fibre optique amorce, en fonction de leur affaiblissement de réflexion, pour garantir ainsi un affaiblissement de réflexion minimal lorsque les fiches de connexion sont accouplées sans choix préalable dans le terrain. Le présent document est destiné à s’appliquer aux fiches de connexion équipées de férules cylindriques. Cette troisième édition annule et remplace la deuxième édition parue en 2014. Cette édition constitue une révision technique. La présente édition inclut la modification technique majeure suivante par rapport à l’édition précédente: ajout de l’Article 3 contenant les termes, définitions et abréviations.

Optični spojni elementi in pasivne komponente - Osnovni preskusni in merilni postopki - 2-43. del: Preskusi - Presejalno preskušanje povratnih izgub za enorodovne optične konektorje PC (IEC 61300-2-43:2022)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 06-Oct-2022
• ICS: 33.180.20 - Fibre optic interconnecting devices
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 86BXA - Fibre optic interconnect, passive and connectorised components
• Drafting Committee: IEC/SC 86B - IEC_SC_86B
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 07-Oct-2022
• Completion Date: 07-Oct-2022
• Ref Project: SIST EN IEC 61300-2-43:2022 - Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components - Basic test and measurement procedures - Part 2-43: Tests - Screen testing of return loss of single-mode PC optical fibre connectors (IEC 61300-2-43:2022)

Relations

• Replaces: EN 61300-2-43:2014 - Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components - Basic test and measurement procedures - Part 2-43: Tests - Screen testing of return loss of single-mode PC optical fibre connectors
• Effective Date: 12-Jan-2021

Overview

EN IEC 61300-2-43:2022 - "Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components - Basic test and measurement procedures - Part 2-43" - defines a standardized screen test for return loss of single‑mode PC optical fibre connectors. The third edition (2022) is a technical revision that replaces the 2014 version and adds Clause 3 (terms, definitions and abbreviations). It is intended for cylindrical ferrule connector plugs used on patch cords and pigtails and ensures minimum return loss when connectors are randomly mated in the field.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope and purpose: Screening of single‑mode physical contact (PC) connector plugs to detect units with excessive reflection (poor return loss).
• Test objects: Optical fibre patch cords and pigtails fitted with cylindrical ferrule PC connectors.
• Measurement concept: Uses a defined measurement setup to quantify reflected power and screen connectors against return‑loss criteria.
• Apparatus defined:
  • Source (S) and Detector (D)
  • Temporary joint (TJ) and Termination (T)
  • Branching device (BD)
  • Reflection standard plug (RSP) and Reflection standard cord (RSC)
• Procedures covered:
  • Selection and use of a reflection standard cord (RSC)
  • Patch cord screen testing
  • Pigtail screen testing (including informative Annex A for pigtails)
• Reporting: The standard specifies details to be recorded and reported for traceability and quality control.
• Normative reference: IEC 61300-3-6 (return loss examinations and measurements) is referenced for related measurement techniques.

Practical applications

• Quality control and incoming inspection for connector and cable manufacturers.
• Acceptance testing and batch screening in production lines to prevent high‑reflection units reaching customers.
• Test procedures for independent test laboratories and telecom/datacom installers validating patch cords and pigtails before deployment.
• Useful for operators of FTTH, datacenter, metro and long‑haul networks seeking to minimize back‑reflection and ensure consistent connection performance.
• Supports interoperability and system reliability by reducing insertion of high‑reflection connectors in the field.

Who should use this standard

• Connector and fibre‑optic assembly manufacturers
• R&D and QA engineers in optical component companies
• Test laboratories and certification bodies
• Network operators and installers responsible for component acceptance

Related standards

• IEC 61300-3-6 - Examinations and measurements - Return loss (normative reference cited in EN IEC 61300-2-43:2022)

Keywords: EN IEC 61300-2-43:2022, screen testing of return loss, single-mode PC optical fibre connectors, return loss measurement, reflection standard cord, patch cord screening, pigtail screening, cylindrical ferrule connectors.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2022
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 61300-2-43:2014
Optični spojni elementi in pasivne komponente - Osnovni preskusni in merilni
postopki - 2-43. del: Preskusi - Presejalno preskušanje povratnih izgub za
enorodovne optične konektorje PC (IEC 61300-2-43:2022)
Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components - Basic test and
measurement procedures - Part 2-43: Tests - Screen testing of return loss of single-
mode PC optical fibre connectors (IEC 61300-2-43:2022)
Lichtwellenleiter - Verbindungselemente und passive Bauteile -Grundlegende Prüf- und
Messverfahren - Teil 2-43: Prüfungen - Verfahren zur Sortierprüfung von Einmoden-PC-
LWL-Steckverbindern in Abhängigkeit von der Rückflussdämpfung (IEC 61300-2-
43:2022)
Dispositifs d'interconnexion et composants passifs à fibres optiques - Procédures
fondamentales d'essais et de mesures - Partie 2-43: Essais - Sélection des connecteurs
PC pour fibres optiques unimodales en fonction de leur affaiblissement de réflexion (IEC
61300-2-43:2022)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN IEC 61300-2-43:2022
ICS:
33.180.20 Povezovalne naprave za Fibre optic interconnecting
optična vlakna devices
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN IEC 61300-2-43

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM October 2022
ICS 33.180.20 Supersedes EN 61300-2-43:2014
English Version
Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components -
Basic test and measurement procedures - Part 2-43: Tests -
Screen testing of return loss of single-mode PC optical fibre
connectors
(IEC 61300-2-43:2022)
Dispositifs d'interconnexion et composants passifs Lichtwellenleiter - Verbindungselemente und passive
fibroniques - Procédures fondamentales d'essais et de Bauteile -Grundlegende Prüf- und Messverfahren - Teil 2-
mesures - Partie 2-43: Essais - Sélection des connecteurs 43: Prüfungen - Verfahren zur Sortierprüfung von
PC pour fibres optiques unimodales en fonction de leur Einmoden-PC-LWL-Steckverbindern in Abhängigkeit von
affaiblissement de réflexion der Rückflussdämpfung
(IEC 61300-2-43:2022) (IEC 61300-2-43:2022)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2022-10-06. 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,
Türkiye 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
© 2022 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN IEC 61300-2-43:2022 E

European foreword
The text of document 86B/4628/FDIS, future edition 3 of IEC 61300-2-43, prepared by SC 86B "Fibre
optic interconnecting devices and passive components" of IEC/TC 86 "Fibre optics" was submitted to
the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and approved by CENELEC as EN IEC 61300-2-43:2022.
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at national (dop) 2023-07-06
level by publication of an identical national standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national standards conflicting with the (dow) 2023-10-06
document have to be withdrawn
This document supersedes EN 61300-2-43:2014 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.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national committee. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CENELEC website.
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 61300-2-43:2022 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 61300-1 NOTE Harmonized as EN IEC 61300-1
IEC 61755-2-1 NOTE Harmonized as EN 61755-2-1
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 61300-3-6 - Fibre optic interconnecting devices and EN 61300-3-6 -
passive components - Basic test and
measurement procedures - Part 3-6:
Examinations and measurements - Return
loss
IEC 61300-2-43 ®
Edition 3.0 2022-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components – Basic test and

measurement procedures –
Part 2-43: Tests – Screen testing of return loss of single-mode PC optical fibre

connectors
Dispositifs d’interconnexion et composants passifs fibroniques – Procédures

fondamentales d’essais et de mesures –

Partie 2-43: Essais – Sélection des connecteurs PC pour fibres optiques

unimodales en fonction de leur affaiblissement de réflexion

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 33.180.20 ISBN 978-2-8322-5593-3

– 2 – IEC 61300-2-43:2022 © IEC 2022
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms, definitions, and abbreviated terms . 5
3.1 Terms and definitions . 5
3.2 Abbreviated terms . 5
4 General description . 6
5 Apparatus . 6
5.1 General . 6
5.2 Source (S) . 6
5.3 Detector (D) . 6
5.4 Temporary joint (TJ) . 6
5.5 Termination (T) . 6
5.6 Branching device (BD) . 7
5.7 Reflection standard plug (RSP) . 7
5.8 Reflection standard cord (RSC). 7
6 Procedure . 7
6.1 Selection of the RSC . 7
6.2 Patch cord screen testing. 8
6.3 Pigtail screen testing. 8
7 Details to be specified and reported. 8
Annex A (informative) Screen testing of return loss of pigtails having PC fibre optic
connector . 10
Bibliography . 16

Figure 1 – Measurement set-up for open plug reflection standard . 7
Figure 2 – Measurement set-up for mated RSCs . 8
Figure 3 – Measurement set-up for patch cord screen testing . 8
Figure 4 – Measurement set-up for pigtail screen testing . 8
Figure A.1 – Measurement set-up of the screen test method . 11
Figure A.2 – Relationship between β and α . 13
Figure A.3 – Cumulative probability of return loss before test . 13
Figure A.4 – Cumulative probability of return loss after test . 14
Figure A.5 – Relationship between power and α . 15
Figure A.6 – Measurement set-up of the reflected powers . 15

IEC 61300-2-43:2022 © IEC 2022 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
FIBRE OPTIC INTERCONNECTING DEVICES
AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS –
BASIC TEST AND MEASUREMENT PROCEDURES –

Part 2-43: Tests – Screen testing of return loss of
single-mode PC optical fibre connectors

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote international
co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To this end and
in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications, Technical Reports,
Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC Publication(s)”). Their
preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested in the subject dealt with
may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-governmental organizations liaising
with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely with the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence between
any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
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 61300-2-43 has been prepared by subcommittee 86B: Fibre optic interconnecting devices
and passive components, of IEC technical committee 86: Fibre optics. It is an International
Standard.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition published in 2014. This edition
constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical change with respect to the previous
edition: addition of Clause 3 containing terms, definitions, and abbreviated terms.

– 4 – IEC 61300-2-43:2022 © IEC 2022
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
86B/4628/FDIS 86B/4652/RVD
Full information on the voting for its approval can be found in the report on voting indicated in
the above table.
The language used for the development of this International Standard is English.
This document was drafted in accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, and developed in
accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 and ISO/IEC Directives, IEC Supplement, available
at www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs. The main document types developed by IEC are
described in greater detail at www.iec.ch/standardsdev/publications.
A list
...