EN 50289-4-6:2001

Communication cables - Specifications for test methods - Part 4-6: Environmental test methods - Temperature cycling

This Part 4-6 of EN 50289 details the method of test to determine the temperature cycling used in analogue and digital communication systems. It is to be read in conjunction with Part 4-1 of EN 50289, which contains essential provisions for its application.

Kommunikationskabel - Spezifikationen für Prüfverfahren - Teil 4-6: Umweltprüfverfahren - Temperaturwechselprüfung

Câbles de communication - Spécifications des méthodes d'essai - Partie 4-6: Méthodes d'essais d'environnement - Cycles thermiques

Communication cables - Specifications for test methods - Part 4-6: Environmental test methods - Temperature cycling

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 08-Oct-2001
• Withdrawal Date: 31-Mar-2004
• ICS: 33.120.10 - Coaxial cables. Waveguides
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 46X - Communication cables
• Drafting Committee: IEC/TC 46 - IEC_TC_46
• Parallel Committee: IEC/TC 46 - IEC_TC_46
• Current Stage: 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
• Start Date: 26-May-2021
• Completion Date: 20-Feb-2026
• Mandate: M/212 - ICT - metallic and optical cables and cabling systems
• Ref Project: SIST EN 50289-4-6:2002 - Communication cables - Specifications for test methods -- Part 4-6: Environmental test methods - Temperature cycling

Relations

• Referred By: EN 50117-1:2019 - Coaxial cables - Part 1: Generic specification
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026
• Referred By: EN 50290-4-1:2014 - Communication cables - Part 4-1: General considerations for the use of cables - Environmental conditions and safety aspects
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026

Overview

EN 50289-4-6:2001 (CLC) specifies the temperature cycling environmental test method for analogue and digital communication cables. It defines the general approach to verify transmission performance under repeated thermal excursions and is intended to be read alongside EN 50289-4-1 for application provisions. The procedure focuses on reproducible measurement of changes in transmission parameters caused by thermal contraction and expansion.

Key Topics

• Scope and purpose: Determine the effect of temperature cycling on transmission stability for comms cables used in analogue and digital systems.
• Equipment:
  • Appropriate transmission measuring apparatus to record changes in transmission parameters.
  • Climatic chamber capable of maintaining the specified temperatures within ±3 K.
• Test sample:
  • Sample length and configuration are defined in the Detail Specification.
  • Winding recommendations to avoid tension and to permit free expansion/contraction (large-diameter coils, cushioned reels, zero-tension devices).
• Procedure (summary):
  • Initial measurement and visual inspection at initial temperature.
  • Cycling: introduce sample to chamber, lower to low temperature (TA), hold for t1, raise to high temperature (TB), hold for t1, then return to ambient. This sequence constitutes one cycle; two cycles are typical unless the Detail Specification requires otherwise.
  • Recovery: allow sample to reach the agreed atmospheric test condition before final measurements; specific recovery periods may be required by the Detail Specification.
• Acceptance and reporting:
  • Acceptance criteria are defined in the Detail Specification.
  • Report must include winding type, coil diameter, measurement equipment, temperature cycle diagram, and change of transmission parameters as a function of cycling.

Applications

This test method is applicable to manufacturers, testing labs and specifiers who need to:

• Validate cable performance for installation environments with thermal variation.
• Ensure long-term transmission stability for analogue and digital comms links.
• Define pass/fail criteria for procurement and quality assurance.

Practical recommendations in the standard help avoid artefacts from sample preparation (for example, avoiding tight multilayer windings that limit expansion).

Related Standards

• EN 50289-4-1: Environmental test methods - General requirements (use in conjunction).
• EN 50290-1-2: Definitions for communication cables.
• EN 60068-2-14 (IEC 60068-2-14): Environmental testing - Test N: Change of temperature (referenced for climatic chamber examples).

By following EN 50289-4-6:2001 and its Detail Specification, testers can produce reproducible temperature-cycling results and reliable test reports that support product qualification and compliance decisions.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-september-2002
Communication cables - Specifications for test methods - Part 4-6: Environmental
test methods - Temperature cycling
Communication cables - Specifications for test methods -- Part 4-6: Environmental test
methods - Temperature cycling
Kommunikationskabel - Spezifikationen für Prüfverfahren -- Teil 4-6:
Umweltprüfverfahren - Temperaturwechselprüfung
Câbles de communication - Spécifications des méthodes d'essai -- Partie 4-6: Méthodes
d'essais d'environnement - Cycles thermiques
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 50289-4-6:2001
ICS:
33.120.10 Koaksialni kabli. Valovodi Coaxial cables. Waveguides
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 50289-4-6
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM October 2001
ICS 33.120.10
English version
Communication cables –
Specifications for test methods
Part 4-6: Environmental test methods –
Temperature cycling
Câbles de communication – Kommunikationskabel –
Spécifications des méthodes d'essai Spezifikationen für Prüfverfahren
Partie 4-6: Méthodes d'essais Teil 4-6: Umweltprüfverfahren -
d'environnement – Temperaturwechselprüfung
Cycles thermiques
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2001-05-01. 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 Central Secretariat 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 Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
CENELEC
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
Central Secretariat: rue de Stassart 35, B - 1050 Brussels
© 2001 CENELEC - All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC members.
Ref. No. EN 50289-4-6:2001 E
Foreword
This European Standard was prepared by the Technical Committee CENELEC TC 46X, Communication
cables.
The text of the draft was submitted to the formal vote and was approved by CENELEC as EN 50289-4-6 on
2001-05-01.
The following dates were fixed:
– latest date by which the EN has to be implemented
at national level by publication of an identical
national standard or by endorsement (dop) 2002-04-01
– latest date by which the national standards conflicting
with the EN have to be withdrawn (dow) 2004-04-01
This European Standard has been prepared under the European Mandate M/212 given to CENELEC by the
European Commission and the European Free Trade Association.

- 3 - EN 50289-4-6:2001
Contents
1 Scope . 4
2 Normative references. 4
3 Definitions. 4
4 Test methods. 4
4.1 Equipment. 4
4.2 Test sample . 4
4.3 Procedure . 5
4.3.1 Initial measurement. 5
4.3.2 Cycling. 5
4.3.3 Recovery. 6
4.4 Requirements . 6
4.5 Details to be specified. 6
5 Test report. 7

1 Scope
This Part 4-6 of EN 50289 details the method of test to determine the temperature cycling used in
analogue and digital communication systems.
It is to be read in conjunction with Part 4-1 of EN 50289, which contains essential provisions for
its application.
2 Normative references
This European Standard incorporates by dated or undated reference, provisions from other publications.
These normative references are cited at the appropriate places in the text and the publications are listed
hereafter. For dated references, subsequent amendments to or revisions of any of these publications apply
to this European Standard only when inc
...