EN IEC 60794-1-216:2025

Optical fibre cables - Part 1-216: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods - Compound flow (drip), Method F16

IEC 60794-1-216:2025 defines test procedures to ensure the filling and flooding compounds will not flow from a filled or flooded fibre optic cable, at stated temperatures. NOTE The environmental testing of optical cable would be valuable for some applications. Useful information about suitable test methods can be found in the optical fibre standards IEC 60794-1-2. This document partially cancels and replaces the second edition of 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) Addition of new Clause 10.

Lichtwellenleiterkabel - Teil 1-216: Fachgrundspezifikation - Grundlegende Prüfverfahren für Lichtwellenleiterkabel - Umweltprüfverfahren - Ausfluss von Aderfüllmasse (Austropfen), Verfahren F16

Câbles à fibres optiques - Partie 1-216: Spécification générique - Procédures fondamentales d’essais des câbles optiques - Méthodes d’essais d’environnement - Écoulement (égouttement) des matériaux de remplissage, méthode F16

IEC 60794-1-216:2025 définit des procédures d'essais pour s'assurer que les matériaux de remplissage ne s’écoulent pas aux températures spécifiées d’un câble fibronique rempli. NOTE Les essais d’environnement appliqués au câble à fibres optiques sont susceptibles d’être particulièrement utiles dans le cas de certaines applications. Des informations utiles liées aux méthodes d'essais appropriées sont fournies dans la norme relative aux fibres optiques IEC 60794-1-2. Ce document annule et remplace partiellement la deuxième édition de l'IEC 60794-1-22:2017. Cette édition constitue une révision technique. Cette édition inclut les modifications techniques majeures suivantes par rapport à l’IEC 60794‑1‑22:2017: a) Ajout du nouvel Article 10.

Optični kabli - 1-216. del: Splošna specifikacija - Osnovni preskusni postopki za optične kable - Okoljske preskusne metode - Pretok spojine (kapljanje), metoda F16 (IEC 60794-1-216:2025)

Ta del standarda IEC 60794 določa preskusne postopke, s katerimi se zagotovi, da polnilne in poplavne spojine pri navedenih temperaturah ne bodo iztekle iz napolnjenega ali poplavljenega optičnega kabla.
OPOMBA: Okoljsko preskušanje optičnega kabla je lahko koristno za nekatere vrste uporabe. Koristne informacije o ustreznih preskusnih metodah so na voljo v standardu za optična vlakna IEC 60794-1-2.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 05-Jun-2025
• ICS: 33.180.10 - Fibres and cables
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 86A - Optical fibres and optical fibre cables
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 06-Jun-2025
• Due Date: 25-Jul-2025
• Completion Date: 06-Jun-2025
• Ref Project: SIST EN IEC 60794-1-216:2025 - Optical fibre cables - Part 1-216: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods - Compound flow (drip), method F16 (IEC 60794-1-216:2025)

Relations

• Splited From: EN IEC 60794-1-22:2018 - Optical fibre cables - Part 1-22: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods
• Effective Date: 20-May-2025

Overview

The EN IEC 60794-1-216:2025 standard, titled Optical fibre cables - Part 1-216: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods - Compound flow (drip), Method F16, is a key document issued by the CLC that specifies test procedures ensuring the integrity of filling and flooding compounds inside fibre optic cables under various temperature conditions. This standard is designed to prevent compound leakage from filled or flooded optical fibre cables, promoting reliability and durability in diverse environmental conditions.

This standard partially replaces the earlier edition IEC 60794-1-22:2017 and introduces updated and numbered test methods specific to optical fibre cable environmental testing, with a new Clause 10 added for further technical rigor.

Key Topics

• Test Procedures for Compound Flow: Method F16 precisely defines how to assess whether the filling and flooding compounds inside fibre optic cables maintain their position without dripping or flowing out under specified temperature exposures.

• Sample Preparation and Size: Specifications include preparing cable samples typically 200 mm ± 5 mm in length with removal of outer sheathing and non-intrinsic elements to allow for standardized testing.

• Environmental Testing Context: This standard complements IEC 60794-1-2 by focusing on environmental test conditions relevant to optical fibre cable compounds, ensuring compounds remain effective without migration under stress.

• Requirements and Reporting: Methodology incorporates clear requirements for apparatus, step-by-step procedural instructions, and detailed reporting criteria to ensure consistent and reliable test outcomes.

• Updated Numbering and Structure: Test methods related to environmental aspects of optical cables are now individually documented for clarity and traceability, continuing the F-series numbering sequence.

Applications

This standard is critical for manufacturers, testers, and quality assurance professionals involved with the production and certification of optical fibre cables, especially those:

• Used in environments prone to temperature fluctuations which might impact the stability of cable filling materials.
• Intended for outdoor installations where environmental resilience of cable compounds is essential to prevent ingress of moisture or physical degradation.
• Requiring compliance with international and European testing frameworks to assure quality and performance in telecom, data centers, and industrial communications infrastructure.

By following EN IEC 60794-1-216:2025, stakeholders can mitigate risks associated with compound leakage, improve long-term cable reliability, and align with recognized best practices in optical fibre cable testing.

Related Standards

• IEC 60794-1-2: Generic specification with basic optical cable test procedures - general guidance, providing foundational terms and test method references tied to this standard.
• IEC 60794 Series: Encompasses various parts addressing different optical fibre cable tests and specifications tailored to multiple physical and environmental conditions.
• Superseded standard IEC 60794-1-22:2017, which is partially replaced by this 2025 edition, reflecting newer technical updates.

This standard should be used in conjunction with the IEC Electropedia and ISO Online Browsing Platform for terminology consistency and further exploration of related fibre optic cable standards.

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Keywords: optical fibre cable testing, compound flow test, environmental test methods, IEC 60794-1-216, cable filling compounds, fibre optic cable standards, cable compound leakage, Method F16, CLC standards, optical cable quality assurance.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-julij-2025
Nadomešča:
SIST EN IEC 60794-1-22:2018
Optični kabli - 1-216. del: Splošna specifikacija - Osnovni preskusni postopki za
optične kable - Okoljske preskusne metode - Pretok spojine (kapljanje), metoda
F16 (IEC 60794-1-216:2025)
Optical fibre cables - Part 1-216: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test
procedures - Environmental test methods - Compound flow (drip), method F16 (IEC
60794-1-216:2025)
Lichtwellenleiterkabel - Teil 1-216: Fachgrundspezifikation - Grundlegende Prüfverfahren
für optische Kabel - Umweltprüfverfahren - Zusammengesetzter Durchfluss (Abtropfen),
Methode F16 (IEC 60794-1-216:2025)
Câbles à fibres optiques - Partie 1-216: Spécification générique - Procédures
fondamentales d’essais des câbles optiques - Méthodes d’essais d’environnement -
écoulement (égouttement) des matériaux de remplissage, méthode f16 (IEC 60794-1-
216:2025)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN IEC 60794-1-216:2025
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 60794-1-216

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM June 2025
ICS 33.180.10 Supersedes EN IEC 60794-1-22:2018 (partially)
English Version
Optical fibre cables - Part 1-216: Generic specification - Basic
optical cable test procedures - Environmental test methods -
Compound flow (drip), Method F16
(IEC 60794-1-216:2025)
Câbles à fibres optiques - Partie 1-216: Spécification Lichtwellenleiterkabel - Teil 1-216: Fachgrundspezifikation -
générique - Procédures fondamentales d'essais des câbles Grundlegende Prüfverfahren für Lichtwellenleiterkabel -
optiques - Méthodes d'essais d'environnement - Umweltprüfverfahren - Zusammengesetzter Durchfluss
Écoulement (égouttement) des matériaux de remplissage, (Abtropfen), Verfahren F16
méthode F16 (IEC 60794-1-216:2025)
(IEC 60794-1-216:2025)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2025-05-28. 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
© 2025 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN IEC 60794-1-216:2025 E

European foreword
The text of document 86A/2544/FDIS, future edition 1 of IEC 60794-1-216, 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 60794-1-216:2025.
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at national (dop) 2026-06-30
level by publication of an identical national standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national standards conflicting with the (dow) 2028-06-30
document have to be withdrawn
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.
This document partially supersedes EN IEC 60794-1-22:2018.
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 60794-1-216:2025 was approved by CENELEC as a
European Standard without any modification.
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.cencenelec.eu.
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year
IEC 60794-1-2 - Optical fibre cables - Part 1-2: Generic EN IEC 60794-1-2 -
specification - Basic optical cable test
procedures - General guidance
IEC 60794-1-216 ®
Edition 1.0 2025-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Optical fibre cables –
Part 1-216: Generic specification – Basic optical cable test procedures –

Environmental test methods – Compound flow (drip), Method F16

Câbles à fibres optiques –
Partie 1-216: Spécification générique – Procédures fondamentales d’essais des

câbles optiques – Méthodes d’essais d’environnement – Écoulement

(égouttement) des matériaux de remplissage, méthode F16

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 33.180.10  ISBN 978-2-8327-0371-7

– 2 – IEC 60794-1-216:2025 © IEC 2025
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
INTRODUCTION . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 General requirements. 6
5 Sample . 6
5.1 Number and type of samples. 6
5.2 Sample length . 7
5.3 Sample preparation. 7
5.4 Sample termination . 8
6 Apparatus . 8
7 Procedure . 8
8 Requirements . 9
9 Details to be specified . 9
10 Details to be reported . 9

Figure 1 – Preparation of the sample . 7

Table 1 – Values and tolerances for the length of sample . 7

IEC 60794-1-216:2025 © IEC 2025 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES –
Part 1-216: Generic specification – Basic optical cable test procedures –
Environmental test methods – Compound flow (drip), Method F16

FOREWORD
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