IEC 60189-1:2007

INTERNATIONAL IEC
STANDARD 60189-1
Third edition
2007-05
Low-frequency cables and wires
with PVC insulation and PVC sheath –
Part 1:
General test and measuring methods

Reference number
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INTERNATIONAL IEC
STANDARD 60189-1
Third edition
2007-05
Low-frequency cables and wires
with PVC insulation and PVC sheath –
Part 1:
General test and measuring methods

PRICE CODE
Commission Electrotechnique Internationale Q
International Electrotechnical Commission
МеждународнаяЭлектротехническаяКомиссия
For price, see current catalogue

– 2 – 60189-1 © IEC:2007(E)
CONTENTS
FOREWORD.4

1 Scope.6

2 Normative references .6

3 Terms and definitions .7

4 Standard conditions for testing .7

5 Dimensions .7

5.1 Selection and preparation of samples.7
5.1.1 Insulation.7
5.1.2 Sheath.8
5.1.3 Finished cable or wire.8
5.2 Measurement of dimensions .8
5.2.1 Minimum thickness of insulation or sheath.8
5.2.2 Mean thickness of insulation or sheath .9
5.2.3 Diameter of finished cable or wire.9
6 Mechanical tests.9
6.1 Selection, marking and preparation of samples for tensile tests.9
6.1.1 Conductors .9
6.1.2 Insulation.9
6.1.3 Sheath.10
6.2 Measurement of cross-sectional area for tensile test .11
6.2.1 General .11
6.2.2 Insulation.11
6.2.3 Sheath.11
6.3 Tensile test .12
6.3.1 Conditioning of test pieces .12
6.3.2 Tensile testing procedure .12
6.3.3 Expression of results .12
6.4 Stripping properties of insulation .12
6.4.1 General .12
6.4.2 Test method .12
7 Thermal stability and climatic tests .13

7.1 Accelerated ageing.13
7.2 Pressure test at high temperature.13
7.3 Resistance to flame propagation .13
7.3.1 General .13
7.3.2 Wires.14
7.3.3 Cables.14
7.4 Cold bend test.14
7.4.1 General .14
7.4.2 Insulation.14
7.4.3 Sheath.14
7.5 Heat shock test .14
7.5.1 General .14
7.5.2 Insulation.14
7.5.3 Sheath.14

60189-1 © IEC:2007(E) – 3 –
7.6 Measurement of insulation shrinkage after overheating of conductor .15

7.7 Combined shrinkage and heat shock test .15

7.8 Solder test on tinned conductors .15

8 Electrical tests.15

8.1 Electrical resistance of conductors .15

8.2 Dielectric strength .16

8.2.1 General .16

8.2.2 Wires.16

8.2.3 Cables.16

8.3 Insulation resistance .16
8.3.1 General .16
8.3.2 Wires.16
8.3.3 Cables.17
8.4 Mutual capacitance .17
8.5 Capacitance unbalance (conductor to conductor) .17

Figure 1 – Dumb-bell test piece .11
Figure 2 – Small dumb-bell test piece .11
Figure 3 – Stripping properties of insulation .12
Figure 4 – Position of the sample in the text apparatus .13

– 4 – 60189-1 © IEC:2007(E)
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

____________
LOW-FREQUENCY CABLES AND WIRES

WITH PVC INSULATION AND PVC SHEATH –

Part 1: General test and measuring methods

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 provides no marking procedure to indicate its approval and cannot be rendered responsible for any
equipment declared to be in conformity with an IEC Publication.
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.
International Standard IEC 60189-1 has been prepared by subcommittee 46C: Wires and
symmetric cables, of IEC technical committee 46: Cables, wires, waveguides, r.f. connectors,
r.f. and microwave passive components and accessories.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition published in 1986, amendment 1
(1988), amendment 2 (1989) and amendment 3 (1992). This edition constitutes a technical
revision.
This edition is a significant revision of general tests and measuring methods.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
46C/820/FDIS 46C/828/RVD
60189-1 © IEC:2007(E) – 5 –
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on

voting indicated in the above table.

This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

The list of all the parts of the IEC 60189 series, under the general title Low-frequency cables

and wires with PVC insulation and PVC sheath, can be found on the IEC website.

The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until

the maintenance result date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in

the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed;
• withdrawn;
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
A bilingual version of this publication may be issued at a later date.

– 6 – 60189-1 © IEC:2007(E)
LOW-FREQUENCY CABLES AND WIRES

WITH PVC INSULATION AND PVC SHEATH –

Part 1: General test and measuring methods

1 Scope
This part of IEC 60189 specifies mechanical, electrical and climatic test methods for low-
frequency cables and wires designed for use in telecommunication inside plant and equipment
and in electronic devices employing similar techniques.
NOTE The other parts of IEC 60189 describe the construction and characteristics of each type of cable and wire.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application 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.
IEC 60028, International standard of resistance for copper
IEC 60068 (all parts), Environmental testing
IEC 60332-1 (all parts), Tests on electric and optical fibre cables under fire conditions –
Part 1: Test for vertical flame propagation for a single insulated wire or cable
IEC 60332-2 (all parts), Tests on electric and optical fibre cables under fire conditions –
Part 2: Test for vertical flame propagation for a single small insulated wire or cable
IEC 60811-1-1:1998, Common test methods for insulating and sheathing materials of electric
cables and optical cables – Part 1-1: Methods for general application – Measurement of
thickness and overall dimensions – Tests for determining the mechanical properties
IEC 60811-1-2:1985, Common test methods for insulating and sheathing materials of electric
cables – Part 1: Methods for general application – Section Two: Thermal ageing methods
IEC 60811-1-3:1993, Common test methods for insulating and sheathing materials of electric
and optical cables – Part 1-3: General application – Methods for determining the density –
Water absorption tests – Shrinkage test
IEC 60811-1-4:1985, Common test methods for insulating and sheathing materials of electric
cables – Part 1: Methods for general application – Section Four: Test at low temperature
IEC 60811-3-1:1985, Common test methods for insulating and sheathing materials of electric
cables – Part 3: Methods specific to PVC compounds – Section One: Pressure test at high
temperature – Tests for resistance to cracking
IEC 60885-1:1987, Electrical test methods for electric cables – Part 1: Electrical tests for
cables, cords and wires for voltages up to and including 450/750 V
ISO 6892:1998, Metallic materials – Tensile testing at ambient temperature

60189-1 © IEC:2007(E) – 7 –
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

3.1
conductor
part of the cable or wire intended to carry electric current. The conductor may be

a) solid – made of a single strand of circular cross-section;

b) stranded – made of several strands of circular cross-section assembled either by laying

up concentrically or by bunching, and without insulation between them.

The properties of the copper are in accordance with IEC 60028
3.2
low-frequency wire
insulated conductor or assembly of several insulated conductors, laid up together and which
may be provided with a screen. The wire may be
a) single – consists of a single insulated conductor;
b) multiple – consists of several insulated conductors
NOTE The following designations are used:
pair – for multiple wire with two conductors;
triple – for multiple wire with three conductors;
quad – for multiple wire with four conductors;
quintuple – for multiple wire with five conductors.
3.3
low-frequency cables – sheathed cable
assembly of insulated conductors enclosed in a common continuous protective covering
4 Standard conditions for testing
Unless otherwise specified, all tests shall be carried out under the conditions specified in
IEC 60068.
Unless otherwise specified, tests shall be made at room temperature.

When several test results have been obtained and ordered in an increasing or decreasing
succession, the median value is the middle value if the number of available values is odd, and
is the mean of the two middle values if the number is even.
5 Dimensions
5.1 Selection and preparation of samples
5.1.1 Insulation
Samples of insulated conductors, approximately 100 mm in length, shall be taken at both
ends of the cable or wire.
One sample shall be taken at each end. Any covering(s) shall be removed from the insulation
and the conductor withdrawn, care being taken not to damage the insulation. Each test piece

– 8 – 60189-1 © IEC:2007(E)
shall consist of a thin slice of insulation. The slice shall be cut with a suitable device along a

plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conductor.

5.1.2 Sheath
Samples, approximately 100 mm in length, shall be taken from the finished cable at both

ends.
One sample shall be taken at each end. The insulated conductors binding tapes and

screening, if any, shall then be removed from the sheath, and each test piece shall be

prepared by cutting with a suitable device a thin slice along a plane perpendicular to the axis

of the cable. If necessary the planes of the cuts shall be carefully smoothed.
If a marking is stamped into the sheath, thus giving rise to a local reduction of thickness, the
test piece shall be taken so as to include such marking. The test piece shall not include such
a reduction of thickness if it is made by the rip cord.
5.1.3 Finished cable or wire
Samples of finished cable or wire, approximately 100 mm in length, shall be taken at both
ends. One sample shall be taken at each end.
5.2 Measurement of dimensions
5.2.1 Minimum thickness of insulation or sheath
5.2.1.1 Insulation
Both samples (one at each en
...