IEC TS 63334:2021

IEC TS 63334 ®
Edition 1.0 2021-11
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components –
Conditions for testing the protection against dust and water ingress of passive
optical protective housings and hardened fibre optic connectors (IP5X, IPX4,
IPX5, IPX6)
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IEC TS 63334 ®
Edition 1.0 2021-11
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components –

Conditions for testing the protection against dust and water ingress of passive

optical protective housings and hardened fibre optic connectors (IP5X, IPX4,

IPX5, IPX6)
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 33.180.20 ISBN 978-2-8322-1053-6

– 2 – IEC TS 63334:2021 © IEC 2021
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 8
2 Normative references . 8
3 Terms and definitions . 8
4 Abreviated terms . 9
5 Conditions for dust ingress testing (IP5X) of protective housings . 9
5.1 General . 9
5.2 Preparation of test sample . 9
5.3 Initial measurement . 10
5.4 Conditioning . 12
5.5 Visual and final optical performance check . 12
5.6 Requirements . 13
5.7 Details to be specified and reported . 13
6 Conditions for dust ingress testing (IP5X) of hardened connectors . 14
6.1 General . 14
6.2 Preparation of test sample . 14
6.3 Initial measurement . 15
6.4 Conditioning . 16
6.5 Visual and final optical performance check . 16
6.6 Requirements . 17
6.7 Details to be specified and reported . 17
7 Conditions for water ingress testing (IPX4, IPX5, IPX6) of protective housings and
hardened connectors . 18
7.1 General . 18
7.2 Preparation . 18
7.3 Conditioning . 19
7.4 Final examination . 19
7.5 Requirement . 20
7.6 Details to be specified and reported . 20
Annex A (normative) Dust ingress testing of protective housings with more than one
connection . 21
Annex B (informative) Graphical representation of maximum allowable water ingress . 23
Annex C (informative)  Example calculations of maximum allowable water ingress of
different DUT sizes . 24
Bibliography . 25

Figure 1 – Example of DUT preparation . 10
Figure 2 – Example of reference optical performance measurement . 10
Figure 3 – Example of optical performance measurement of connection B-2-C . 11
Figure 4 – Example of optical performance measurement of connection B-1-A . 12
Figure 5 – Example of DUT preparation . 14
Figure 6 – Example of reference optical performance measurement . 15
Figure 7 – Example of optical performance measurement of plug connected to socket 2 . 15
Figure 8 – Example of optical performance measurement of plug connected to socket 1 . 16

Figure 9 – Example of DUT preparation of a hardened connector . 19
Figure A.1 – Example of optical performance measurement of connection B-2-C . 21
Figure B.1 – Graphical representation of maximum allowable water ingress . 23

Table 1 – Overview of conditions for IP ratings covered in this document . 6
Table C.1 – Example calculations of maximum allowable water ingress of different
DUT sizes . 24

– 4 – IEC TS 63334:2021 © IEC 2021
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
FIBRE OPTIC INTERCONNECTING DEVICES
AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS –
Conditions for testing the protection against dust
and water ingress of passive optical protective housings and
hardened fibre optic connectors (IP5X, IPX4, IPX5, IPX6)

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
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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 TS 63334 has been prepared by subcommittee 86B: Fibre optic interconnecting devices
and passive components, of IEC technical committee 86: Fibre optics. It is a Technical
Specification.
The text of this Technical Specification is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
86B/4475/DTS 86B/4516A/RVDTS
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 Technical Specification 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.
The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under webstore.iec.ch in the data related to the
specific document. At this date, the document will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
– 6 – IEC TS 63334:2021 © IEC 2021
INTRODUCTION
This document includes conditions for testing the protection against dust and water ingress of
passive optical protective housings and hardened fibre optic connectors according to IEC 60529.
The conditions included in this document are applicable for testing the IP ratings as summarized
in Table 1.
Table 1 – Overview of conditions for IP ratings covered in this document
Passive optical protective housings and hardened fibre optic connectors
Degree of protection against dust Degree of protection against water
- IPX4  (protected against splashing water)
IP 5X  (dust-protected) IPX5  (protected against water jets)
- IPX6  (protected against powerful water jets)

Suitable acceptance conditions for the degree of protection as listed in Table 1 were searched
for in IEC SC 86B and CENELEC TC 86BXA and different options were evaluated and discussed.
The acceptance conditions in this document were presented and agreed in the Autumn 2019
meeting of IEC SC 86B/WG 6. This information was handed over to WG4, where this document
was developed.
The acceptance conditions for first characteristic numeral 5 (dust ingress) according to
IEC 60529 define that the protection is satisfactory if, on inspection, talcum powder has not
accumulated together with and any other kind of dust in quantity and location that could interfere
with the correct operation of equipment or impair safety. Additionally, it is satisfactory if no dust
deposits where it could lead to tracking along the creepage distances. Dust accumulation does
usually not impair the correct operation or impair the safety of passive optical protective
housings containing optical fibre cables, fibres, connectors and passive optical components,
and of hardened fibre optic connectors. Therefore, these conditions do not support the
evaluation if the product has passed or failed. It is not necessary to ban dust ingress for passive
optical protective housings and hardened fibre optic connectors with IP5X rating (dust-
protected). Applicable acceptance conditions for IP5X are included in this document specifically
for passive optical products.
Conditions for IP1X, IP2X, IP3X and IP4X rating (against solid foreign objects) are not included
in this document because probes with a defined form and diameter are used.
The acceptance conditions for second characteristic numerals (water ingress) according to
IEC 60529 define that if any water has entered, it generally does not interfere with the correct
operation of the equipment or impair safety, not deposit on insulation parts where it could lead
to tracking along the creepage distances, not reach live parts or windings not designed to
operate when wet, not accumulate near the cable end or enter the cable if any, and not
accumulate without doing any harm to the equipment. Water ingress does usually not impair
the correct operation or impair the safety of passive optical protective housings containing
optical fibre cables, fibres, connectors and/or passive optical components, and of hardened
fibre optic connectors. Therefore, these conditions do not support the evaluation if the product
has passed or failed. It is not necessary to ban water ingress for passive optical protective
housings and hardened fibre optic connectors with IPX4, IPX5 and IPX6 rating (splashing water
or water jet). A single fixed limit (e.g. 1 %, 0,1 %) was considered as not suitable for all sizes
of protective housings and hardened connectors, because it may be too low for the
determination of the volume of water ingress for small housings (e.g. 0,1 % of 0,1 l = 0,1 ml)
but suitable for larger housings. On the other hand, a larger limit that is suitable for small
housings may allow an excessive volume of water ingress in large housings that was also not
considered as suitable (e.g. 1 % of 750 l = 7,5 l). To take small and large housings into account,
a higher percentage for housings having a small inner volume (≤ 1 l) and a lower percentage
for large volumes (above 1 l) was considered as the best solution. Applicable acceptance

conditions for IPX4, IPX5 and IPX6 are included in this document specifically for passive optical
products.
Requirements against water ingress with IPX1, IPX2 and IPX3 (dripping and spraying) rating
are not specified in the performance standards for optical products. Therefore, no conditions
are included in this document for these ratings.

– 8 – IEC TS 63334:2021 © IEC 2021
FIBRE OPTIC INTERCONNECTING DEVICES
AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS –
Conditions for testing the protection against dust
and water ingress of passive optical protective housings and
hardened fibre optic connectors (IP5X, IPX4, IPX5, IPX6)

1 Scope
This document defines the conditions for testing the protection against dust and water ingress
of passive optical protective housings and hardened fibre optic connectors (IP5X, IPX4, IPX5,
IPX6) performed according to IEC 60529.
The conditions in this document supplement the test requirements specified in IEC 60529.
Protective housings and hardened connectors containing electrical conductors, electrical
connections, passive electrical components, active electrical equipment or electronics that
transmit signals or provide power are not within the scope of this document.
2 Normative references
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.
IEC 60529, Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)
IEC 61300-3-1, Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components – Basic test and
measurement procedures – Part 3-1: Examinations and measurements – Visual examination
IEC 61300-3-4, Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components – Basic test and
measurement procedures – Part 3-4: Examinations and measurements – Attenuation
IEC 61300-3-6, Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components – Basic test and
measurement procedures – Part 3-6: Examinations and measurements – Return loss
IEC 61753-1, Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components – Performance
standard – Part 1: General and guidance
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 61753-1 and
IEC 60529 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp

4 Abreviated terms
DUT device under test
5 Conditions for dust ingress testing (IP5X) of protective housings
5.1 General
The conditions in Clause 5 are applicable for testing the protection against dust ingress with
IP5X rating (dust-protected) of passive optical protective housings according to IEC 60529. The
conditions in Clause 5 supplement the test requirements specified in IEC 60529.
5.2 Preparation of test sample
The device under test (DUT) preparation shall be done in accordance with IEC 60529, according
to the requirements in the relevant specification and with the supplement conditions in 5.2.
Within the DUT, one fibre circuit with one connection (connector plug A, adaptor 1, connector
plug B) and with a connector plug C plugged in an adaptor 2 shall be mounted in an adaptor
field of the DUT, as shown in Figure 1.
If not otherwise specified in the relevant specification, one circuit with one connection shall be
prepared as shown in Figure 1. If more than one circuit with each a connection is specified,
then Annex A shows the configuration with three circuits (and three tested connections) for
illustration purposes and describes the procedure for more than one circuit.
A connector type with an optical interface that can be efficiently cleaned should be used, for
example a LC or SC connector type. The dust cap D provided by the manufacturer of the adaptor
2 shall be mounted on the opposite side of connector plug C in adaptor 2.

– 10 – IEC TS 63334:2021 © IEC 2021

Key
1, 2 adaptor
A, B, C connector plug
D dust cap
F cable feed through
P protection of cable end with connector plug
S protective housing
Figure 1 – Example of DUT preparation
All the fibre ends that are usually protected in cables shall exit the DUT and sealed according
to the manufacturer’s instruction of the DUT. The second end of the cables shall be prepared
for connection to optical performance measurement equipment (for example to a light source
and a power meter) and protected during conditioning with dust or guided out of the dust
chamber.
NOTE The fibre circuits and connector plugs in the DUT are arranged in the example given in Figure 1, Figure 3
and Figure 4 so that the preparation of the DUT can be easily recognised. In real products, the fibre circuits can be
arranged in a different way. The pre-installed connector plugs (A, C) are typically oriented downward whereas the
partly later installed cables and connector plugs (connected to the free port of adaptor 2) are oriented upward.
5.3 Initial measurement
A light source with a launch cord shall be connected with the power meter,
...