IEC 61156-13:2023

Overview

IEC 61156-13:2023 is an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) sectional specification for symmetrical single pair cables used in horizontal floor wiring. It defines cable designs and performance criteria for carrying 10 Mbit/s signals over a single twisted pair with transmission characteristics specified up to 20 MHz (measured at 20 °C). The standard addresses both unscreened and screened constructions depending on the MICE environment and installation conditions, and includes two cable classes for different maximum channel lengths: A-1000 (up to 1 km) and A-400 (up to 400 m). Annex A provides a blank detail specification template for manufacturers and specifiers.

Key Topics and Requirements

• Transmission characteristics: Attenuation, phase delay, velocity of propagation and impedance requirements specified up to 20 MHz at 20 °C.
• Electrical tests: Conductor resistance, mutual capacitance, capacitance unbalance, insulation resistance, dielectric strength, transfer impedance, low-frequency coupling attenuation and return loss.
• Mechanical and environmental tests: Bending radius, tensile and elongation tests, crush/impact, vibration, thermal ageing, cold bend, damp heat, UV exposure, water immersion and fire/smoke/halogen assessments where applicable.
• Screening and MICE considerations: Guidance on using screened or unscreened single-pair cables depending on Mechanical, Ingress, Climatic and Electromagnetic (MICE) conditions and installation specifics.
• Powering support: While not intended for mains or low-impedance power sources, the cables are specified to support DC low-voltage remote powering applications commonly used in networked devices.
• Quality and format: Includes a blank detail specification to help manufacturers and purchasers define product-specific requirements.

Practical Applications and Users

IEC 61156-13 targets scenarios where single-pair Ethernet or similar 10 Mbit/s services are needed over horizontal building cabling, such as:

• Industrial automation networks and sensor/actuator wiring
• Building automation and control systems
• Low-speed backbone or long-reach monitoring links (up to 1 km with A-1000)
• Remote low-voltage DC powering of edge devices (PoDL-like applications)

Primary users:

• Cable manufacturers and product engineers specifying conductor, insulation and screening constructions
• Network designers and system integrators specifying horizontal floor wiring for buildings and industrial sites
• Test laboratories and certification bodies performing compliance testing
• Procurement and specification teams using the blank detail specification to create product contracts

Related Standards

• Other parts of the IEC 61156 series covering multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications
• Normative references cited within IEC 61156-13 (see the standard for the full list)

Keywords: IEC 61156-13, symmetrical single pair cables, single twisted pair, 10 Mbit/s, 20 MHz, horizontal floor wiring, A-1000, A-400, screened cable, unscreened cable, MICE environment, DC remote powering, transmission characteristics.