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Requirement to Earth Armoured Fibre optic cables

Ian Tindale
I have been asked a question by a client. Is there a requirement to Earth Armoured Fibre optic cabling? I know there is a requirement to earth standard SWA but nothing specific on fibre optic cable. I found an article relating to earthing but it was for the USA. Can anyone please give me some advice?


Kind regards

Ian
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    AdrianWint:




    Zoomup:

    So it might be better just to use the armour as mechanical protection and not earth it at all, OR just earth it at one end only if it connects two buildings and two earthing systems.


    Z.




    Indeed.


    This is were things get complicated as we cross over between sparks land and data/telecoms land.


     


     




    It's all the same rules basically. BS 7671 applies, in addition to BS 6701. This is explained in both standards in relevant places.



    Would you earth the armour of a multicore telecoms cable - I think BT might having something to say of you did!



    That depends whether BT owns the cable, but if the armour is NOT bonded in your installation, it must be suitably insulated - for example with cold shrink sleeving or similar - otherwise it's an unbonded extraneous-conductive-part, and a shock hazard.


    The exact same applies to any steel armour and catenaries in optical fibre cables.



    What about a armoured CAT5 between two buildings



    Same rules - if you bond at one end only, the other end must be suitably "gapped and insulated".


    In this case, of course BS EN 50174-3 and BS 6701 is also likely to require surge protection - and the application is of course not suitable for direct connection to ordinary indoor ethernet equipment ports.


    It's all well covered in the standards that we [should] work to.

     

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  • 0

    AdrianWint:




    Zoomup:

    So it might be better just to use the armour as mechanical protection and not earth it at all, OR just earth it at one end only if it connects two buildings and two earthing systems.


    Z.




    Indeed.


    This is were things get complicated as we cross over between sparks land and data/telecoms land.


     


     




    It's all the same rules basically. BS 7671 applies, in addition to BS 6701. This is explained in both standards in relevant places.



    Would you earth the armour of a multicore telecoms cable - I think BT might having something to say of you did!



    That depends whether BT owns the cable, but if the armour is NOT bonded in your installation, it must be suitably insulated - for example with cold shrink sleeving or similar - otherwise it's an unbonded extraneous-conductive-part, and a shock hazard.


    The exact same applies to any steel armour and catenaries in optical fibre cables.



    What about a armoured CAT5 between two buildings



    Same rules - if you bond at one end only, the other end must be suitably "gapped and insulated".


    In this case, of course BS EN 50174-3 and BS 6701 is also likely to require surge protection - and the application is of course not suitable for direct connection to ordinary indoor ethernet equipment ports.


    It's all well covered in the standards that we [should] work to.

     

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