IEC 61935-2: Testing Patch Cords and Equipment Cords

What it covers

IEC 61935-2 sets test methods for balanced and coaxial cords used in cabling to ISO/IEC 11801-1. This covers equipment cords, patch cords, work area cords and consolidation point (CP) cords. The aim is to show performance and reliability, and to keep cords compatible with the cabling over their working life.

The methods suit any balanced or coaxial cord with connectors at both ends. The document can also be used to assess other cords.

Balanced cords are built from cable to the IEC 61156 series and connectors to the IEC 60603-7 series (RJ45 types), IEC 61076-3-104, IEC 61076-3-110, IEC 61076-2-101 or IEC 61076-2-109 (M12). Coaxial cords use cable to IEC 61196-1 and connectors to IEC 61169-1.

Editions before 2010 were titled Patch cords and work area cords. Edition 4 covers cords up to Category 8.1 and Category 8.2 as defined in ISO/IEC 11801-1.

Amendment 1 (2026)

Amendment 1 extends the component requirements, transmission requirements and test procedures to balanced single-pair cords. Single-pair cord cable is to IEC 61156-11 to -14 and connectors to the IEC 63171 series. A new normative Annex C covers single-pair cord transmission requirements.

Acceptance tests

Acceptance tests must be run on at least 5 % of each lot or batch. Testing every cord is recommended. Four tests are compulsory:

Further tests may be run where the cord’s cable and connectors have not been shown to meet their own component standards:

• Insertion loss and attenuation
• Pair-to-pair ACRF and PS ACRF
• Alien crosstalk (PS ANEXT and PS AACRF)
• Unbalance attenuation (TCL and EL TCTL)
• Coupling attenuation (screened balanced cords)
• Screening attenuation and transfer impedance (screened balanced and coaxial cords)
• Propagation delay and delay skew
• DC resistance, and DC resistance unbalance within and between pairs

Periodic (type) tests

Periodic tests are mechanical and environmental qualification tests. They are run on representative samples under the manufacturer’s quality system. Transmission is measured before and after each conditioning step.

• Tensile strength
• Flexure, in a test fixture
• Bending, with the assembly in a U shape
• Twisting, with the assembly in a U shape
• Crushing, in a cable crushing fixture
• Dust, in a dust test chamber
• Climatic sequence, to IEC 60068-2-61

Test fixtures and test heads

Measurements are made with qualified test fixtures fitted with reference test heads. A test head is built from a standard connector that meets three levels of performance:

• The basic performance of its component connector standard.
• Extra margin, so it can measure the basic requirements accurately.
• Special requirements for particular connectors, for example the crosstalk compensation of IEC 60603-7 series connectors.

Balanced cords are measured to IEC 61935-1 and IEC TR 61156-1-2, using the configuration in Annex B. Coaxial cords are measured to IEC 60966-1 and Annex A.

Related standards

What it means in practice

• A permanent link certified in the field does not test the cords. Cords are tested to this standard, normally by the manufacturer.
• Check a cord’s datasheet states the category and the standard it is tested to.
• Ask whether every cord is tested or a sample. The standard requires at least 5 % and recommends 100 %.
• For Category 8.1 or 8.2 channels, check the cords are rated for that category. Edition 3 did not cover them.

Related reading: How to read a cable test certificate.