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- Recommendation L.9
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- METHODS OF TERMINATING METALLIC TABLE CONDUCTORS
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- 1. General
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- Metallic cable conductor terminations are installed at various
- locations within the cable network. The type of terminal and
- termination device utilized in these locations is dependent on various factors
- relating to the specific installation:
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- - type of cable and conductor being terminated;
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- - location and purpose of the termination;
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- - number or quantity of terminations required;
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- - type of service or transmission link involved;
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- - flexibility and protection requirements.
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- Basically, all exchange, repeater (amplifier or regenerator), and major
- cross-connection point terminations are of the "fixed" type utilizing wrapping,
- soldering or insulation displacement connection (IDC) techniques.
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- Local distribution and customer terminations utilize a mixture of "fix"
- and "temporary" (screw terminal) type terminations depending on individual
- conditions. Where required, over-voltage protection may be provided as an integral
- component of the terminating device or a separate "add-on" facility.
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- Within a cable network, two methods of terminating cables are available.
- These may generally be referred to as the direct and indirect methods.
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- Direct termination implies that the conductors associated with a
- particular cable are connected directly to the terminal forming the "end" of the cable
- circuit, e.g. the cable conductor and terminal are directly coupled.
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- Indirect termination implies that the cable conductor is connected to the
- end terminal via a device that incorporates a performed or manufactured
- termination.
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- Direct terminations are usually utilized in end terminals such as at the
- exchange MDF and customer premises, although some direct terminations are used in
- the customer distribution cable area. In most other mid-point terminations,
- (distribution cabinets and pillards, repeater housings and termination points for
- trunk carrier and coaxial cables), indirect terminations utilizing devices with pre-terminating tail cables are spliced into the basic bearer cables.
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- The electric conducting parts of terminating devices will be of metal
- such as copper, brass or other similar alloys suitably plated to resist corrosion
- and other environmental effects and provide good electrical connection, either by
- contact, pressure, soldering or wrapping.
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- Various insulating materials, (Plastic extrusions and resin moulding)
- provide the mechanical mounting and electrical insulation of the metallic
- components.
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- 2. Termination types
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- 2.1 Termination types for symmetric pair conductors
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- - Wire-wrapping type
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- In this type, the conductor is wire-stripped and cut inserted in a wire-wrap tool and wire-wrapped around the terminal point.
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- - Solder-on type
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- In this type, the conductor is wire-stripped and cut inserted in terminal
- slot and soldered.
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- - Wrap and solder type
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- In this type, after wrapping, the conductor is soldered to the cut end of
- a terminal.
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- - Binder post type
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- There are different forms of this type.
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- a) By means of screws.
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- The conductor is wire-stripped, cut and fastened with screws by
- means of a screw driver.
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- b) By means of nuts.
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- Consist of a fixed threaded brass post containing a washer and a
- threaded hex nut. The conductors are terminated between the washers.
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- - Insulation displacement contact (IDC) type
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- In this type, generally the conductor is installed and pressed into a
- U-element contact by means of a special tool.
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- The U-element contact has different forms and is applied mostly to the
- terminal devices.
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- - Termination for unused conductors
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- This termination is made by means of plastic bodies connectors without
- U-element contacts, and are used for protection of unused conductors in a
- pedestal or splice closure.
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- 2.2 Termination types for coaxial conductors
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- - Connectors types
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- Coaxial pairs are terminated in connectors mounted on a metallic
- diaphragm for the access to the repeater housing of the terminal equipment.
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- The connector splices the stiff coaxial tube to the flexible one into
- the housing or exchange and is provided itself with a device for pneumatic
- insulation.
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- - Direct joint type
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- Sometimes, a joint between air core tube and flexible coaxial cable are
- made.
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- 3. Termination use
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- The types of termination are used in different devices for terminating
- cables in all their applications: main distribution frame, regenerating
- equipments, cabinets, terminal boxes and subscriber's premises.
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- These devices present some physical characteristics very different in
- every country, although their technical features (electrical and environmental
- requirements) are very similar.
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- 4. Requirements for MDF terminating devices
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- The basic requirements of the exchange MDF terminating device include
- the provision for:
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- - fixed termination of external cable conductors, in multipair units
- (usually 100), and associated jumper cross-connection
- leads;
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- - ease of termination, and retermination where necessary, of cable
- and jumper cross-connection conductors;
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- - over voltage protection by add-on or plug in of triode gas
- protectors;
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- - circuit isolation by insertion or removal of an appropriate
- device;
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- - independent circuit accessing and testing, for equipment and line
- sides;
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- - circuit paralleling;
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- - earthing points or buses;
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- - ratio of O/G to I/C circuit terminating capability of at least
- two;
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- - multi-point pair access connection (plugs and leads);
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- - colour coding of special circuits;
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- - fanning strips and jumper guides;
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- - permanent circuit indentification numbering;
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- - good visibility.
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- Technical requirements
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- The design, construction and materials utilized in the terminating
- device must provide for an expected service life of up to 40 years. Devices
- must be compatible with the existing MDF construction and utilization
- practices, interchangeable with the existing termination devices, and maintain or
- increase current circuit density per unit area.
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- The line side terminals shall be required to terminate the existing
- range of copper external cable conductors extending from 0.32 mm to 0.90 mm
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- diameter plastic insulated with solid or cellular forms of insulation. The
- equipment side terminals shall be required to terminate the existing range of
- copper internal cable conductors.
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- Reliable retermination of conductors in the order of 100 to 200 times
- over the life of the system shall be possible. Prior termination of larger
- conductors shall not affect the subsequent termination of a second thinner wire.
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- The lineside terminating device on which line cables terminate should
- allow for the installation and acceptance testing of external cables. (Current
- automatic simultaneous access, via the MDF termination, to all pairs in each 100
- or different pair terminating unit.)
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- Terminating equipment shall be able to withstand the effects of normal
- concentrations of moisture, sodium chloride, hydrogen sulphide, sulphur
- dioxide, ammonium chloride and formic acid which may penetrate or originate in
- buildings.
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- Terminating equipment shall be expected to operate satisfactorily in
- temperatures ranging from -10oC to 50oC with daily ambient fluctuations of up to
- 15oC. Upper temperature limits shall be assumed to prevail for 25% of total
- time. Yearly average relative humidity of 75% is to be assumed with maximum values
- not exceeding 95%.
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- In addition to the above, terminating equipment will be required to
- satisfy the following test requirements:
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- - cold;
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- - dry heat;
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- - damp heat;
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- - accelerated damp heat;
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- - vibration;
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- - storage;
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- - mould growth;
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- - corrosion test;
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- - robustness of terminals.
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- Safety
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- Terminating systems will need to be designed with safety and security
- in mind. To this end, designs should:
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- - minimize likelihood of unintended electrical contact and/or
- accidental dislocation of wires;
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- - use plastic materials with an oxygen index of at least
- 28 determined in accordance with international
- standards;
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- - use plastic materials which do not emit hazardous fumes or smoke
- when heated;
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- - avoid sharp corners and edges.
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- Electrical
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- All the terminating blocks should have good electrical characteristic
- in order to minimize the risk of personal injury to staff, customers and
- public from electrical causes arising from the installation, operation, and maintenance
- of the devices.
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- If necessary recommend good values for:
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- - insulation resistance;
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- - voltage proof test;
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- - capacitance between pairs of terminals.
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- 5. Requirements for cable termination devices
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- 5.1 Electrical characteristics of terminations
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- The main electrical characteristics specified in most of the administrations
- for termination devices are:
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- - dielectric strength;
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- - insulation resistance;
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- - reflection index (coaxial only);
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- - contact resistance.
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- These characteristics are different for coaxial pair terminations, long
- distance symmetric pair cables and local symmetric pair cables.
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- 5.2 Environmental requirements of terminations
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- The requirements should be specified at least for 20 years of field
- operation in stationary use at partially weather-protected locations. The IEC Standards
- should be followed:
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- - temperature cycling, lower and upper limits;
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- - change of temperature;
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- - damp heat, steady state;
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- - standard climatic sequence;
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- 1. dry heat,
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- 2. damp heat, cyclic,
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- 3. cold,
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- 4. damp heat, cyclic,
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- - gas-tightness;
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- - shock or vibration.
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