[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 11]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR1755.703]

[Page 660-662]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
    CHAPTER XVII--RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 1755--TELECOMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1755.703  Nonmetallic reinforced (NMR) aerial service wire.

    (a) Conductors. (1) Each conductor shall comply with the 
requirements specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraphs 2.2 and 
2.2.1. The ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993 Standard For Telecommunications 
Aerial Service Wire, Technical Requirements (approved by ANSI July 11, 
1994) is incorporated by reference in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) 
and 1 CFR part 51. Copies of ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993 are available for 
inspection during normal business hours at RUS, room 2845, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250-1500 or at the Office of 
the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, 
Washington, DC. Copies are available from ICEA, P. O. Box 440, South 
Yarmouth, MA 02664, telephone number (508) 394-4424.
    (2) Factory joints made in the conductors during the manufacturing 
process shall comply with the requirement specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-
648-1993, paragraph 2.2.2.
    (b) Conductor insulation. (1) The raw materials used for the 
conductor insulation shall comply with the requirements specified in 
ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraphs 3.2 through 3.2.2.
    (2) The finished conductor insulation shall comply with the 
requirements specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 3.2.3.
    (3) The dimensions of the insulated conductors shall comply with the 
requirements specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 3.2.3.1.
    (4) The colors of the insulation shall comply with the requirements 
specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 3.2.3.2.
    (5) A permissible overall performance level of faults in conductor 
insulation shall comply with the requirement specified in ANSI/ICEA S-
89-648-1993, paragraph 3.2.4.6. The length count and number of faults 
shall be recorded. The information shall be retained for a period of 6 
months and be available for review by RUS when requested.
    (6) Repairs to the conductor insulation during manufacture are 
permissible. The method of repair shall be accepted by RUS prior to its 
use. The repaired insulation shall comply with the requirement specified 
in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 3.2.3.3.
    (7) All repaired sections of insulation shall be retested in the 
same manner as originally tested for compliance with paragraph (b)(5) of 
this section.
    (8) The colored insulating material removed from or tested on the 
conductor, from a finished wire shall comply with the requirements 
specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraphs 3.2.4 through 3.2.4.5.
    (c) Identification of pairs and layup of pairs. (1) The insulation 
shall be colored coded to identify:
    (i) The tip and ring conductor of each pair; and
    (ii) Each pair in the completed wire.
    (2) The colors to be used in the pairs together with the pair 
numbers shall be in accordance with the table specified in ANSI/ICEA S-
89-648-1993, paragraph 4.1.1.
    (3) The insulated conductors shall be either layed parallel (two 
conductor design only) or twisted into pairs.
    (4) When using parallel conductors for the two conductor design, the 
parallel conductors shall be designed to enable the wire to meet the 
electrical requirements specified in paragraph (g) of this section.
    (5) When twisted pairs are used, the following requirements shall be 
met:
    (i) The pair twists shall be designed to enable the wire to meet the 
electrical requirements specified in paragraph (g) of this section; and
    (ii) The average length of pair twists in any pair in the finished 
wire, when measured on any 3 meter (10 foot) length, shall not exceed 
the requirement specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 4.1.
    (6) An alternative method of forming the two-pair wire is the use of 
a star-quad configuration.
    (i) The assembly of the star-quad shall be such as to enable the 
wire to

[[Page 661]]

meet the electrical requirements specified in paragraph (g) of this 
section.
    (ii) The star-quad configuration shall be assembled in accordance 
with ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 4.1.2.
    (iii) The average length of twist for the star-quad in the finished 
wire, when measured on any 3 meter (10 foot) length, shall not exceed 
the requirement specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 4.1.
    (iv) The color scheme used to provide identification of the tip and 
ring conductors of each pair in the star-quad shall comply with the 
table specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 4.1.2.
    (d) Strength members. The strength members shall comply with the 
requirements specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraphs 6.1 and 
6.1.1.
    (e) Wire jacket. (1) The jacket shall comply with the requirements 
specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraphs 5.1 and 5.1.1.
    (2) The jacket raw materials shall be accepted by RUS prior to their 
use.
    (f) Wire assembly. The finished wire assembly shall be in accordance 
with ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 5.1.3 and Figure 5-1.
    (g) Electrical requirements--(1) Conductor resistance. The dc 
resistance of each conductor in a completed NMR aerial service wire 
shall comply with the requirement specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, 
paragraph 7.2.2.
    (2) Resistance unbalance. (i) The dc resistance unbalance between 
the two conductors of any pair in a completed NMR aerial service wire 
and the average resistance unbalance of all pairs in a Quality Control 
Lot shall comply with the requirements specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-
1993, paragraph 7.2.3.
    (ii) The resistance unbalance between tip and ring conductors shall 
be random with respect to the direction of unbalance. That is, the 
resistance of the tip conductors shall not be consistently higher with 
respect to the ring conductors and vice versa.
    (3) Dry mutual capacitance. The dry mutual capacitance of the 
completed NMR aerial service wire shall comply with the requirements 
specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 7.2.4, Type 1.
    (4) Pair-to-pair capacitance unbalance. The pair-to-pair capacitance 
unbalance as measured on the completed NMR aerial service wire shall 
comply with the requirements specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, 
paragraph 7.2.5.
    (5) Attenuation. (i) The dry attenuation of the completed NMR aerial 
service wire shall comply with the requirement specified in ANSI/ICEA S-
89-648-1993, paragraph 7.2.7.
    (ii) The wet attenuation of the completed NMR aerial service wire 
shall comply with the requirement specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, 
paragraph 7.2.8.
    (6) Insulation resistance. (i) The dry insulation resistance of the 
completed NMR aerial service wire shall comply with the requirement 
specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 7.2.9.
    (ii) The wet insulation resistance of the completed NMR aerial 
service wire shall comply with the requirement specified in ANSI/ICEA S-
89-648-1993, paragraph 7.2.10.
    (7) Wet dielectric strength. The wet dielectric strength between 
conductors and between each conductor of the completed NMR aerial 
service wire and the surrounding water shall comply with the requirement 
specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 7.2.11.
    (8) Fusing coordination. The completed NMR aerial service wire shall 
comply with the fusing coordination requirement specified in ANSI/ICEA 
S-89-648-1993, paragraph 7.2.13.
    (9) Crosstalk loss. (i) The output-to-output far-end crosstalk loss 
(FEXT) for any pair of completed NMR aerial service wire shall comply 
with the requirement specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 
7.2.14.
    (ii) The input-to-input near-end crosstalk loss (NEXT) for any pair 
of completed NMR aerial service wire shall comply with the requirement 
specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 7.2.14.
    (h) Mechanical requirements--(1) Impact test. (i) All NMR aerial 
service wires manufactured in accordance with this section shall comply 
with the unaged impact test specified in Sec. 1755.702(f)(1)(i).

[[Page 662]]

    (ii) All NMR aerial service wires manufactured in accordance with 
this section shall comply with the aged impact test specified in 
Sec. 1755.702(f)(1)(ii).
    (2) Abrasion resistance test. All NMR aerial service wires 
manufactured in accordance with this section shall comply with the 
abrasion resistance test specified in Sec. 1755.702(f)(2).
    (3) Static load test. All NMR aerial service wires manufactured in 
accordance with this section shall comply with the static load test 
specified in Sec. 1755.702(f)(3).
    (4) Elongation test. All NMR aerial service wires manufactured in 
accordance with this section shall comply with the elongation test 
specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 8.1.7.
    (5) Plasticizer compatibility test. All NMR aerial service wires 
manufactured in accordance with this section shall comply with the 
plasticizer compatibility test specified in Sec. 1755.702(f)(4).
    (i) Environmental requirements--(1) Cold temperature handling test. 
(i) All NMR aerial service wires manufactured in accordance with this 
section shall comply with the unaged cold temperature handling test 
specified in Sec. 1755.702(g)(1)(i).
    (ii) All NMR aerial service wires manufactured in accordance with 
this section shall comply with the aged cold temperature handling test 
specified in Sec. 1755.702(g)(1)(ii).
    (2) Light absorption test. All NMR aerial service wires manufactured 
in accordance with this section shall comply with the light absorption 
test specified in Sec. 1755.702(g)(2).
    (3) Flammability test. All NMR aerial service wires manufactured in 
accordance with this section shall comply with the flammability test 
specified in Sec. 1755.702(g)(4).
    (4) Wire listing. All NMR aerial service wires manufactured in 
accordance with this section shall comply with the listing requirements 
specified in Sec. 1755.702(g)(5).
    (j) Ripcord (optional). (1) A ripcord may be used in the NMR aerial 
service wire structure at the option of the manufacturer unless 
specified by the end user.
    (2) When a ripcord is used it shall comply with the requirements 
specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraphs 4.2 through 4.2.3.
    (k) Identification marker. Each length of NMR aerial service wire 
shall be identified in accordance with ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, 
paragraphs 9.1 through 9.1.4. When surface marking is employed, the 
color of the initial marking shall be either white or silver.
    (l) Length marking (optional). (1) Sequentially numbered length 
marking of the completed NMR aerial service wire may be used at the 
option of the manufacturer unless specified by the end user.
    (2) When sequentially numbered length markings are used, the length 
markings shall be in accordance with in accordance with 
Sec. 1755.702(i)(2).
    (m) Durability of marking. The durability of the marking of the NMR 
aerial service wire shall comply with the requirements specified in 
Sec. 1755.702(j).

[61 FR 26076, May 24, 1996]