Connectors for power cables. Experience of testing according to new standard IEC 1238-1

Throughout the world there has been a number of national standards for testing connectors for power cables. The different test methods made it very difficult to introduce new connection systems into new markets. There was a need for an international standard, and the work started as early as 1976. As an input for the work several national standards were used. The work was very difficult, which is reflected in the fact that it took until 1993 before IEC 1238-1 was published. The end result is a standard which in principle follows the traditional method of heat cycling for accelerated ageing. Requirements and statistical evaluation of the test values are influenced by existing national standards. An attempt was made to introduce a more scientific method developed by the former ECRC in Capenhurst, UK, for both ageing and assessing of the test results. The method was not accepted because of unfamiliarity with the method and the work-load that was needed to correlate this test method with existing methods. Many countries were using the VDE standard as it was, or with minor modifications. In our comparisons we refer to the old VDE standard for crimp connections. A separate VDE standard for mechanical connections is also available.