NOTICE OF DISCLAIMER AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

The document to which this Notice is affixed (the “Document”) has been prepared by one or more Engineering
Committees or Formulating Groups of the Telecommunications Industry Association (“TIA”). TIA is not the author of the
Document contents, but publishes and claims copyright to the Document pursuant to licenses and permission granted by
the authors of the contents.

TIA Engineering Committees and Formulating Groups are expected to conduct their affairs in accordance with the TIA
Procedures for American National Standards and TIA Engineering Committee Operating Procedures, the current and
predecessor versions of which are available at http://www.tiaonline.org/standards/ec-procedures)/TIA’s function is to
administer the process, but not the content, of document preparation in accordance with the Manual and, when
appropriate, the policies and procedures of the American National Standards Institute (“ANSI”). TIA does not evaluate,
test, verify or investigate the information, accuracy, soundness, or credibility of the contents of the Document. In
publishing the Document, TIA disclaims any undertaking to perform any duty owed to or for anyone.

If the Document is identified or marked as a project number (PN) document, or as a standards proposal (SP) document,
persons or parties reading or in any way interested in the Document are cautioned that: (a) the Document is a proposal;
(b) there is no assurance that the Document will be approved by any Committee of TIA or any other body in its present or
any other form; (c) the Document may be amended, modified or changed in the standards development or any editing
process.

The use or practice of contents of this Document may involve the use of intellectual property rights (“IPR”), including
pending or issued patents, or copyrights, owned by one or more parties. TIA makes no search or investigation for IPR.
When IPR consisting of patents and published pending patent applications are claimed and called to TIA’s attention, a
statement from the holder thereof is requested, all in accordance with the Manual. TIA takes no position with reference to,
and disclaims any obligation to investigate or inquire into, the scope or validity of any claims of IPR. TIA will neither be a
party to discussions of any licensing terms or conditions, which are instead left to the parties involved, nor will TIA opine
or judge whether proposed licensing terms or conditions are reasonable or non-discriminatory. TIA does not warrant or
represent that procedures or practices suggested or provided in the Manual have been complied with as respects the
Document or its contents.

If the Document contains one or more Normative References to a document published by another organization (“other
SSO”) engaged in the formulation, development or publication of standards (whether designated as a standard,
specification, recommendation or otherwise), whether such reference consists of mandatory, alternate or optional
elements (as defined in the TIA Procedures for American National Standards) then (i) TIA disclaims any duty or obligation
to search or investigate the records of any other SSO for IPR or letters of assurance relating to any such Normative
Reference; (ii) TIA’s policy of encouragement of voluntary disclosure (see TIA Procedures for American National
Standards Annex C.1.2.3) of Essential Patent(s) and published pending patent applications shall apply; and (iii)
Information as to claims of IPR in the records or publications of the other SSO shall not constitute identification to TIA of a
claim of Essential Patent(s) or published pending patent applications.

TIA does not enforce or monitor compliance with the contents of the Document. TIA does not certify, inspect, test or
otherwise investigate products, designs or services or any claims of compliance with the contents of the Document.

ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE DISCLAIMED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY AND ALL
WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE ACCURACY OF THE CONTENTS, ITS FITNESS OR APPROPRIATENESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE, ITS MERCHANTABILITY AND ITS NONINFRINGEMENT OF ANY THIRD PARTY’S
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. TIA EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE
ACCURACY OF THE CONTENTS AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES REGARDING THE
CONTENT’S COMPLIANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE STATUTE, RULE OR REGULATION, OR THE SAFETY OR
HEALTH EFFECTS OF THE CONTENTS OR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE REFERRED TO IN THE DOCUMENT OR
PRODUCED OR RENDERED TO COMPLY WITH THE CONTENTS.

TIA SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY AND ALL DAMAGES, DIRECT OR INDIRECT, ARISING FROM OR RELATING
TO ANY USE OF THE CONTENTS CONTAINED HEREIN, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY AND ALL
INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF
BUSINESS, LOSS OF PROFITS, LITIGATION, OR THE LIKE), WHETHER BASED UPON BREACH OF CONTRACT,
BREACH OF WARRANTY, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), PRODUCT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF
ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THE FOREGOING NEGATION OF DAMAGES IS A
FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT OF THE USE OF THE CONTENTS HEREOF, AND THESE CONTENTS WOULD NOT BE
PUBLISHED BY TIA WITHOUT SUCH LIMITATIONS.
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

Guidelines for Supporting Power Delivery Over Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Foreword .......................................................................................................................................................iv
2 1 Scope ....................................................................................................................................................... 1
3 2 References .............................................................................................................................................. 1
4 3 Definitions, acronyms and abbreviations, units of measure .................................................................... 2
5 3.1 General............................................................................................................................................. 2
6 3.2 Definitions ........................................................................................................................................ 2
7 3.3 Acronyms and abbreviations ............................................................................................................ 2
8 3.4 Units of measure .............................................................................................................................. 2
9 4 Configuration, structure and topology...................................................................................................... 3
10 4.1 General............................................................................................................................................. 3
11 4.1.1 End-point DCPS............................................................................................................................ 3
12 4.1.2 Mid-span DCPS ............................................................................................................................ 3
13 4.2 Functional elements ......................................................................................................................... 3
14 4.3 Cabling topology .............................................................................................................................. 3
15 5 Cabling selection and performance ......................................................................................................... 3
16 5.1 Unmating under load ........................................................................................................................ 4
17 6 Installation guidelines .............................................................................................................................. 4
18 6.1 General............................................................................................................................................. 4
19 6.2 Ambient temperature........................................................................................................................ 4
20 6.3 Temperature rise .............................................................................................................................. 4
21 6.4 Non-bundled cables in pathways ..................................................................................................... 5
22 6.5 Bundled cables ................................................................................................................................. 5
23 7 DC resistance requirements .................................................................................................................... 5
24 7.1 DC loop resistance ........................................................................................................................... 5
25 7.2 DC resistance unbalance (within pair) ............................................................................................. 7
26 7.3 DC resistance unbalance (pair to pair) ............................................................................................ 7
27 8 Remote powering configurations and related transmission performance ............................................... 8
28 8.1 Recommendations for cabling system for use with end-point DCPS .............................................. 9
29 8.2 Recommendations for cabling systems with mid-span DCPS ....................................................... 10
30 8.2.1 Mid-span DCPS with no continuity on power insertion pairs (case I) ......................................... 11
31 8.2.2 Mid-span DCPS with ac continuity on all pairs (case II) ............................................................. 12
32 8.3 Additional field test considerations ................................................................................................. 13
33 Annex A Additional installation guidelines ............................................................................................... 14
34 A.1 General........................................................................................................................................... 14
35 A.2 Minimum cabling category ............................................................................................................. 14
36 A.3 Temperature rise and current capacity .......................................................................................... 14
37 A.4 Considerations for current capacity of category types and installation conditions ........................ 14
38 A.5 Power Loss and Efficiency ............................................................................................................. 23
39 Annex B Modeling .................................................................................................................................... 25
40 B.1 Temperature rise vs. cables in bundle ........................................................................................... 25
41 B.2 Calculations .................................................................................................................................... 25

i
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

42 B.3 Example ......................................................................................................................................... 26

43 Annex C Measurement Method ............................................................................................................... 27
44 C.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 27
45 C.2 Test Setup ...................................................................................................................................... 27
46 C.2.1 Thermocouple placement ........................................................................................................... 27
47 C.2.2 Measurement of cable bundle in air............................................................................................ 28
48 C.2.3 Measurement of cable bundle in conduit .................................................................................... 29
49 Annex D Bibliography............................................................................................................................... 30

50

ii
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

51 LIST OF FIGURES
52 Figure 1 - Temperature gradient in typical cable bundle. ............................................................................. 4
53 Figure 2 - Examples of dc power being applied over balanced twisted-pair cabling. ................................... 9
54 Figure 3- Example of end-point DCPS providing power on all four pairs of a channel. ............................. 10
55 Figure 4 - Example of Case I mid-span power insertion with no continuity on pairs 4,5 and 7,8. .............. 11
56 Figure 5 - Example of Case II mid-span power insertion with ac continuity on all pairs. ............................ 12
57 Figure A.1 - Temperature rise v. number of cables in bundle in air ............................................................ 19
58 Figure A.2 - Temperature rise v. number of cables in bundle in conduit .................................................... 20
59 Figure A.3 - 91 Cable Bundle. ..................................................................................................................... 21
60 Figure A.4 - Three bundles of 37 cables. .................................................................................................... 21
61 Figure A.5 - 3 bundles of 37 cables with separation. .................................................................................. 22
62 Figure C.1 - Placement of thermocouple. ................................................................................................... 27
63 Figure C.2 - Securing of the thermocouple. ................................................................................................ 28
64 Figure C.3 - Test set-up for cable bundles in air. ........................................................................................ 28
65 Figure C.4 - Test set-up for cable bundles in conduit. ................................................................................ 29
66
67 LIST OF TABLES
68 Table 1 - Maximum dc loop resistance of channels ...................................................................................... 5
69 Table 2 - Nominal dc loop resistance of channels ........................................................................................ 6
70 Table 3 - AWG dc resistance table ............................................................................................................... 6
71 Table 4 - DC resistance unbalance (within pair) of cables, connecting hardware and channels ................. 7
72 Table 5 - DC resistance unbalance (pair to pair) .......................................................................................... 8
73 Table A.1 - Coefficients@20⁰ for use with Equation (A-1). ......................................................................... 15
74 Table A.2 - Temperature rise for a category of cable v. number of cables in bundle (600mA per pair)– all
75 values TBD. ......................................................................................................................................... 16
76 Table A.3 - Temperature rise for a category of cable v. number of cables in bundle (720mA per pair) – all
77 values TBD. ......................................................................................................................................... 17
78 Table A.4 - Temperature rise for a category of cable v. number of cables in bundle (1000 mA per pair). –
79 all values TBD. ..................................................................................................................................... 18
80 Table A.5 - Maximum bundle size for 15 °C temperature rise – all values TBD......................................... 18
81 Table A.6 - Number of cables in a bundle per layer. .................................................................................. 20
82 Table A. 7 - Ampacity per pair at 45 ⁰C ambient temperature for a category of cable v. number of cables
83 in bundle for standard 60 ⁰C rated cables ........................................................................................... 23
84 Table A.8 - Nominal power loss over 100 meters of different cable types ................................................. 24
85

iii
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

86 Foreword
87 (This foreword is not a part of this document.)
88
89 This Technical Systems Bulletin (TSB) was developed by TIA Subcommittee TR-42.7.
90
91 Approval of this Technical Systems Bulletin
92 This TSB was approved by TIA Subcommittee TR-42.7, and TIA Engineering Committee TR-42.
93
94 TIA reviews standards every 5 years. At that time, standards are reaffirmed, rescinded, or revised
95 according to the submitted updates. Updates to be included in the next revision should be sent to the
96 committee chair or to TIA.
97 Significant Changes
98 1. Current has been increased to up to 1000 mA/pair.
99 2. Models have been refined to include additional cable properties and installation conditions.
100 3. Temperature rise tables include temperature rise in open air and sealed conduit.
101 4. Bundling recommendations and installation recommendations have been added.
102 5. Measurement procedures to develop models have been refined and included in the document.
103 6. Includes additional specifications for pair-to-pair DC resistance unbalance.
104 Contributing Organizations
105 More than 30 organizations within the telecommunications industry contributed their expertise to the
106 development of this Bulletin (including manufacturers, consultants, end users, and other organizations).
107
108 The following documents may be useful to the reader:
109
110 • National Electrical Safety Code (NESC)
111 (ANSI/IEEE C2-2007)
112 • National Electrical Code (NEC)
113 (NFPA 70)
114 Other references are provided in section 2 and annex D. This document and all of its annexes are
115 informative.

116 Introduction
117 A growing number of enterprises employ remotely powered equipment where centralized powering,
118 power management and backup are needed, and in locations where local power is not easily provided.
119 This Technical Systems Bulletin (TSB) provides guidelines for generic balanced twisted-pair cabling, as
120 specified in the ANSI/TIA-568 series of Standards, for supporting the delivery of safety extra low voltage
121 (SELV) limited power source (LPS) power to equipment simultaneously with data transmission. It is
122 intended to guide new installations and renovations. The customer premises may encompass one or
123 more buildings or may be within a building that contains more than one enterprise.
124 The cabling may be installed prior to the selection of powering or powered equipment.
125 The ANSI/TIA-568 series of Standards specify the structure and performance requirements for cabling
126 systems that support a wide range of applications.
127 The TSB was developed based on a number of contributions describing remote powering over generic
128 telecommunications cabling under different installation conditions. Consult the appropriate safety
129 standards, application standard, and with equipment manufacturers and cabling system suppliers for
130 guidance on all factors that should be taken into account during the design of the remote power
131 distribution system.

iv
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

132 When twisted pair cabling is used to remotely power a device, the majority of the power entering the
133 cable is successfully delivered to the device being powered; only a small percentage dissipated as heat in
134 the cabling. This dissipation of power can cause the cabling to increase in temperature above the ambient
135 temperature of the environment in which the cabling is installed. It is recommended to minimize cable
136 temperature rise to reduce long term cable degradation, to minimize negative effect on transmission
137 performance and reduce the amount of heat added to the surrounding environment. This TSB describes
138 methods to help manage temperature rise and keep cables below their maximum temperature ratings.
139
140

v
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

141 1 Scope

142 The purpose of this document is to provide guidelines that support a wide variety of safety extra low
143 voltage (SELV) limited power source (LPS) applications using remote power supplied over balanced
144 twisted-pair cabling. Examples of such applications include LAN devices, wireless access points,
145 ANSI/TIA-862-B intelligent building systems devices like remote cameras, IP telephone and multimedia
146 devices, all of which may be supported by standards such as IEEE Std 802.3 Clause 33 DTE Power via
147 MDI or IEEE Std. 1394-2008.
148
149 The guidelines in this TSB are in addition to, and not in place of, the infrastructure specified in the
150 ANSI/TIA-568 series of standards. The TSB covers the transmission and electrical parameters needed to
151 support power over category 5e or higher performance twisted-pair cabling. This guideline covers
152 different cable categories, cable types, installation and operating conditions including pathways and
153 bundling. The TSB provides design, installation, and administration guidelines for effective deployment of
154 remote powering over balanced twisted pair cabling. This TSB provides additional guidelines with respect
155 to:
156 a) parameters needed for remote powering;
157 b) different installation conditions that require special considerations;
158 c) application considerations;
159 d) mitigation considerations; and
160 e) cabling configurations and related field test considerations
161 The cabling systems detailed in this TSB are designed to support SELV LPS power, as defined in IEC
162 60950-1. Safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements are outside the scope of this
163 TSB.
164
165 NOTE: SELV requirements specify a maximum voltage of 60 V dc and LPS is understood in the
166 applications referenced to be up to 100 VA supplied within 4-pair cabling.

167 2 References

168 The following standards contain provisions that, through reference in this TSB, constitute provisions of
169 this TSB. At the time of publication, the editions indicated were valid. All standards are subject to
170 revision; parties to agreements based upon this TSB are encouraged to investigate the possibility of
171 applying the most recent editions of the standards indicated. ANSI and TIA maintain registers of currently
172 valid national standards published by them.
173 ANSI/TIA-568.0-D (currently in draft), Generic Telecommunications Cabling for Customer Premises, 2015
174 ANSI/TIA-568.1-D (currently in draft), Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard, 2015
175 ANSI/TIA-568-C.2, Balanced Twisted-Pair Telecommunication Cabling and Components Standard, 2009
176 ANSI/TIA-569-D, Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces, 2015
177 ANSI/TIA-606-B, Administration Standard forTelecommunications Infrastructure, 2012
178 ANSI/TIA-1152-A, (currently in draft), Requirements for Field Test Instruments and Measurements for
179 Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling, 2016
180 ASTM D 4566, Standard Test Methods for Electrical Performance Properties of Insulations and Jackets
181 for Telecommunications Wire and Cable, 2005
182 IEEE Std 802.3™-2015, IEEE Standard for Ethernet
183 IEEE P802.3bt, Standard for Ethernet Amendment: Physical Layer and Management Parameters for DTE
184 Power via MDI over 4-Pair (currently in draft).
185 IEEE 1394-2008, IEEE Standard for a High-Performance Serial Bus
186 IEC 60950-1, Information technology equipment – Safety – part 1: General requirements, 2013
187 IEC 61935-1, Specification for the testing of balanced and coaxial information technology cabling - Part 1:

1
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

188 Installed balanced cabling as specified in ISO/IEC 11801 and related standards, 2015
189 IEC 60512-99-002, Connectors for Electronic Equipment - Tests and Measurements Part 99-002: Test
190 Schedule for Engaging and Separating Connectors Under Electrical Load Test 99B: Connectors Used in
191 Twisted Pair Communication Cabling with Remote Power (currently in draft).

192 3 Definitions, acronyms and abbreviations, units of measure

193 3.1 General

194 For the purpose of this TSB, the following definitions, acronyms, abbreviations and units of measure
195 apply.
196 3.2 Definitions
197 cable bundle: A group of cables that are tied together or in contact with one another in a closely packed
198 configuration for at least 1 m.
199 DCPS, end-point: A dc power source providing power at one end of the cabling channel.
200 DCPS, mid-span: A dc power source providing power at a point within the cabling channel.
201 power source equipment: An active device that provides power.
202 remote power: SELV LPS power supplied over telecommunications cabling.
203 3.3 Acronyms and abbreviations
204 ac alternating current
205 ACRF attenuation to crosstalk ratio far-end
206 ANSI American National Standards Institute
207 CP consolidation point
208 dc direct current
209 DCPL dc power load
210 DCPS dc power source
211 DCR dc resistance
212 ELFEXT equal level far-end crosstalk
213 HVAC heating, ventilation and air conditioning
214 IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
215 IP Internet protocol
216 LAN local area network
217 LPS limited power source
218 NEXT near-end crosstalk
219 PD powered device
220 PSE power source equipment
221 SELV safety extra-low voltage
222 TIA Telecommunications Industry Association
223 TO telecommunications outlet
224 TSB Telecommunications Systems Bulletin
225 ∆T Temperature differential.
226 3.4 Units of measure
227 °C degrees Celsius
228 mA milliampere
229 µF microfarad
230 Ω ohm
231 mΩ milliohm
232

2
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

233 4 Configuration, structure and topology

234 4.1 General

235 This clause identifies the functional elements, configuration and topology of horizontal cabling (also
236 referred to as “cabling subsystem 1” in ANSI/TIA-568.0-D) to support remote power.
237 The tables and charts in this TSB are generated to support the current limits of existing and proposed
238 standards. For IEEE 802.3 applications see IEEE Std 802.3 and IEEE 802.3bt.

239 4.1.1 End-point DCPS

240 The design of the end-point DCPS should take into consideration the capability of the cabling system as
241 outlined in this TSB. Requirements for an end-point dc power source (DCPS) are outside the scope of
242 this TSB, and may be found in appropriate applications standards, such as those listed in the references.

243 4.1.2 Mid-span DCPS

244 For the purpose of implementing dc power, only the cabling component (transmission path) of the mid-
245 span DCPS is considered part of the cabling. See clause 8.2 for performance of the resulting channel
246 and permanent link. Electrical requirements beyond the transmission path, including any requirements on
247 the sourcing of dc power, are outside the scope of this TSB, and may be found in appropriate applications
248 standards, such as those listed in the references.
249 4.2 Functional elements
250 The functional elements of the horizontal cabling system are as follows:
251
252 • horizontal cross-connect (HC)
253 • horizontal cable
254 • consolidation point (CP) - optional
255 • telecommunications outlet (TO)
256
257 The type and number of functional elements used depends upon the type of premises and the application
258 group(s) served.
259 Equipment is connected at the TO and the distributors. When planning the location and grouping of
260 functional elements such as TOs, consideration should be given to the guidelines in clause 6 for number
261 of cables in bundle.
262 NOTE - These functional elements reflect the cabling terminology used in clause 7 of
263 ANSI/TIA-568-1.D. However, the supported power delivery detailed in this TSB can be
264 implemented in other premises, e.g. data centers, residential, industrial; when this is the case
265 then the corresponding functional element terminology applies.
266 4.3 Cabling topology
267 The horizontal cabling used for remote power is configured in a star topology according to the
268 requirements in ANSI/TIA-568-0.D. The horizontal cabling subsystem ends at the equipment outlet (EO),
269 also referred to as telecommunications outlet (TO), in the work area. Passive connections between the
270 horizontal cabling subsystem and other subsystems are achieved using cross-connections.
271 For designs utilizing the guidelines of this TSB, shared sheath (i.e. splitting a cable between two TOs
272 using splitters) to support multiple applications requiring remote power is not supported.
273 5 Cabling selection and performance
274 When planning new installations delivering remote power, category 6A or higher performance 4-pair
275 balanced twisted-pair cabling as specified in ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 is recommended. Category 5e or higher
276 cabling is acceptable for existing installations. This cabling can be used simultaneously to support signal
277 transmission and remote power delivery to an attached dc power load (DCPL).
278 Compliance to the applicable performance categories is achieved as specified in the ANSI/TIA-568-C.2.

3
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

279 Because dc resistance directly impacts energy efficiency, the selection of higher categories of cabling,
280 which generally provide lower dc resistance, is recommended for delivering remote power to help
281 minimize system losses.
282 5.1 Unmating under load
283 Where it is not practicable to switch off the remote power before mating or un-mating (e.g. for power
284 sources that do not have power management), connecting hardware having the required performance for
285 mating and un-mating under the relevant levels of electrical power and load should be chosen. These
286 requirements are not within the scope of the balanced connecting hardware standards (e.g. IEC 60603-7)
287 referenced from ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 and equivalent standards, but may be assessed using additional test
288 schedules. A test schedule for engaging and separating connectors under electrical load is described in
289 IEC 60512-99-002.

290 6 Installation guidelines

291 6.1 General
292 Horizontal cabling may be installed in several different types of pathway systems such as trays, conduit,
293 and non-continuous supports. Cable routing should minimize cable lengths in order to reduce dc loop
294 resistance. See ANSI/TIA-569-D for additional installation guidelines in different types of pathway
295 systems.
296 6.2 Ambient temperature
297 Different segments of a link can have different ambient temperatures, which may influence the amount of
298 remote power that can be delivered. The maximum ambient temperature along the link (length of at least
299 1 m) should be used as the basis for the calculation of the maximum current capacity. Discontinuities in
300 environments such as penetrations through walls are expected to be less than 1 m in length. For the
301 purposes of this document, a maximum ambient temperature of 45°C is presumed in conjunction with
302 cabling with a maximum rating of 60°C, thus allowing a maximum temperature rise of 15 °C on any cable
303 within the bundle due to dc powering. For applications that operate at higher ambient temperatures or
304 temperatures rises, consult component or system manufacturers for additional guidance. See annex A
305 for additional information, including the temperature rise associated with different current capacities for
306 various categories of cable.
307 6.3 Temperature rise
308 The term “temperature rise” as used in this document, refers to the difference between the highest
309 temperature achieved by any cable within the bundle, or close grouping of cables being considered, and
310 the ambient temperature as defined in paragraph 6.2 above. Analysis is performed with all pairs in all
311 cables energized with the specified amount of current. Maximum temperature rise typically occurs in or
312 around the cable located closest to the general geometric center of the grouping or bundle of cables.
313 Cables surrounding this “worst case” cable typically experience lower temperature rises with temperature
314 rise decreasing towards the surface of the bundle. Mixing power-carrying cabling with unpowered cabling
315 in bundles is also recommended as a practice to minimize heat rise. See Figure 1 below showing what
316 the temperature gradient might look like in a typical cable bundle.
317

318
319 Figure 1 - Temperature gradient in typical cable bundle.
320
4
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

321
322 Temperature rise is affected by:
323 1. Installation design including the type of pathways selected, the pathway fill factor and whether the
324 pathway is sealed at both ends.
325 2. The pathway environment and whether the pathway goes through insulated areas, in which case
326 the type of insulation will have a significant factor. For optimal thermal performance, pathway
327 design should avoid any insulated areas.
328 3. Thermal aspects of the entire pathway (e.g. metal, plastic, covered, ventilated, non-ventilated,
329 airflow) should be taken into account when designing for dc power delivery.
330 4. The number of cables in close proximity or bundled.
331 5. Grouping and separation of cables (e.g. using compartments or separation in pathways) based
332 on powering levels for optimal power delivery.
333 6. The geometric arrangements of the cables, or configurations with increased surface area, such
334 as rectangles, improve heat dissipation reducing temperature rise.
335 6.4 Non-bundled cables in pathways
336 Cables should be left unbundled to allow for improved heat dissipation. A large grouping of cable such as
337 in tray installations can still exhibit a significant rise in cable heating. To improve heat dissipation in these
338 types of installations, open wire tray or similar cable management that provides for largely unrestricted
339 airflow around the installed cables is recommended. In addition, cables should be dispersed evenly
340 across the width of the tray.
341 Editor’s Note: This work is under development in TIA TR42.3.
342 6.5 Bundled cables
343 If bundling is necessary, it is recommended to separate large bundles into smaller bundles, following
344 maximum bundle sizes recommended in tables A.2, A.3 and A.4 given in Annex A. Otherwise avoid
345 bundling cables to minimize temperature rise. The administration system as described in ANSI/TIA-606-B
346 may be used to optimally distribute the channels supplying power across the bundles.

347 7 DC resistance requirements

348 7.1 DC loop resistance

349 The dc loop resistance requirements of each pair of a channel are specified in ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 when
350 measured in accordance with IEC 61935-1. For convenience, Table 1 shows those requirements.
351 Table 1 - Maximum dc loop resistance of channels

Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A Category 8

(Ω) (Ω) (Ω) (Ω)
100m 100m 100m 30m
25 25 25 7.22

NOTES,
1 dc loop resistance applies only to pairs that provide dc continuity end-to-end.
2 All values are at or adjusted to 60 ºC.

352
353 While the values in Table 1 represent the maximum dc loop resistance values specified, the actual dc
354 loop resistance is usually lower. Table 2 shows the nominal dc loop resistance for the maximum length of
355 cabling channels. Selecting a larger conductor size, often associated with a higher-performance category
356 of cabling, is one way to reduce dc loop resistance and improve power delivery efficiency and minimize
357 heating.
358 It is important to note that while energy consumption is related to the loop dc resistance, heating in
359 cabling will be related to the local dc resistance per unit length. It is therefore recommended that large
360 bundles of small conductor size cabling be avoided at any point along the channel.

5
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

361 Table 2 - Nominal dc loop resistance of channels

Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A Category 8
(Ω) (Ω) (Ω) (Ω)

100m 100m 100m 30m

24.38 20.09 20.09 6.81

NOTES,
1 dc loop resistance applies only to pairs that provide dc continuity end-to-end.
2 All values are at or adjusted to 60 ºC.
362
363 For category 5e through category 6A the dc resistance (half of dc loop resistance) is given in equation (1):
364 0.9 @ 1 + 0.00393∆ +4 + 0.1 @ 1 + 0.00393∆ (1)
365 For category 8 the dc resistance (half of dc loop resistance) is given in equation (2):
366 0.24 @ 1 + 0.00393∆ +2 + 0.06 @ 1 + 0.00393∆ (2)
367 Where DCRHcbl is the dc resistance of the horizontal cabling, DCRConn is the dc resistance of the
368 connector and DCRcord is the dc resistance of the patch cords.
369 With the following assumptions:
370 Category 5e horizontal cable is assumed to be 24AWG solid conductor cable
371 Category 6 horizontal cable is assumed to be 23AWG solid conductor cable
372 Category 6A horizontal cable is assumed to be 23AWG solid conductor cable
373 Category 8 horizontal cable is assumed to be 23AWG solid conductor cable
374 All categories of cord cable are represented by 26AWG stranded cable
375 Table 3 - AWG dc resistance table
AWG Ohms per 100m Ohms per 100m
table solid stranded
23 7.32 6.92
24 9.38 8.76
26 14.8 14
376
377

6
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

378 7.2 DC resistance unbalance (within pair)

379 The dc resistance unbalance requirements between the two conductors of each pair of a cable,
380 connector, or channel are specified in ANSI/TIA-568-C.2. For convenience, Table 4 shows those
381 requirements.
382 Table 4 - DC resistance unbalance (within pair) of cables, connecting hardware and
383 channels
Cable Connecting hardware Channel
1,2
Category 5e ≤ 2.5%
1,2
Category 6 ≤ 2.5%
1,3 7 5,6
Category 6A ≤2% ≤ 3% or ≤200 mΩ
4 whichever is greater.
100m Category 6A ≤50 mΩ
1,3
channel composed of ≤2%
Category 8 components
7 5,6
1,3 ≤ 3% or ≤100 mΩ
Category 8 ≤2%
whichever is greater.
NOTES,
1 When measured in accordance with IEC 61156-1 at, or corrected to, a temperature of 20 °C.
2 This requirement is equivalent to a 5% cable dc resistance unbalance when measured in
accordance with ASTM D 4566.
3 This requirement is equivalent to a 4% cable dc resistance unbalance when measured in
accordance with ASTM D 4566.
4 Maximum difference between any two conductors of category 5e, 6, 6A, or 8 connecting
hardware measured in accordance with IEC 60512, Test 2a.
5 Based on a dc resistance unbalance of each connection of 50 mΩ.
6 As channel length decreases, the dc resistance unbalance becomes bounded by the dc
resistance unbalance of the connecting hardware, ≤ 200 mΩ for four connectors. Therefore,
as the contribution of the cable to total channel dc resistance decreases, it is possible for the
dc resistance unbalance expressed as a percentage to exceed 3%. Category 8 channels have
a maximum of 2 connectors.
7 When measured in accordance with IEC 61935-1.
384
385
386 7.3 DC resistance unbalance (pair to pair)
387 The dc resistance unbalance is calculated in accordance with equation (3) and should not exceed the
388 greater of 7% or 100 mΩ. Field measurements may have accuracy limitations below 200 mΩ.

| − |
389
!"# _%"&!'!"# =- 2 100% 3
/0 /

/0 +
()* _+ _()*
/
390
391 Where:
392 /0 is the lowest dc parallel resistance of the conductors of a pair in the cabling.
393
394 / is the highest dc parallel resistance of the conductors of the other pairs in the cabling.
395
= 4
0
/5
0 +
396 Where:
397 0 is the resistance of a conductor of a pair.
398
399 is the resistance of the other conductor of the same pair.

7
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

400 The pair to pair dc resistance unbalance for Category 8 cabling is specified in ANSI/TIA-568-C.2-1 and is
401 shown in Table 5 for convenience. The pair to pair dc resistance unbalance of lower category cabling is
402 not specified in ANSI/TIA-568-C.2. Table 5 contains the pair to pair dc resistance unbalance values for
403 Category 5e, 6 or 6A based on statistical analysis of measured data.
404 Table 5 - DC resistance unbalance (pair to pair)
Cable Permanent Link Channel
Category 5e 1,2 1,2
7% or 0.1 Ohm 7% or 0.1 Ohm
Category 6
whichever is greater. whichever is greater.
Category 6A 5%
1,2,3 1,2,3
7% or 0.05 Ohm 7% or 0.05 Ohm
Category 8
whichever is greater. whichever is greater.
NOTES,
1 As channel and permanent link length decreases, the dc resistance unbalance becomes
bounded by the dc resistance unbalance of the connecting hardware, ≤ 100 mΩ for four
connectors on two pairs in parallel. Therefore, as the contribution of the cable to total channel
dc resistance decreases, it is possible for the dc resistance unbalance expressed as a
percentage to exceed 7%.
2 Field measurements may have accuracy limitations below 200 mΩ.
3 Category 8 pair-to-pair dc resistance unbalance is specified in ANSI/TIA-568-C.2-1
405

406 8 Remote powering configurations and related transmission performance

407 Power is applied from a DCPS located at one end of the cabling channel (end-point) or from within a
408 segment of the cabling channel (mid-span). The DCPL is located at the other end of the cabling channel.
409 In the implementations covered by this TSB, dc power is delivered over a common-mode circuit formed
410 from either one or both sets of two pairs in a four pair cable.
411 Figure 2 illustrates examples of dc power applied onto structured cabling at different locations in the
412 horizontal cabling. Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5 illustrate power delivery over balanced twisted-pair
413 cabling.
414 NOTES,
415 1 For the purpose of dc power transmission, the capacity of legacy category 5 cabling, as
416 described in ANSI/TIA-568-C.2, is considered equivalent to category 5e.
417 2 Refer to application standards (e.g. IEEE Std 802.3 Clause 33 that includes amendments
418 802.3af and 802.3at, and IEEE P802.3bt (draft)) for specific application requirements and
419 configurations.
420 3 In the IEEE Std 802.3 standard based implementation of dc power, the DCPS is referred to
421 as power source equipment (PSE) and the DCPL is referred to as a powered device (PD).
422

8
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

423
424 Figure 2 - Examples of dc power being applied over balanced twisted-pair cabling.
425 8.1 Recommendations for cabling system for use with end-point DCPS
426 If an end-point DCPS is used (see Figure 3), the horizontal cabling should meet the requirements for its
427 category specified in ANSI/TIA-568-C.2.

9
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

428
429 Figure 3- Example of end-point DCPS providing power on all four pairs of a
430 channel.
431 8.2 Recommendations for cabling systems with mid-span DCPS
432 When a mid-span DCPS is used, the horizontal cabling, including the cabling component of the DCPS,
433 should meet all the applicable requirements specified in ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 standard. The cabling
434 component (transmission path) of the mid-span DCPS can replace one component of the cabling system
435 and should meet the same requirements of that component as specified in ANSI/TIA-568-C.2, with the
436 exceptions for certain parameters only as noted below. The mid-span DCPS may be inserted by
437 replacing a cross connect or a jumper with an “equivalent” component that bridges power into the cabling
438 system.
439 NOTE - If the transmission path of the DCPS does not meet the specified transmission
440 requirements, the link or channel to which it is connected are considered application specific.
441 Alternatively, if the permanent link or channel transmission path, including such equipment, are
442 qualified to comply with the requirements of that category, they may be treated as part of the
443 cabling system.
444 Depending on the implementation of mid-span power insertion, transmission performance can be
445 established to a limited extent. The following two cases should be considered when determining the
446 transmission performance of horizontal cabling using mid-span DCPS.
447 • Case I: No continuity on power pairs with dc power applied to two pairs only (e.g. 4,5 and 7,8). See
448 clause 8.2.1.
449 • Case II: ac only continuity on all pairs. See clause 8.2.2.
450 NOTES,
451 1 If a mid-span DCPS is removed and replaced by another mid-span DCPS or passive cabling
452 component, the transmission performance of the cabling system may be affected.
453 2 For field testing purposes, all tests are made from the endpoints and not the midspan unless
454 otherwise specified.
455 3 Both ends of the permanent link connected to or containing a mid-span DCPS should be
456 labeled.

10
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

457 8.2.1 Mid-span DCPS with no continuity on power insertion pairs (case I)
458 An example of this case is shown below in Figure 4 with no continuity and power insertion on two pairs
459 only (e.g. 4,5 and 7,8).

460

461
462 Figure 4 - Example of Case I mid-span power insertion with no continuity on pairs
463 4,5 and 7,8.
464 For the case I example shown in Figure 4 for field testing, the following parameters apply:
465 • Wire map on pairs 1,2 and 3,6
466 • Insertion loss on pairs 1,2 and 3,6
467 • NEXT between pairs 1,2 and 3,6
468 • Return loss on pairs 1,2 and 3,6
469 • Propagation delay on pairs 1,2 and 3,6
470 • Propagation delay skew between pairs 1,2 and 3,6
471 • ACRF between pairs 1,2 and 3,6
472 • Length on pairs 1,2 and 3,6
473 • dc loop resistance on pairs 1,2 and 3,6
474 • dc loop resistance on pairs 4,5 and 7,8 between the DCPS and DCPL
475
476 NOTE, ACRF has been referred to as ELFEXT in previous editions of the ANSI/TIA-568 series of
477 standards.
478

11
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

479 8.2.2 Mid-span DCPS with ac continuity on all pairs (case II)
480 For case II, the horizontal cabling should meet all the applicable transmission performance requirements,
481 including any applicable alien crosstalk requirements.
482 The use of blocking capacitors prevents the flow of dc power to the LAN devices. For the purpose of field
483 testing, all parameters should be measured except for dc continuity and verification of tip and ring
484 reversal on blocked pairs. In order to field test case II implementation, when used, the minimum
485 capacitance of each blocking capacitor in the mid-span DCPS should be 0.01 µF. For pairs that
486 terminate at a mid-span power supply, the dc loop measurement applies only to the portion of the channel
487 that supplies power to DCPLs that are connected to the power supply (i.e., the powering circuit not
488 including the dc blocking capacitors). The contribution of the circuitry that supplies power should be
489 subtracted to determine a pass or fail result.
490 An example of Case II implementation, where power and signal are both applied to the cabling, is shown
491 in Figure 5. It is possible for applications to specify power insertion and the use of blocking capacitors on
492 all four pairs. In addition, applications may specify a mid-span implementation that provides power over
493 four pairs of cabling.
494

495
496 Figure 5 - Example of Case II mid-span power insertion with ac continuity on all
497 pairs.
498 These topologies assume a single dc power supply (DCPS) per cabling link. Using multiple DCPSs on the
499 same 4-pair channel is not recommended because of the possibility for the intermingling of circuits that
500 could result in excessive voltages or currents on the cable or between the two sets of pairs providing
501 power. The preferred configuration with a mid-span DCPS is shown in Figure 5 where the endpoint
502 switch/hub is without a DCPS.
503 Note - If multiple DCPSs are used, both the Power Source Equipment (PSE) and the Powered device(s)
504 (PD) should be designed and listed for this purpose.

12
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

505 8.3 Additional field test considerations

506 Mid-span DCPS equipment should be powered off during field testing of the permanent link. In addition,
507 end-point DCPS equipment should be disconnected during field-testing of channels. Pair-to-pair dc
508 resistance unbalance may be calculated from individual conductor measurements of the two pairs, or
509 measurements of dc loop resistance.
510 When measurements of dc loop resistance are used to calculate pair-to-pair dc resistance unbalance, the
511 accuracy of measurements of dc loop resistance for both pairs, should be taken into consideration (See
512 ANSI/TIA-1152-A).
513

13
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

514 Annex A Additional installation guidelines

515 A.1 General

516 This annex offers additional installation guidelines that are useful in supporting the delivery of power over
517 installations of category 5e, 6, 6A or 8 cabling including 26 AWG cordage.
518 The installation requirements of ANSI/TIA-568-0.D, and the pathways and spaces requirements of
519 ANSI/TIA-569-D, along with the maximum current and additional installation guidelines in this TSB, will
520 assure proper function of the cabling for both data and remote power delivery.
521 All equations, figures, and tables in this annex are based on all pairs being energized, unless otherwise
522 noted.
523 A.2 Minimum cabling category
524 Category 6A or higher performance 4-pair balanced twisted-pair cabling as specified in
525 ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 is recommended. Category 5e or higher cabling is acceptable for existing
526 installations.

527 A.3 Temperature rise and current capacity

528 When remote power is applied to balanced twisted-pair cabling, the temperature of the cabling will rise
529 due to heat generation in the conductors. A steady state is reached with the temperature of the cable
530 within the bundle being higher than the ambient temperature of the surrounding environment. The
531 resulting elevated bundle temperature is a direct result of its ability to dissipate heat into the surrounding
532 environment. The temperature of any cable should not exceed the temperature rating for the cable.
533 Generally, cables used in commercial premises have a temperature rating of 60 °C. Cables with higher
534 temperature ratings are listed and marked accordingly.
535 In order to minimize the impact on the physical and electrical performance of cabling, it is desirable to limit
536 the temperature rise of cabling. This TSB recommends 15°C as the maximum temperature rise.
537 A.4 Considerations for current capacity of category types and installation conditions
538 The temperature rise and current carrying capacity for each category of cabling is shown for a set of
539 assumptions that include a maximum temperature rise of 15 °C (based upon not exceeding the typical
540 cabling temperature rating of 60 °C with a maximum ambient temperature of 45 °C), a bundle size of 100
541 cables, and remote power delivery on all four pairs. This clause offers additional guidance for situations
542 where installed cabling conditions differ from these assumptions.
543 A.4.1 Maximizing current capacity
544 This clause provides information on cable bundle size, cabling category, and the impact of grouping
545 cables into smaller sub-bundles that should be considered in order to support the highest possible current
546 within the constraints of this TSB.

547 A.4.1.1 Cable bundle size

548 This TSB uses measurements of many different bundle sizes to derive the two constants used in the
549 generic equation (A-1). The constants derived for air and worst case conduit installations are shown in
550 Table A.1. The temperature rise for any bundle size of any category of cable in air or conduit installations
551 may be determined using the constants in table A.1 with equation (A-1).
552

14
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

553 The empirical equation used to derive the values of tables A.2, A.3 and A.4 is shown in equation (A-1).

∆ = 8 09 + √9; ∙
554
555 ) 6_+7(6 (A-1)

556 Where:
557 0 : Represents temperature rise within the bundle from the surface of the bundle to the center of the
558 bundle

9: The number of cables in the bundle

559 : Represents temperature rise from the surface of the bundle to the ambient environment

: The current per pair in amps

560
561
562

563 Table A.1 - Coefficients@20⁰ for use with Equation (A-1).

Coefficients in air Coefficients in conduit

0 0
Cable Type

26AWG 0.1445 1.78 0.198 2.925

Category 5e 0.1267 0.9933 0.1583 1.53
Category 6 0.1057 0.707 0.1206 1.1783
Category 6A 0.0857 0.6263 0.0926 0.9967
Category 8 0.0256 0.4673 0.0396 0.7743

)= *6 + )
the contained coefficients by a scalar defined by 1 + > )= *6 + − 20
564 Table A.1 can be modified such that it is applicable to any ambient temperature ( by multiplying
565 .
566 Alpha is the temperature coefficient of resistance of copper, which is 0.00393 per degree C.
567 The temperature rise values in the following tables are based upon the coefficients and calculations from
568 Table A.1 and equation (A-1).
569

15
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

570
571 Table A.2 - Temperature rise for a category of cable v. number of cables in bundle
572 (600mA per pair)– all values TBD.

Number Temperature Rise (⁰C)

of
Cables 26 AWG Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A Category 8

Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit

1 0.69 1.12 0.40 0.61 0.29 0.47 0.26 0.39 0.18 0.29
7 2.06 3.28 1.27 1.86 0.94 1.43 0.81 1.18 0.51 0.84
19 3.78 5.94 2.43 3.48 1.83 2.67 1.57 2.20 0.91 1.49
24 4.39 6.87 2.85 4.07 2.16 3.12 1.85 2.56 1.05 1.71
37 5.82 9.04 3.86 5.46 2.96 4.19 2.51 3.42 1.36 2.22
48 6.94 10.72 4.67 6.55 3.59 5.02 3.04 4.09 1.61 2.62
52 7.33 11.30 4.95 6.94 3.81 5.32 3.23 4.32 1.69 2.75
61 8.18 12.57 5.58 7.78 4.31 5.96 3.64 4.84 1.88 3.05
64 8.46 12.99 5.78 8.05 4.47 6.17 3.78 5.00 1.94 3.14
74 9.36 14.33 6.45 8.96 5.01 6.86 4.22 5.55 2.13 3.45
91 10.85 16.53 7.56 10.44 5.89 8.00 4.96 6.46 2.44 3.96
97 11.36 17.29 7.95 10.95 6.20 8.39 5.21 6.77 2.55 4.13
100 11.61 17.66 8.14 11.21 6.35 8.58 5.34 6.92 2.60 4.21
127 13.83 20.92 9.82 13.44 7.70 10.29 6.46 8.28 3.07 4.95
169 17.12 25.74 12.36 16.79 9.74 12.85 8.15 10.30 3.74 6.03
573 NOTE, Installation conditions and current values that result in temperature rise above 15
574 degrees (shown in grey) are not recommended.

575

16
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

576
577 Table A.3 - Temperature rise for a category of cable v. number of cables in bundle
578 (720mA per pair) – all values TBD.

Number Temperature Rise (⁰C)

of
Cables 26 AWG Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A Category 8

Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit

1 1.00 1.62 0.58 0.88 0.42 0.67 0.37 0.56 0.26 0.42
7 2.97 4.73 1.82 2.67 1.35 2.05 1.17 1.70 0.73 1.21
19 5.45 8.56 3.49 5.02 2.64 3.85 2.26 3.16 1.31 2.14
24 6.32 9.89 4.10 5.86 3.11 4.49 2.66 3.68 1.51 2.46
37 8.38 13.02 5.56 7.86 4.26 6.03 3.62 4.92 1.96 3.20
48 9.99 15.43 6.72 9.43 5.17 7.23 4.38 5.88 2.32 3.77
52 10.55 16.27 7.13 9.99 5.49 7.66 4.65 6.22 2.44 3.96
61 11.78 18.10 8.03 11.20 6.21 8.58 5.25 6.96 2.70 4.39
64 12.18 18.70 8.32 11.60 6.44 8.89 5.44 7.21 2.79 4.53
74 13.48 20.64 9.29 12.90 7.21 9.88 6.08 8.00 3.07 4.97
91 15.62 23.81 10.89 15.03 8.48 11.52 7.14 9.30 3.52 5.70
97 16.35 24.89 11.44 15.77 8.92 12.08 7.51 9.75 3.67 5.94
100 16.72 25.43 11.72 16.14 9.14 12.36 7.69 9.97 3.75 6.07
127 19.91 30.12 14.14 19.36 11.09 14.82 9.30 11.92 4.42 7.13
169 24.66 37.06 17.79 24.18 14.02 18.51 11.73 14.83 5.39 8.69
579 NOTE, Installation conditions and current values that result in temperature rise above 15
580 degrees (shown in grey) are not recommended.

581

17
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

582 Table A.4 - Temperature rise for a category of cable v. number of cables in bundle
583 (1000 mA per pair). – all values TBD.

Number Temperature Rise (⁰C)

of
Cables 26 AWG Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A Category 8

Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit

1 1.92 3.12 1.12 1.69 0.81 1.30 0.71 1.09 0.49 0.81
7 5.72 9.12 3.51 5.16 2.61 3.96 2.26 3.29 1.42 2.33
19 10.50 16.51 6.74 9.68 5.09 7.43 4.36 6.10 2.52 4.13
24 12.19 19.08 7.91 11.29 6.00 8.67 5.13 7.11 2.90 4.74
37 16.17 25.12 10.73 15.16 8.21 11.63 6.98 9.49 3.79 6.18
48 19.27 29.77 12.96 18.20 9.97 13.95 8.45 11.35 4.47 7.27
52 20.35 31.39 13.75 19.26 10.59 14.77 8.97 12.00 4.70 7.64
61 22.72 34.92 15.49 21.61 11.97 16.56 10.12 13.43 5.21 8.46
64 23.49 36.07 16.06 22.37 12.42 17.14 10.50 13.90 5.38 8.73
74 26.01 39.81 17.92 24.88 13.90 19.06 11.73 15.43 5.91 9.59
91 30.13 45.92 21.01 29.00 16.36 22.21 13.77 17.93 6.79 10.99
97 31.55 48.01 22.07 30.42 17.22 23.30 14.48 18.80 7.09 11.47
100 32.25 49.05 22.60 31.13 17.64 23.84 14.83 19.23 7.23 11.70
127 38.41 58.11 27.28 37.35 21.39 28.59 17.94 22.99 8.52 13.76
169 47.56 71.49 34.33 46.64 27.05 35.70 22.63 28.61 10.40 16.76
584 NOTE, Installation conditions and current values that result in temperature rise above 15
585 degrees (shown in grey) are not recommended.

586 Note that the maximum bundle size for a 15 degree temperature rise in air is 58 cables for Category 5e,
587 82 cables for Category 6, 101 cables for Category 6A, and 280 for Category 8. 26 AWG patch cords that
588 are often dressed neatly in cable managers should be limited to 24 cord bundles to avoid overheating.
589 Table A.5 - Maximum bundle size for 15 °C temperature rise – all values TBD.

26 AWG Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A Category 8

24AWG 23AWG 23AWG 23AWG
Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit

600mA 24 24 214 146 282 205 350 272 1039 581

720mA 24 24 137 91 183 129 227 172 661 360
1000mA 24 16 58 36 82 53 101 71 280 144
590
591

18
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

26 AWG Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A Category 8

Temperature rise, degrees C 20

15

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Number of cables in bundle
592
593 Figure A.1 - Temperature rise v. number of cables in bundle in air
594 (1000 mA per pair) – all values TBD.
595 NOTES,
596 1. Installation conditions and current values that result in temperature rise above
597 15 degrees (shown in grey) are not recommended.
598 2. The equations in Annex A may be used to calculate temperature rise
599 associated with different installation conditions.
600

19
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

26 AWG Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A Category 8

20

15
Temperature rise, degrees C

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Number of cables in bundle
601
602 Figure A.2 - Temperature rise v. number of cables in bundle in conduit
603 (1000 mA per pair) – all values TBD.
604
605 NOTES,
606 1. Installation conditions and current values that result in temperature rise above
607 15 degrees (shown in grey) are not recommended.
608 2. The equations in Annex A may be used to calculate temperature rise
609 associated with different installation conditions.
610

611 A.4.1.2 Bundling Configurations

612 The number of cables in each layer is shown in Table A.6.
613 Table A.6 - Number of cables in a bundle per layer.
Layer Cables in layer Total cables in bundle
1 1 1
2 6 7
3 12 19
4 18 37
5 24 61
6 30 91
7 36 127
8 42 169
614
615 For number of cables in bundle in between these values, the temperature rise of the bundle may not
616 follow a linear interpolation; assuming a linear interpolation yields a conservative estimate of the

20
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

617 temperature rise. The subsequent clauses address reducing the temperature rise by configuring the
618 cable bundling.
619 A.4.1.3 Limiting number of cables in bundle
620 Separating large bundles into smaller bundles reduces the maximum temperature rise when it
621 results in a larger separation or overall increase in surface area (e.g. 3x37 cable bundles had
622 lower heat rise than a single 91 cable bundle).

623

624
625 Figure A.3 - 91 Cable Bundle.
626

627
628 Figure A.4 - Three bundles of 37 cables.
629 For example, the measured temperature rise in the center of a 91 cable bundle shown in Figure A.3 was
630 approximately 25% higher than the worst case measured temperature rise in the center of three smaller
631 bundles of 37 cables as shown in Figure A.4.
632 Further separation of bundles as illustrated in Figure A.5 reduces the maximum temperature rise by an
633 additional 30% when using one inch separation between bundles.

21
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

634

635
636 Figure A.5 - 3 bundles of 37 cables with separation.

637 A.4.1.4 Mixing cable categories within a bundle

638 The temperature rise of a mixed category bundle can be assumed to be bounded by the worst
639 case temperature rise of the lowest category cable in the bundle.

640 A.4.2 Temperature rise considerations

641 Current carrying capacity relates to various aspects of an installation. Minimizing the cabling temperature
642 rise is recommended as it:
643 • Reduces the impact on the transmission performance (e.g. insertion loss) of the cabling.
644 • Reduces the HVAC loading within the premises.
645 • Allows operation in higher ambient temperatures without exceeding the cable temperature rating.
646 • Reduces the overall cost of delivering power by minimizing the resistive heating loss (power
647 dissipated in the cabling).
648 A lower cabling temperature rise can be achieved by minimizing the heat generation and maximizing the
649 heat dissipation. Examples of how this may be achieved include:
650 • Using higher category cabling.
651 • Selecting a larger conductor size, which decreases per unit length dc resistance.
652 • Improving thermal dissipation by selecting cable with:
653 • Improved thermal conductivity
654 • Improved heat transfer coefficient between cable materials
655 • Improved heat transfer coefficient between cable jacket and air
656 • Metallic elements (e.g. shield, screen)
657 • A larger diameter
658 • Reducing the number of energized pairs (reducing the power delivered)
659 • Reducing the number of cables per bundle and avoiding tight cable bundles
660 • Select applications and devices that use lower current
661 • For connector current capacity, please refer to clause 6.4.3 of IEC 60603-7
662 A.4.3 Ampacity of the Bundle
663 The equation describing the temperature rise in a bundle of N cables supporting a current per pair of i
664 amps in an environment with ambient temperature described by Tambient is given by
665 ∆ = 8 09 + √9; @1 + > )= *6 + − 20 A B C − 2

(Table A.1) and > is the temperature coefficient of resistance for copper. Another way of interpreting this
666 where C1 and C2 are the coefficients corresponding to a specific installation condition and cable type
667

22
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

668 equation is to replace the left side by the difference between the maximum rated temperature of the cable
669 and the ambient and solve for the current resulting in an expression for the ampacity of the bundle, or

−
=D C − 3
)+* E )= *6 +

8 09 + √9;@1 + > )= *6 + − 20 A B

670 For the case of a Category 5e bundle of cable in open air ( 0 =0.1267, =0.9933) described by )= *6 + =
671 45 ⁰C, )+* E = 60 ⁰C and N = 37. The ampacity is 1.128 Amps per pair.
672 Table A. 7 - Ampacity per pair at 45 ⁰C ambient temperature for a category of cable
673 v. number of cables in bundle for standard 60 ⁰C rated cables

Number Ampacity per pair (A)

of
Cables 26 AWG Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A Category 8

Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit Air Conduit

1 2.664 2.091 3.492 2.844 4.099 3.243 4.380 3.541 5.264 4.096
7 1.545 1.223 1.971 1.628 2.287 1.857 2.460 2.039 3.106 2.423
19 1.140 0.909 1.424 1.188 1.638 1.356 1.770 1.496 2.327 1.819
24 1.059 0.846 1.314 1.100 1.509 1.255 1.632 1.386 2.169 1.697
37 0.919 0.737 1.128 0.949 1.290 1.084 1.399 1.200 1.898 1.487
48 0.842 0.677 1.026 0.866 1.170 0.989 1.271 1.097 1.749 1.371
52 0.819 0.660 0.997 0.842 1.135 0.962 1.234 1.067 1.705 1.337
61 0.775 0.625 0.939 0.795 1.068 0.908 1.162 1.008 1.619 1.270
64 0.763 0.615 0.922 0.781 1.049 0.893 1.141 0.991 1.594 1.251
74 0.725 0.586 0.873 0.741 0.991 0.846 1.079 0.941 1.520 1.193
91 0.673 0.545 0.806 0.686 0.914 0.784 0.996 0.873 1.419 1.115
97 0.658 0.533 0.787 0.670 0.891 0.766 0.971 0.852 1.388 1.091
100 0.651 0.528 0.777 0.662 0.880 0.757 0.960 0.843 1.374 1.080
127 0.596 0.485 0.708 0.605 0.799 0.691 0.872 0.771 1.266 0.996
169 0.536 0.437 0.631 0.541 0.711 0.619 0.777 0.691 1.146 0.903
674

675 A.5 Power Loss and Efficiency

676 Different cable types experience different power losses over the cabling system due to their DC
677 resistance. Systems with lower DC resistance will experience less power loss over the cable, and
678 therefore will deliver Power over Ethernet more efficiently.

( 9F
679 The power loss is given by equation (A-4).

FG = C − 4
()*
4
680 Where ()* is the current per pair, ( is the nominal dc loop resistance of channels given in Table 2
681 and 9F is the number of pairs energized.

23
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

682 For a given amount of power to be delivered, a system operating over 4 pairs will be more efficient than a
683 system operating over 2 pairs.
684 Table A.8 shows the approximate power loss per 100-meter channel for running PoE over the various
685 PoE cable types.
686 Table A.8 - Nominal power loss over 100 meters of different cable types
Current (A) Number of Pairs Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A
100m 100m 100m
0.6 A 2 4.39 3.62 3.62
0.6 A 4 8.78 7.23 7.23
0.72 A 4 12.64 10.41 10.41
1.0 A 4 24.38 20.09 20.09
687
689 As can be seen, at 1.0A of current, a category 5e system will experience an additional loss of 4.29W over
690 a 100-meter system, when compared to a nominal category 6 or 6A system.
691
692
693

24
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

694 Annex B Modeling

695 B.1 Temperature rise vs. cables in bundle

696 For a constant current, the predicted temperature rise for a bundle of cables will increase with the number
697 of cables in the bundle.
698 The model describing this increase is

699 ∆ H, 9 = 0 ∙9+ ∙ √9 ∙ H (B-1)

700 Where the variables are defined as:
701 ∆T is the temperature rise in °C.
702 I is the current in amperes.
703 N is the number of cables in the bundle.
704 C1 is a constant useful for estimating the temperature differential within the cable bundle.
705 C2 is a constant useful for estimating the temperature differential that exists between the surface
706 of the bundle and the surrounding ambient temperature.
707 B.2 Calculations
708 For a fixed current and bundle size, the temperature rise of the cable in the center of the bundle can be
709 measured. Another measurement can be made using the same cable type, same fixed current, and
710 same environment surrounding the cable bundle, but with either a larger or smaller cable bundle size than
711 the cable bundle already measured, The results of these two measurements provides the information
712 needed to calculate the coefficients C1 and C2.
713 Stated mathematically, the first measurement result is given symbolically in equation (B-2).

714 ∆ 0 = 0 ∙ 90 + ∙ J90 ∙ H (B-2)

715 Stated mathematically, the second measurement result is given symbolically in equation (B-3).

716 ∆ = 0 ∙9 + ∙ J9 ∙H (B-3)
717 The coefficients C1 and C2 can be determined algebraically using equations (B-2) and (B-3).
718 An alternative method is to construct a matrix equation using equations (B-2) and (B-3) as shown in
719 equation (B-4).

∆ 90 J90
K 0L = M N ∙ K 0L ∙ H
∆ 9 J9
720 (B-4)

721 Solving for the unknown variables results in equation (B-5).

O0
90 J90 ∆
K 0L = M N ∙ K 0L ∙ H
9 J9 ∆
722 (B-5)

723

25
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

724 B.3 Example

725 For a fixed current of 1A per pair and cable bundle size of 37, the temperature rise of the cable in the
726 center of the bundle is measured to be 10.73°C.
727 Another measurement using the same cable type, same fixed current of 1A per pair, and same
728 environment surrounding the cable bundle, but with a cable bundle size of 61 resulted in a temperature
729 rise of the cable in the center of the bundle to be 15.49°C.
730 Using these values and equation (B-5) gives equation (B-6).
O0
37 √37L 10.73
K 0L = K ∙Q S ∙ 1.0
61 √61 15.49
731 (B-6)

732 Solving equation (B-6) gives the results the coefficients C1 and C2 in equation (B-7).
0.127
K 0L = Q S
0.993
733 (B-7)

734

26
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

735 Annex C Measurement Method

736 C.1 Introduction

737 In the testing performed to derive the data presented in this document, cable bundles were carefully
738 formed leaving little or no separation between cables. This was done to obtain worst case temperature
739 rise results.
740 C.2 Test Setup

741 C.2.1 Thermocouple placement

742 A slot is cut in the cable jacket to provide access to the center of the cable as shown in Figure C.1. Care
743 must be taken when cutting the jacket to ensure that the insulation of the individual pairs of the cable are
744 not damaged.

745
746 Figure C.1 - Placement of thermocouple.
747 The thermocouple is secured in place by compression and wrapping with tape as shown in Figure C.2.
748 This cable will be the center cable of the cable bundle.
749

27
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

750
751 Figure C.2 - Securing of the thermocouple.

752 C.2.2 Measurement of cable bundle in air

753 A single length of cable is wrapped continuously around two anchored PVC pipes to form the cable
754 bundles shown in Figure C.3. The anchored PVC pipes are 3m apart and secured to two 2”x8” boards.
755

756
757 Figure C.3 - Test set-up for cable bundles in air.
758 The bundle on the left is a cable bundle size of 61 and the bundle on the right is a cable bundle size of
759 37. The conductors exposed on each end are soldered together in a configuration to allow current to flow
760 through each pair of the cable when connected to a current source.

28
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

761 C.2.3 Measurement of cable bundle in conduit

762 A conduit is split down the center and assembled around the same bundles used in the set-up for cable
763 bundle measurement in air. The conduit split longitudinally in half, placed around the bundles, and then
764 secured in place with hose-clamps as shown in Figure C.4.

765
766 Figure C.4 - Test set-up for cable bundles in conduit.
767 The ends of the conduit are stuffed with insulating material to prevent the possibility of any convection air
768 currents. The size of the conduit may be changed to ensure a cable to conduit fill ratio at or below 40%.
769

29
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

770 Annex D Bibliography

771 The following reference may provide additional useful information relating to power delivery over
772 balanced twisted-pair cabling:
773 ANSI/ICEA S-80-576, Communications Wire and Cable for Wiring Premises, 1994
774 ANSI/ICEA S-84-608, Telecommunications Cable Filled, Polyolefin Insulated, Copper Conductor -
775 Technical Requirements, 1994
776 ANSI/ICEA S-90-661, Individually Unshielded Twisted-pair Indoor Cable For Use Communication Wiring
777 Systems, 1994
778 ANSI/TIA-862-B, Structured Cabling Infrastructure Standard for Intelligent Building Systems, 2016IEC
779 61935-2, Specification for the testing of balanced and coaxial information technology cabling - Part 2:
780 Cords as specified in ISO/IEC 11801 and related standards, 2110
781 IEEE Std 1394-2008, IEEE Standard for a High-Performance Serial Bus, 2008
782 ASTM D 4565, Test Methods For Physical And Environmental Performance Properties of Insulations And
783 Jackets For Telecommunications Wire And Cable, 1999
784 ASTM D 4566, Standard Test Methods for Electrical Performance Properties of Insulations and Jackets
785 for Telecommunications Wire and Cable, 2005
786 UL 444, Communication Cables 4th Edition, 2008
787 UL 1863, Communications Circuit Accessories, 2004
788 The organizations listed below can be contacted to obtain reference information.
789 ANSI
790 American National Standards Organization
rd
791 25 W 43 St
th
792 4 Floor
793 New York, NY 10036
794 USA
795 (212) 642-4900
796 www.ansi.org
797 ASTM
798 ASTM International
799 100 Barr Harbor Dr
800 PO Box C700
801 West Conshohocken, PA 19428
802 USA
803 (610) 832-9500
804 www.astm.org
805
806 ICEA
807 Insulated Cable Engineers Association, Inc
808 PO Box 2694
809 Alpharetta GA 30023
810 USA
811 www.icea.net
812
813

30
 TIA TSB-184A D7.1

814 IEC
815 International Electrotechnical Commission
816 3, rue de Varembé
817 PO Box 131
818 1211 Geneva 20
819 Switzerland
820 +41 22 919 02 11
821 www.iec.ch
822
823 IEEE
824 IEEE
825 445 Hoes Ln
826 Piscataway, NJ 08854
827 USA
828 (212) 785-0017
829 www.ieee.org
830
831 TIA
832 Telecommunications Industry Association
833 1320 North Courthouse Rd
834 Suite 200
835 Arlington, VA 22201
836 USA
837 (703) 907-7700
838 www.tiaonline.org
839
840 UL
841 Underwriters Laboratories Inc
842 333 Pfingsten Rd
843 Northbrook, IL 60062
844 USA
845 (847) 272-8800
846 www.ul.com
847
848

31