1.3 Laying the cable

1.3.1 Electrical PROFIBUS cables (part one)

General

PROFIBUS cables can only handle limited mechanical loading. In particular, the cables can be damaged by excessive tension or pressure during installation. Twisting or excessive bending (kinking) of the PROFIBUS cable has the same effect. The following notes will help you avoid damage when laying PROFIBUS cables.

Storage and transport

During transport, storage and laying, the PROFIBUS cable must be closed with a shrink cap at both ends. This prevents an oxidation of the individual cores and any accumulation of moisture and dirt within the PROFIBUS cable.

Temperature

The manufacturer specifies minimum and maximum temperatures for PROFIBUS cable. The cable must be kept within these limits otherwise it may not meet the required mechanical and electrical specifications. The cable must be routed to avoid areas where the temperature is outside the specified limits.The temperature values can be found on the manufacturer’s data sheets. Some manufacturers print temperature data on the cable sheath.

The temperature range for PROFIBUS cable typically lies between –40°C and +60 °C. Caution: For some PROFIBUS cable types, the lower temperature limit is –25°C!