Cat5e UTP LSZH Patch Cord, Low-Smoke Zero-Halogen

Overview

A cat5e utp lszh patch cord is specified by what it does in a fire, not by how it carries data. Ordinary PVC jacket gives off halogen acid gas and dense smoke when it burns; a low-smoke zero-halogen jacket is formulated not to. In a closed space full of people — a school corridor, a hospital ward, a rail platform — that difference, and not the category rating, is the reason the cord is on the drawing.

Key Specifications

Cable type	Cat5e UTP, 4-pair
Jacket	Low-smoke zero-halogen compound
Conductor	Stranded bare copper, 24 AWG
Connector	RJ45 8P8C, 50 micro-inch gold plating
Boot	Snagless, molded
Wiring	T568B standard, T568A on request
Test methods	IEC 60754-1/-2, IEC 61034-2, IEC 60332 — industry-general
Length	OEM build, stated per order
Category reference	ANSI/TIA-568 and ISO/IEC 11801 Class D, industry-general definition

What LSZH actually means: the four tests

LSZH is not a single number. It is a set of separate measurements, and a spec that only quotes one of them is not a complete spec.

Test method	What it measures	What people call it
IEC 60754-1	Amount of halogen acid gas given off when the material burns	Zero halogen
IEC 60754-2	Acidity, by pH, and conductivity of the dissolved gas	Low corrosivity
IEC 61034-2	Smoke density, measured as light transmittance through the smoke	Low smoke
IEC 60332-1 / -3	Flame spread, single cable or bunched cables	Flame retardant

The point of the first three is not the cable, it is the room. Dense smoke is what stops people finding the exit, and acid gas is what destroys equipment two rooms away and corrodes anything metal it settles on. Halogen-bearing compounds are the usual source of both, which is why the halogen content of the jacket is what IEC 60754 measures. These are industry-general test methods; what your jacket is built and verified to is stated per order.

Plenum, riser and LSZH explained

These get confused constantly, and they answer different questions. LSZH describes a material behavior, measured by the IEC test methods above. CMP and CMR are North American installation markings, tied to flame-spread and smoke tests written into the electrical code. One does not substitute for the other: if the authority having jurisdiction asks for a plenum-rated cable, an LSZH jacket is not the answer, and vice versa. For North American plenum work, see our Cat5e CMP Plenum Patch Cord.

Where an LSZH specification comes from

Schools, universities and any building with children in it
Hospitals, clinics and care facilities, where evacuation is slow
Rail, metro and tunnel installations
Ships and offshore accommodation
Data center hot aisles and occupied work areas
Public venues, theaters and conference centers

Handling and installation notes

LSZH compounds are stiffer than the PVC they replace and generally less abrasion resistant, so two practical notes follow. Give the run a slightly larger bend radius than you would with PVC, and do not pull LSZH jacket over a sharp edge. Both are cheap to design around and expensive to discover on site. Our assembly and inspection follow IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 criteria, and the tooling is set for the compound rather than run at PVC settings.

Typical applications for this cat5e utp lszh patch cord

Classroom and lecture-hall drops
Hospital ward and clinic network points
Rolling stock and station installations — see our Cat6A Railway Patch Cord
Shipboard and offshore accommodation networks
Data center cabinets in occupied halls
Public-sector offices with a low-smoke specification

How to specify your build

Which tests the specification actually calls for — 60754-1/-2, 61034-2, 60332, or all four.
Length and color; LSZH jacket color options are narrower than PVC.
Wiring — T568B default.
Boot — snagless or short-body.
PoE or not, and the bundle size.
Documentation — what certificates the project file needs.

Workmanship and testing

Assembly and inspection follow IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 workmanship criteria under our ISO 9001 quality management system, and every unit is 100% continuity and pinout tested before it is packed. Conductor range is 32 to 12 AWG. Material certificates traceable to the jacket compound are available with the order. Where a standard sets a limit for the category, the connector interface or the jacket, that is the industry-general definition of the rating. The values your assembly is built and verified to are the ones stated on your drawing, per order.

RoHS and REACH declarations are provided per project together with the agreed test reports; the documentation scope is listed under certifications and compliance. If your drawing specifies a UL style, we build to that drawing and supply the UL reference with the shipment instead of substituting an equivalent. The strain relief and molded body are produced on tooling we cut ourselves see in-house mold making and overmold tooling so the tool is quoted separately, owned by you, and available for repeat runs years later. Related reading: what automation programs ask for.

Custom builds and ordering

Cat5e UTP LSZH prototypes start from 1 to 50 pcs and ship in 3 working days. Series supply starts at 500 pcs and takes 14 working days after approval. Cat5e builds ship under your part number and labeling for OEM and ODM orders, and material certificates and first-article reports are on offer. New tooling adds about 10 working days, and we hold 100 sets of mold tooling in house.

Related low-smoke and Cat5e assemblies

Full range: Ethernet patch cord range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is LSZH the same as plenum-rated?

No. LSZH is a material property measured by IEC test methods; plenum is a North American installation marking written into the electrical code. They are not interchangeable.