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BS EN IEC 60320-1:2021

$215.11

Appliance couplers for household and similar general purposes – General requirements

Published By Publication Date Number of Pages
BSI 2021 80
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This part of lEC 60320 sets the general requirements for appliance couplers for two poles and two poles with earth contact and for the connection of electrical devices for household and similar onto the mains supply.

This document is also valid for appliance inlets/appliance outlets integrated or incorporated in appliances.

The rated voltage does not exceed 250 V (AC) and the rated current does not exceed 16 A.

Appliance couplers complying with this document are suitable for normal use at ambient temperatures not normally exceeding +40 °C, but their average over a period of 24 h does not exceed +35 °C, with a lower limit of the ambient air temperature of −5 °C.

Annex E provides test requirements for derating the operating current of an accessory when used in ambient temperatures above +35 °C up to and including +90 °C.

Appliance couplers are not suitable for:

  • use in place of plug and socket-outlet systems according to IEC 60884-1;

  • use in place of devices for connecting luminaires (DCLs) according to IEC 61995 or luminaire supporting couplers (LSCs);

  • use in place of installation couplers according to IEC 61535.

PDF Catalog

PDF Pages PDF Title
2 undefined
7 Annex ZA (normative)Normative references to international publicationswith their corresponding European publications
9 Annex ZZ (informative)Relationship between this European standard and the safety objectives of Directive 2014/35/EU [2014 OJ L96] aimed to be covered
11 English
CONTENTS
16 FOREWORD
18 1 Scope
2 Normative references
19 3 Terms and definitions
20 Figures
Figure 1 – Intended use of appliance couplers
22 4 General requirements
23 5 General notes on tests
5.1 General
5.2 Test samples
5.3 Routine tests
24 6 Standard ratings
7 Classification of appliance couplers
8 Marking
8.1 General
8.2 Additional markings
25 8.3 Appliance couplers for class II equipment
8.4 Symbols or alphanumeric notations
8.5 Legibility of markings
8.6 Terminal markings and wiring instructions
26 8.7 Durability
8.8 Test and inspection
9 Dimensions and compatibility
9.1 General
9.2 Single‐pole connections
9.3 Compatibility
27 9.4 Dimensions for standardized appliance couplers
9.5 Dimensions for non-standardized appliance couplers
28 10 Protection against electric shock
10.1 Accessibility of live parts
10.2 Protection against single pole connection
10.3 Protection against access to live parts
10.4 External parts
10.5 Shrouds
11 Provision for earthing
29 12 Terminals and terminations
12.1 General
12.2 Rewirable appliance couplers
12.3 Non‐rewirable appliance couplers
13 Construction
13.1 Risk of accidental contact
13.2 Contact positions
Table 1 – Position of contacts
30 13.3 Parts covering live parts
13.4 Pin construction
13.4.1 Prevention of rotation
13.4.2 Pin retention
Tables
31 13.4.3 Non‐solid pins
13.4.4 Pins for appliance couplers for higher ambient temperatures up to +90 °C
13.5 Contact pressure
Figure 2 – Device for testing non-solid pins
32 13.6 Enclosure
13.6.1 General
13.6.2 Rewirable connectors and rewirable plug connectors
13.6.3 Non-rewirable connectors and non-rewirable plug connectors
33 13.7 Earth connection
13.8 Location of terminals and terminations
13.8.1 General
13.8.2 Free wire test for rewirable accessories
13.8.3 Free wire test for non-rewirable non-moulded-on accessories
34 13.8.4 Free wire verification for non-rewirable moulded-on accessories
13.9 Connectors/plug connectors without earthing contact
13.10 Fuses, relays, thermostats, thermal cut-outs and switches
14 Moisture resistance
35 15 Insulation resistance and electric strength
15.1 General
36 Table 2 – Maximum diameters of the cords
37 15.2 Insulation resistance
15.3 Dielectric strength
Table 3 – Minimum insulation resistance
38 16 Forces necessary to insert and to withdraw the connector/appliance outlet
16.1 General
Table 4 – Dielectric strength
39 16.2 Verification of the maximum withdrawal force
Figure 3 – Apparatus for checking the withdrawal force
Table 5 – Maximum and minimum withdrawal forces
40 16.3 Verification of the minimum withdrawal force
Figure 4 – Gauge for verification of the minimum withdrawal force
41 17 Operation of contacts
18 Resistance to heating of appliance couplers for hot conditions or very hot conditions
18.1 General
42 18.2 Heating test for connectors/plug connectors
Figure 5 – Example of an apparatus for heating test (see 18.2)
43 18.3 Heating test for appliance inlets/appliance outlets
19 Breaking capacity
44 Figure 6 – Circuit diagram for breaking capacity and normal operation tests
Table 6 – Ratings for the tests of Clause 19
45 20 Normal operation
21 Temperature rise
Table 7 – Ratings for the tests of Clause 20
46 22 Cords and their connection
22.1 Cords for non-rewirable connectors/plug connectors
Table 8 – Cords and conductors for the tests of Clause 21
47 22.2 Cord anchorage
22.2.1 General
Table 9 – Type and nominal cross-sectional area of cords
48 22.2.2 Additional requirements for rewirable connectors and rewirable plug connectors
22.2.3 Pull test for cable anchorage
Figure 7 – Apparatus for testing the cord anchorage
49 Table 10 – Types of cord for the rewirable connector/plug connector test
50 22.3 Flexing test
51 Figure 8 – Apparatus for the flexing test
52 23 Mechanical strength
23.1 General
53 23.2 Free fall test
23.3 Lateral pull test for contacts
Table 11 – Applicable tests
54 Figure 9 – Example of apparatus for pulling test
55 23.4 Impact test
23.5 Deformation test
Table 12 – Values for the lateral pulls applied
56 23.6 Pull tests for connectors/plug connectors with a separate front part
23.6.1 General
23.6.2 Straight pull test
23.6.3 Lateral pull test
Table 13 – Values for pull forces
57 24 Resistance to heat and ageing
24.1 Resistance to heat
24.2 Resistance to ageing
24.2.1 General
58 24.2.2 Ageing test for elastomeric materials
24.2.3 Ageing test for thermoplastic materials
24.2.4 Ageing test assessment
25 Screws, current-carrying parts and connections
25.1 General
59 25.2 Electrical connections
Table 14 – Torque applied for the tightening and loosening test
60 25.3 Securement of connections
25.4 Metallic parts
26 Clearances, creepage distances and solid insulation
26.1 General
61 26.2 Clearances
26.2.1 Dimensioning
26.2.2 Minimum values for clearances
Table 15 – Rated impulse withstand voltage for appliance couplers energized directly from the low voltage mains
62 26.3 Creepage distances
26.3.1 Dimensioning
26.3.2 Minimum creepage distances
Table 16 – Minimum clearances for basic insulation
63 26.4 Solid insulation
Table 17 – Minimum creepage distances for basic and functional insulation
64 27 Resistance of insulating material to heat, fire and tracking
27.1 Resistance to heat and fire
27.1.1 General
27.1.2 Objective of the test
27.1.3 General description of the test
27.1.4 Degree of severity
27.1.5 Evaluation of test results
65 27.2 Resistance to tracking
28 Resistance to rusting
29 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements
29.1 Immunity – Accessories not incorporating electronic components
66 29.2 Emission – Accessories not incorporating electronic components
67 Annexes
Annex A (normative) Proof tracking test
68 Annex B (normative) Routine tests for factory wired appliance couplers related to safety
B.1 General
B.2 Polarized systems: Line (L) and neutral (N) – Correct connection
Table B.1 – Test overview
69 B.3 Earth (PE) continuity
B.4 Short-circuit/wrong connection and reduction in creepage distance and clearance
B.4.1 Accessible surface safety check
B.4.2 Short-circuit/wrong connection
70 Annex C (normative)Test schedule
Table C.1 – Test schedule
72 Annex D (informative) Comparison of typical conductor cross-sectional areas
Table D.1 – Comparison of conductor sizes
73 Annex E (normative) Additional tests and requirements for appliance couplers intended to be used in ambient temperatures above +35 °C up to and including +90 °C
E.1 General
E.2 General requirements on tests
E.2.1 General
E.2.2 Test setup
E.2.3 Conditions of temperature measurement
74 E.2.4 Method of measurement
E.3 Markings
E.4 Determination of ta and the rated and derated current in relation to the ambient temperature
E.4.1 Determination of the maximum ambient temperature (ta) for operation of the accessory at the rated current
75 E.4.2 Determination of the derated operating currents for ambient temperatures above ta
E.5 Test to evaluate the long-term behaviour of the appliance couplers in ambient temperatures above +35 °C up to and including +90 °C
E.5.1 Resistance to heat
Figure E.1 – Schematic drawing of a derating curve with an example of a derated current Id at the operating ambient temperature td
76 E.5.2 Resistance to ageing
77 E.5.3 Resistance to tracking
E.6 Cords and their connections
78 Bibliography
BS EN IEC 60320-1:2021
$215.11