From Iec 60439 To Iec 61439

Low Voltage Systems Newsletter
The Low Voltage Switchgear & Controlgear
Assembly standards
The move from IEC 60439-X to 61439-X
Schneider Electric East Mediterranean

Low Voltage Systems Newsletter Issue #1 - April 2011
www.eastmed.schneider-electric.com
www.eastmed.schneider-electric.com >1
Content
The International ASSEMBLY Standards ................................... 2

From IEC 60439-1 to IEC 61439-1&2
Why a New Standard?....................................................................... 3
Clear Definitions of Roles ............................................................... 3
Elimination of TTA and PTTA Concepts .................................... 3
Clarified & Reinforced Requirements ......................................... 5

Strength of materials and parts
Overview of the Design Verifications ......................................... 5

(according to IEC 61439-2, in order of appearance)
Overview of the Routine Verifications ....................................... 6
The International ASSEMBLY Standards

From IEC 60439-1 to IEC 61439-1&2
OLD IEC 60439-X Power switchgear and controlgear assemblies
LV switchgear TTA and PTTA (Also used as a general rules standard) 60439-1
& controlgear
Assemblies
(ASSEMBLIES) Busbar Trunkings Distribution ASSEMLIES ASSEMBLIES
Systems Boards for for construction for public
60439-2 unskilled pers. sites networks
60439-3 60439-4 60439-5
NEW IEC 61439-X General rules

LV switchgear 61439-1 (2009)
& controlgear
Assemblies
(ASSEMBLIES) Power switchgear Distribution ASSEMLIES ASSEMBLIES Busbar
and controlgear Boards for for construction for public Trunkings
assemblies Ordinary pers. sites networks Systems
61439-2 (2009) 61439-3 61439-4 61439-5 61439-6
• IEC 61439-2 is to be read in conjunction with IEC 61439-1, instead of IEC 60439-1 alone
• Structure aligned with Standard for protection devices IEC60947
• Tests identical to those in IEC 60439-1 do not need to be repeat
IEC61439-1 & 2 Standard
Why a New Standard?

• 80% of the ASSEMBLIES worldwide do not comply with the standard
• Requirements not always clear
• Role of Switchboard System manufacturer and Panel Builder not clear enough
• A Partially Type Tested ASSEMBLY (PTTA) concept abused and misused
Main Changes
Original Manufacturer (Switchboard System manufacturer)
• Recognition of
and ASSEMBLY Manufacturer (Panel Builder)
• PTTA/TTA concepts replaced with (tested) ASSEMBLY
• Clarified & reinforced requirements
Clear Definitions of Roles

• ASSEMBLY Manufacturer (Panel Builder)
• Takes the responsibility for the final Assembly
• Carries out routine verifications Specifier
• Original Manufacturer (System manufacturer) Certification

body Project Specification
• Carries out the original design
• Carries out the design verifications
that can be certified through a certification body Assembly
(ASEFA, ASTA, KEMA,…) Original
Manufacturer
Assembly Manufacturer
system (Panel Builder)
• ASSEMBLY System
• Full range of mechanical & electrical components
Tested assembly
(functional units, switching devices, enclosures…)
designed by the Original Manufacturer to be
assembled according to his instructions User
• Specifier (design office, End user,…)

• Specifies or selects the ASSEMBLY
Elimination of TTA and PTTA concepts

Type Tested Assemblies
Tested ASSEMBLIES
Partially Type Tested Assemblies
TTA Design verifications

• 7 type tests on the design • Mainly type-tests
• 3 routine tests on the realization of each panel • Or possibility for only some of the verifications under clear and strict
conditions to do
• Comparison with a tested reference design (Design Rules)
• Calculations including safety margins
PTTA
• Calculations not clearly defined to justify not to do some type-tests Routine verifications
• 3 same routine tests • Same as TTA in 10 items instead of 3
IEC61439-1 & 2 Standard
Verification options available

Clauses or
No. Characteristic to be verified
Subclauses Verification Verification Verification
by testing by calculation by design
rules
1 Strength of Material and Parts: 10.2
Resistance to corrosion 10.2.2 Yes No No
Properties of Insulating Materials: 10.2.3
Thermal stability 10.2.3.1 Yes No No
Resistance of insulating
10.2.3.2 Yes No No
Materials to normal heat
Resistance to abnormal heat and fire due to
10.2.3.3 Yes No No
internal electric effects
Resistance to ultra-violet (UV) radiation 10.2.4 Yes No No
Lifting 10.2.5 Yes No No
Mechanical impact 10.2.6 Yes No No
Marking 10.2.7 Yes No No
2 Degree of Protection of Enclosures 10.3 Yes No Yes
3 Clearance and Creepage Distances 10.4 Yes Yes Yes
4 Protection against electric shock
10.5
and integrity of protective circuits:
Effective continuity between the exposed
conductive parts of the ASSEMBLY and the 10.5.2 Yes No No
protective circuit
Effectiveness of the assembly for external faults 10.5.3 Yes Yes Yes
5 Incorporation of switching devices
10.6 No No Yes
and Components
6 Internal electrical circuits and connections 10.7 No No Yes
7 Terminal for external conductors 10.8 No No Yes
8 Dielectric properties: 10.9
Power-frequency withstand voltage 10.9.2 Yes No No
Impulse withstand voltage 10.9.3 Yes Yes
9 Temperature-rise limits 10.10 Yes Yes Yes
10 Short-circuit withstand strength 10.11 Yes Yes Yes
11 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) 10.12 Yes No Yes
12 Mechanical operation 10.13 Yes No No
Clarified & Reinforced Requirements:

Strength of materials and parts
• Following tests are compulsory
This looks at the suitability of plastic and metal parts to prove the long term capabilities
of the equipment.
• Resistance to corrosion
• Properties of insulating materials
• Thermal stability
• Resistance of insulating materials to normal heat
• Resistance to abnormal heat and fire due to internal electric effects
• Resistance to ultra-violet (UV) radiation
• Lifting
• Mechanical impact (IK)
• Marking
• Current carrying
• All the tests (also short circuit) have to be made with the devices inside the assembly
• No more possibility to make a temperature rise with a heating resistance
• No device substitution
• The tests have to be made
• for each circuit alone to its rated current
• and the complete assembly (including diversity factor)
• The verification by calculation is limited
• maximum 1600A and all components de-rated to 80%
Overview of The Design Verifications

(according to IEC 61439-2, in order of appearance)
“Construction”
• Resistance to corrosion
• Thermal stability of insulating materials (dry heat test)
(a new ball pressure test will be withdrawn from Edition 2)
• Resistance to abnormal heat due to internal electric effects (glow-wire test) (8)
• UV radiation test (outdoor ASSEMBLIES only)
• Lifting test
• IK test, where specified
• Marking
• Degree of protection of enclosures (7)
• Clearances (higher minimums) and creepage distances (5)
• Continuity between exposed conductive parts and the protective circuit (4.1)
• Effectiveness of the protective circuit for external faults (4.2)
• Incorporation of switching devices and components
• Internal circuits and connections
• Terminals for external conductors
“Performance”
• Power-frequency voltage test (2) (complying with IEC60947)
• Impulse withstand voltage test (no more optional)
• Temperature rise limits (1)
• Short-circuit withstand strength (3)
• Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (9)
• Mechanical operation (6) (200 operating cycles instead of 50)
NOTE
• (1) to (7) show the 7 type-tests according to table 7 of IEC 60439-1 (items 1 to 7)
• (8) and (9) were also required but not in table 7
Overview of The Routine Verifications

Routine Verification Visual inspection Tests
Degree of protection of enclosures X
Clearances X or measurement if specified values (in 1st Ed (2009)

of IEC 61439 -1 these values are 1,5 times the values
in Ed 2 to be published in 2011 (and in IEC 60439- 1)
or impulse withstand voltage test
Creepage distances X or measurement if visual inspection not applicable
Protection against electric shock and integrity X Random verification of tightness of the connections of
of protective circuits protective circuit
Incorporation of built-in components X
Internal electrical circuits and connections X Or Random verification of tightness
Terminals for external conductors Number, type and identification of terminals

Mechanical operation X effectiveness of mechanical actuating elements
locks and interlocks, including those associated with
removable parts
Power-frequency dielectric test or verification of
Dielectric properties insulating resistance (with incoming up to 250A only)
X Verification of completeness of information & markings,
Wiring, operational performance and function inspection of wiring and Function test where relevant
Become A Champion
of Energy Efficiency.
Enroll at MyEnergyUniversity.com today!
Energy University
courses are:
> On demand
> Less than an hour
> Free of charge
To find out more:

www.eastmed.schneider-electric.com
Schneider Electric East Mediterranean s.a.l. Cyprus + 357 24 812 649 • customercare.cy@schneider-electric.com
Ashadia Building, 10th Floor, Tabaris, Achrafieh
Iraq + 962 6 516 6260 • customercare.iq@schneider-electric.com
P.O. Box : 166223 - Beirut, Lebanon
Jordan + 962 6 516 6465 • customercare.jo@schneider-electric.com
Tel. +961 1 204 502
Fax +961 1 204 458 Lebanon + 961 1 321 645 • customercare.lb@schneider-electric.com
www.eastmed.schneider-electric.com Syria + 963 11 6124799 • customercare.sy@schneider-electric.com

From Iec 60439 To Iec 61439

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

From Iec 60439 To Iec 61439

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Low Voltage Systems Newsletter

The Low Voltage Switchgear & Controlgear

Schneider Electric East Mediterranean

The International ASSEMBLY Standards ................................... 2

Why a New Standard?....................................................................... 3

Clear Definitions of Roles ............................................................... 3

Elimination of TTA and PTTA Concepts .................................... 3

Clarified & Reinforced Requirements ......................................... 5

Overview of the Design Verifications ......................................... 5

Overview of the Routine Verifications ....................................... 6

The International ASSEMBLY Standards

NEW IEC 61439-X General rules

Low Voltage Systems Newsletter

Why a New Standard?

Clear Definitions of Roles

• Original Manufacturer (System manufacturer) Certification

• Specifier (design office, End user,…)

Elimination of TTA and PTTA concepts

TTA Design verifications

Low Voltage Systems Newsletter

Verification options available

Clarified & Reinforced Requirements:

Overview of The Design Verifications

Overview of The Routine Verifications

Degree of protection of enclosures X

Clearances X or measurement if specified values (in 1st Ed (2009)

Incorporation of built-in components X

Internal electrical circuits and connections X Or Random verification of tightness

Terminals for external conductors Number, type and identification of terminals

> Less than an hour

> Free of charge

To find out more:

You might also like