IEC 60335-2-104:2021

Overview

IEC 60335-2-104:2021 - Edition 2.0 (2021) is the international safety standard for electrical appliances that recover and/or recycle refrigerant from air‑conditioning and refrigeration equipment. It applies to service and shop equipment (including units used in light industry and on farms) with maximum rated voltages up to 300 V for single‑phase appliances and 600 V for other equipment. This part 2 standard is intended to be used together with IEC 60335-1:2010 (Part 1) and constitutes a technical revision of the 2003 edition.

Key topics and technical requirements

The standard sets particular safety requirements tailored to refrigerant recovery/recycle appliances and covers a broad set of technical topics, including:

• Scope and definitions specific to recovery/recycle appliances (Clause 1–3)
• Marking and instructions: mandatory markings, symbols (e.g., “read operator’s manual”) and maximum allowable pressure markings (Clause 7)
• Electrical safety: protection against access to live parts, leakage current, electric strength, transient overvoltages, and motor starting (Clauses 8–15)
• Temperature and heating limits: winding and abnormal temperature limits and related test methods (Tables and Annex AA)
• Mechanical construction and strength: stability, mechanical hazards, internal wiring, components, terminals and earthing (Clauses 20–28)
• Pressure and leak integrity: pressure strength tests, pressure values and leak simulation tests (Annexes CC, DD and relevant clauses)
• Compatibility and refrigerant considerations: compatibility testing for refrigerants and refrigerant-containing parts (Annex BB)
• Fire, corrosion and toxic hazards: resistance to heat, fire, rusting and radiation/toxicity checks (Clauses 30–32)
• Documentation: mandatory installation, operating and safety instructions (Annex EE)

Significant technical changes from the 2003 edition include updated normative references, revised definitions, added symbols and markings, multiple subclause modifications, and several new or revised annexes (AA, BB, CC, DD, EE).

Practical applications - who uses this standard

IEC 60335-2-104:2021 is essential for:

• Manufacturers and designers of refrigerant recovery/recycle units - to design safe products compliant with international safety rules.
• Test laboratories and certification bodies - to perform required electrical, mechanical and pressure tests for product approval.
• HVAC-R service equipment suppliers - to ensure equipment used by technicians meets safety and labeling obligations.
• Regulatory authorities and compliance engineers - for adoption into national regulations and market surveillance.

Related standards

• IEC 60335-1:2010 (Part 1) - general requirements for household and similar electrical appliances (this part 2 is to be used in conjunction with Part 1).
• The IEC 60335 series - for other appliance‑specific safety requirements.

Keywords: IEC 60335-2-104:2021, refrigerant recovery, refrigerant recycle, appliance safety, HVAC service equipment, pressure tests, leak simulation, IEC 60335-1.