IEC 60704-2-14:2013

Overview

IEC 60704-2-14:2013 is the International Electrotechnical Commission test code that defines particular requirements for measuring airborne acoustical noise from household refrigerators, frozen‑food storage cabinets and food freezers. This Part 2-14 supplements IEC 60704-1:2010 (general requirements) and is intended to produce accurate, reproducible sound power and sound pressure measurements that simulate practical use conditions. The edition consolidates test-enclosure guidance into Part 1 and adds quantified standard deviations for measurement uncertainty.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope: Applies to household refrigerators, frozen‑food storage cabinets and food freezers (mains or battery) - airborne noise only, appliances tested without an operator present.
• Measurement methods: Direct and comparison methods as per ISO 3743‑1, ISO 3743‑2 and ISO 3744; microphone arrays and measurement surfaces for free‑field-over‑reflecting‑plane conditions are referenced.
• Pre‑conditioning and operation:
  • Equip appliance as intended for use; fix loose accessories to avoid unusual vibration.
  • Running‑in: at least 16 h at specified ambient temperature.
  • Measurements after steady state achieved and at least three complete compressor running periods.
• Instrumentation and environment:
  • Temperature measurement accuracy: ±0.5 °C.
  • Consideration of climatic conditions, electrical supply, mounting and loading to simulate normal use.
  • Pure tones may increase measurement scatter; additional microphone/source positions may be required (see ISO guidance).
• Measurement uncertainty:
  • Repeatability r = 0.4 dB, Reproducibility R = 0.7 dB (sound power).
  • For declaration and verification (IEC 60704‑3 context): production σP 0.7–1.5 dB, total σt 1.0–1.7 dB, reference σM 2.0 dB.

Practical applications and users

Who uses IEC 60704-2-14:

• Manufacturers for product design, noise optimization and internal quality control.
• Independent test laboratories and accredited acoustics labs to perform standardized noise measurements and compare results across sites.
• Certification bodies and compliance engineers verifying product acoustic performance.
• Acoustic consultants assessing appliance noise in consumer and environmental contexts.

Typical uses:

• Verification of declared noise emission values (used alongside IEC 60704‑3),
• Development testing to reduce perceived noise,
• Comparative laboratory testing for product benchmarking,
• Supporting regulatory or labeling programs that require standardized acoustical data.

Related standards

• IEC 60704‑1:2010 - General requirements for airborne acoustical noise testing (use in conjunction with Part 2‑14).
• IEC 60704‑3 - Procedures for declaration and verification of noise emission values.
• ISO 3743‑1, ISO 3743‑2, ISO 3744 - Reference methods for sound power determination.