IEC 60730-2-13:2017

Overview

IEC 60730-2-13:2017 - "Automatic electrical controls - Part 2-13: Particular requirements for humidity sensing controls" is the IEC product standard that defines safety, performance and test requirements for automatic electrical humidity sensing controls (humidistats). It applies to controls used in, on, or in association with equipment such as heating and air‑conditioning systems and building automation (within the scope of ISO 16484). This third edition (2017) replaces the 2006 edition, aligns with IEC 60730-1 (5th ed., 2013) and includes corrigenda of February 2018.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and applicability
  • Covers humidity sensing controls for residential, commercial and public environments (shops, offices, hospitals, farms, commercial/industrial equipment).
  • Excludes controls intended exclusively for industrial process applications unless noted in the equipment standard.
• Standards integration
  • Part 2-13 supplements and modifies IEC 60730-1; both documents must be used together.
• Definitions
  • Includes specific definitions such as humidity sensing control and room humidistat.
• Safety and construction
  • Requirements for protection against electric shock, protective earthing, terminals, construction, moisture/dust resistance, insulation and electric strength.
  • Insulation/disconnection test voltages may require specially calibrated samples for humidity controls.
• Performance, calibration and drift
  • Requirements for declared manufacturing deviation and drift; manufacturers may express tolerance separately to declared operating value.
  • Controls intended for user adjustment are tested at the maximum permitted setting unless otherwise declared.
  • Sensing for operation tests must use a device with sensing current not exceeding 0.05 A.
• Endurance and environmental testing
  • Environmental stress, heating, mechanical strength and endurance tests apply; activation quantity for tests is to be agreed between manufacturer and testing authority.
  • Annex AA defines cycle requirements for independently mounted and in-line cord controls; regional variations in Annex BB.
• EMC and electronic controls
  • Clause H.26 aligns EMC requirements with other Part 2 standards; Clause H.27 adds requirements for class B and C control functions.
  • Annex H contains normative requirements for electronic controls.

Practical applications and users

• Who uses it
  • HVAC and building automation manufacturers, product designers, test laboratories, certification bodies, specifiers and compliance engineers.
• Typical use cases
  • Designing and certifying humidistats, room humidistats and humidity controllers for heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning systems, smart building controls, public‑use equipment.
• Benefits
  • Ensures safety, electromagnetic compatibility, reliable operation and traceable test methods for humidity sensing controls in building and commercial applications.

Related standards

• IEC 60730-1 (general requirements for automatic electrical controls) - use in conjunction with Part 2-13.
• ISO 16484 (building automation and control systems) - Part 2-13 applies to controls within this scope.

Keywords: IEC 60730-2-13, humidity sensing controls, humidistat, IEC 60730-1, building automation, HVAC, EMC, endurance testing, room humidistat.