IEC 60730-2-23:2025

Overview

IEC 60730-2-23:2025 - "Automatic electrical controls - Part 2-23: Particular requirements for electrical sensors and sensing elements" is an international standard that defines safety, reliability and performance requirements for electrical, electro-mechanical and electronic sensors and sensing elements used in automatic electrical controls. It covers discrete sensors that transform an activating quantity (voltage, current, temperature, pressure, humidity, light, gasoline vapours, etc.) into a usable output and the inherent conditioning circuitry relied on for that transformation. The standard applies when sensors are used in or with automatic controls and can be applied to other applications when the end-product safety is maintained.

Key technical topics and requirements

IEC 60730-2-23 complements IEC 60730-1 and focuses on sensor-specific requirements including:

• Scope and definitions specific to sensors and sensing elements (including RTDs and thermistors)
• Required technical information: marking, documentation and warning/cautionary markings
• Protection against electric shock and provision for protective earthing (Class I/II/III considerations)
• Terminals, terminations and constructional requirements for safe mounting and operation
• Components: expectations for transformers, capacitors, relays, fuses, thermistors, etc.
• Fault assessment for inherent and functional safety of electronic circuits
• Environmental and mechanical tests: moisture/dust resistance, mechanical strength, heating, endurance, manufacturing deviation and drift
• Insulation and dielectric strength: creepage, clearances and solid insulation
• Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC): emission and immunity requirements and test plans
• Normal and abnormal operation tests and conditioning tests for sensors
• Software and conditioning circuitry: requirements when software or inseparable conditioning circuits are inherent to a sensor

The document also notes future consideration of other sensor technologies (chemical, mechanical, MEMS) and additional application-specific requirements may be mandated by the relevant end-product standard.

Practical applications

IEC 60730-2-23 is applicable to sensors used in:

• Household appliances and building automation (temperature, humidity, light sensors)
• HVAC, refrigeration and boiler control systems
• Gas and vapour detection systems
• Industrial control and safety systems where sensors provide inputs to automatic controls
• Independently mounted sensors connected to controls and control systems

Adoption of this standard helps ensure sensor safety, predictable performance, EMI resilience and long-term reliability.

Who should use this standard

• Sensor manufacturers and designers
• Control system and appliance manufacturers
• Compliance engineers and testing laboratories
• Product certifiers and regulatory bodies
• R&D and quality assurance teams working on sensor integration

Related Standards

• IEC 60730-1 (general requirements for automatic electrical controls) - normative reference
• Other IEC 60730 Part 2 documents (e.g., IEC 60730-2-5 for flame sensors) - sensors explicitly covered elsewhere are excluded from this part

Keywords: IEC 60730-2-23, electrical sensors, sensing elements, sensor safety, automatic electrical controls, EMC, insulation, fault assessment, conditioning circuits.