ISO 23285:2025

Overview

ISO 23285:2025 specifies safety requirements for electrical and electronic components and systems on agricultural machinery, tractors and earth‑moving machinery that operate in the voltage ranges 32 V to 75 V DC and 21 V to 50 V AC. The standard covers voltage classes VC‑A2 (32 V DC–60 V DC; 21 V AC–30 V AC) and VC‑B1 (60 V DC–75 V DC; 30 V AC–50 V AC), including waveforms produced by power electronic converters. Its primary aim is to reduce risks from electric shock and electrically induced fire, and to provide design and protection guidance for higher‑voltage mobile‑machinery systems that exceed typical 12 V / 24 V architectures.

Key Topics

ISO 23285:2025 addresses the full life‑cycle of electrical safety on mobile machinery. Key technical topics include:

• Scope and definitions for voltage classes, environmental and operational conditions.
• General design requirements and the V‑model approach for system development.
• Protection against electric shock: basic, fault and enhanced protection measures; insulation and barriers; limitation of touch current and capacitive discharge energy.
• Separation and interaction of VC‑A2/VC‑B1 systems with higher‑voltage systems to prevent hazardous interactions.
• Wiring practices: routing, conductor selection, colour coding and cable protection inside enclosures.
• Overcurrent protection (OCP): selection, placement, rating and coordination for converters, transformers and motor drives.
• Disconnecting and connection: general disconnecting devices, pre‑charge measures, prevention of unintended start‑up, and connector mating/unmating under load.
• Connectors and terminals: mating, residual voltage protection, enclosed vs non‑enclosed connectors and plug/socket combinations for implements.
• Electric motors and generators: enclosures, mounting, thermal and overspeed protection, and bonding.
• Risk assessment and maintenance: measures for commissioning, operation and foreseeable misuse.

Applications

This standard is intended for:

• OEMs and system integrators designing tractors, self‑propelled machines, mounted/semi‑mounted implements and earth‑moving machinery.
• Safety and electrical engineers responsible for power converters, drive motors, battery or externally powered systems in mobile equipment.
• Component manufacturers (connectors, cables, motors, controllers) seeking to meet industry safety expectations.
• Test laboratories and certification bodies conducting conformity assessment for new machinery built after publication.

Practical uses include safe design of medium‑voltage mobile electrical systems, wiring harness specifications, connector selection, OCP coordination, and risk reduction during commissioning and maintenance.

Related Standards

• ISO 16230‑1 (electrical safety for agricultural machines > VC‑B1)
• ISO 14990 series (electrical safety for earth‑moving machinery > VC‑B1)
• ISO 6165 (terms and definitions for earth‑moving machinery)

Notes: ISO 23285:2025 excludes machinery manufactured before its publication date, special underground mining equipment (may require alternative requirements), and does not cover explosive atmospheres.