IEC 60335-2-40:2024 PDF

Overview

IEC 60335-2-40:2024 is the latest edition of the international safety standard for household and similar electrical appliances, specifically addressing electrical heat pumps, air-conditioners, and dehumidifiers. Published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), this eighth edition delivers comprehensive requirements to ensure the safety and reliability of these appliances in domestic and light industrial environments. The standard applies to appliances incorporating motor-compressors, hydronic fan coil units, thermoelectric heat pumps, and partial units with rated voltages up to 300 V for single-phase and 600 V for other types, including DC and battery-operated appliances.

This edition builds on previous versions by refining technical clauses, incorporating new safety measures against freezing in double wall heat exchangers, and aligning with related international standards.

Key Topics

• Scope and Applicability Covers household appliances that can also be used in shops, light industry, and farms, including appliances manufactured as single or multiple matched assemblies. Excludes humidifiers, industrial processing appliances, and those designed for corrosive or explosive atmospheres.

• Safety and Performance Requirements Addresses protection against access to live parts, starting procedures for motor-operated devices, leakage current limits, insulation strengths, heating elements, and mechanical hazards related to stability and strength.

• Refrigerant Considerations Specifies use of refrigerants classified in groups A1, A2L, A2, and A3 per ISO 817, focusing on safe handling of flammable refrigerants with molar masses ≥ 42 kg/kmol. It sets requirements for leak simulations, refrigerant sensors, and flame arresters particularly designed for A2L refrigerants.

• Testing and Compliance Details rigorous test methods including thermal motor protectors, endurance, overload protection, vibration resistance, and pressure testing. Specialized annexes provide information on charge limits, ventilation, leak detection, and refrigerant sensor location confirmation.

• Personnel Competence While the standard presumes installation and servicing are performed by competent personnel, Annex HH offers informative guidance on personnel qualifications. For formal certification requirements, ISO 22712 is referenced.

• Supplementary Heaters Requirements extend to heaters integrated as part of appliance packages, including their controls.

• Exclusions and Special Cases Notes that additional requirements may apply for appliances used in vehicles, ships, or aircraft, or per national regulations concerning labour protection, storage, building and transportation.

Applications

IEC 60335-2-40:2024 is essential for manufacturers, testing labs, certification bodies, and regulatory agencies involved with:

• Residential heat pumps and air conditioners Ensuring safety compliance in design, production, and maintenance phases for consumer appliances and similar electrical units.

• Commercial and light industrial HVAC systems Appliances designed for use outside typical household settings but still requiring stringent public safety controls.

• Dehumidifiers for household and commercial use Covering units with or without motor-compressors.

• Thermoelectric and hydronic fan coil units Governing safety norms for specialized heating and cooling units.

• Battery-operated and DC appliances Establishing performance benchmarks for emerging product types in household electrical appliances.

Compliance with this standard reduces the risk of electric shock, fire hazards, mechanical failures, refrigerant leaks, and environmental impacts-vital for consumer confidence, regulatory approval, and international market access.

Related Standards

• IEC 60335-2-34 Defines motor-compressors, vital for understanding component classifications referenced by IEC 60335-2-40.

• IEC 60335-2-21 Specifies safety requirements for containers used in sanitary hot water heat pumps.

• ISO 817 Refrigerant classification and safety properties, dictating permissible refrigerants in the appliances covered.

• ISO 5149 Series (Parts 1-3) Addresses refrigerating systems and safety, supplementing refrigerant-related safety measures.

• IEC 60335-2-88 Governs safety for humidifiers intended for heating and cooling equipment, excluded from this standard’s scope.

• ISO 22712 Provides certification criteria for competence of installation and servicing personnel.

Manufacturers and compliance professionals should integrate IEC 60335-2-40 with these related standards to ensure comprehensive safety and regulatory adherence across product lifecycles.

Keywords: IEC 60335-2-40:2024, electrical heat pumps safety, air conditioner standards, dehumidifier safety requirements, household electrical appliance standards, motor-compressor safety, flammable refrigerants, HVAC appliance safety, IEC electrical appliance standards, refrigerant safety IEC, electrical appliance testing, domestic air conditioner safety.