Household Applicances Test Solutions

As the first part which the user touches in the use of electrical appliances, the safety performance of household switches is self-evident. At present, the most popular switches are push type switches and old rope pulling switches besides the latest sound control and remote control switches. For this type of switches, the current most mainstream testing standards are still 3C certification.

In fact, 3C authentication is actually a combination of CCEE, CCIB, EMC and the test requirements of 3C authentication for household switches are mainly concentrated in the GB16915.1 (IEC-60669-1). GB and IEC test items are basically the same, the main difference is that because of the differences in domestic electrical environment, there is a certain difference between the current and test temperature, the specific entry can be seen in GB16915.1 preface in the comparative explanation.

The main test items for these series standards are the following:

(The above table lists only some test requirements. Please refer to the requirements in the standard)

From the above table, it is easy to see that in the general requirements, the standard discussion focuses on the following three aspects:

1. Aging: Special aging is required before testing for different working conditions and industry requirements.
2. Appearance / Structure / Material / Life: Including shell mechanical performance, /IP protection degree / electrical safety / service life, etc.
3. Electrical performance: Working voltage/current test, temperature rise test, electric strength test, etc.

Next, we’ll talk about it one by one:

• Part 1 Aging:

There are two main purposes of aging test:

1. Verify the life of the sample. This test usually allows the sample to work in the normal working environment until it is damaged. LISUN recommends the KS-3 making and breaking capability and the normal operation life test system, or a dedicated rotary switch life device.
2. Prepare for other project tests: Checking the IEC-60669-1 standard, you can find that all of the basic performance tests have certain requirements for environmental factors such as temperature / humidity. For example, general test temperature is required between 15℃ and 35℃, or to ensure that the temperature is stable at 20℃±5℃. And when aging tests are needed, samples should be placed in the environment at 70℃±2℃, and when carrying out the moisture-proof test, environmental humidity is required between 91%~95%. The manufacturer must ensure that the sample has been dealt in the standard environment prior to performing the appropriate tests. After years of research and development, LISUN recommends heating oven/GDJS high and low temperature humidity chamber and other equipments.

• Part 2 Appearance / Structure / Material / Life:

1. Shell protection levels test: The shell protection degrees required in the standard are as follows: IP20, IP40, IP44 and IP55. For detailed explanations of the IP protection degrees, please refer to the relevant explanations in IEC60529. LISUN recommends JL-X series waterproof test device and SC-015 dustproof test device. At the same time, LISUN recommends IK level test equipment for shell impact tests.

2. Appearance / Structure / Protecting Electrifying: In IEC-60669-1, the test of protecting electrifying of household switch has strictly requirements in design and production. For example, in the IEC standard, it requires that when the outer shell of socket switch is dismantled, the standard test finger (LISUN recommends SMT-1 standard test finger) can only touches the following part: 1Insulating parts ②Earthing metal parts ③The parts that creepage distance and electrical clearance are in line with the requirements of table 20 in IEC60669-1 (LISUN recommends PD-23 Creepage distance gauge) ④Low voltage parts. This requires that manufacturers must carry out the design of protecting electrifying.

3. Material test: In the test of materials, the mechanical performance and electrical safety performance of materials are clearly defined. For example, the bend test of wire stock (Lisun recommends WLW-1 Bend test device without screw terminal); Insulation resistance test of materials (LISUN recommends TOS7200 Insulation resistance test meter); Resistance to heat test and glow-wire test: After burning 30S, there is no visible flame, and no sustained glowing or flames and glowing at the specimen extinguish within 30S after the removal of the glow wire or there shall be no ignition of the tissue paper or scorching of the board (LISUN recommends ZRS-3H Glow-wire Test Apparatus); Resistance to Tracking test: The material under test shall pass a proof-tracking index of 175V using test solution A with a time interval between drops of (30±5)S. No flashover or breakdown between electrodes shall occur before a total of 50 drops has fallen. (LISUN recommends TTC-1 Tracking Test Chamber). Only by passing these tests can they be called products that meet standard requirements.

• Part 3 Electrical performance:
  

1. Voltage and current test: IEC60669-1 makes clear requirements for the test voltage / current of different kinds of switches. For example, for the control of the bell, electromagnetic remote control switch or delay switch, it need carry out the test of 130V/250V voltage or 1A/2A/4A current. Test voltage of other types of switch need not be lower than 120V; test current is not lower than 6A. (LISUN recommends GSD5051A high voltage device and other devices )

2. Temperature rise test: Temperature rise test refers that during the normal use of the switch, the range of temperature rise cannot exceed the specified value of IEC. (LISUN recommends dedicated temperature rise test system).

3. Electrifying normal operation test: The IEC standards require that all switchgears need to be tested more than 10000 times at rated voltage and current. (For these high strength tests, LISUN recommends CZKS series of socket switch tester work in with DFX load cabinet).

With the international requirements improved of switches and sockets for quality inspection, more and more products will not be competitive in the future without certification and testing. The above tests only describe part of the requirements of IEC60669-1, for other requirements including size, color and structure, please refer to the corresponding test standards. There is no doubt that all manufacturers are faced with the requirement of quality inspection. After years of research and development, LISUN has a full range of product lines, can provide customers with a full set of complete testing equipment. The costumer can choose the necessary devices refer to the tables below:

Contact us if you need more info or quotations: Sales@Lisungroup.com