Source: IEC Blog (https://blog.iec.ch/)
To ensure the safety of household refrigeration appliances, the IEC has published a revised version of its safety standard IEC 60335-2-24, Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety –Part 2-24: Particular requirements for refrigerating appliances, ice-cream appliances and icemakers. First published in 1976, this standard has been continually updated to protect against a growing number of potential hazards.
This standard specifically addresses the safety of household refrigerating devices and icemakers, including those used for touring caravans, camping and leisure boats. It also addresses compression-type household appliances which make use of flammable refrigerants.
For these devices, IEC 60335-2-24 provides protection against hazards such as electrical, mechanical, thermal, fire and radiation of appliances under normal operating conditions. It also takes into account the way in which electromagnetic phenomena can affect the safe operation of appliances.
According to Gianluca Cecchinato Project Leader for the working group responsible for updating IEC 60335-2-24, “Homes around the world rely upon the safety of their refrigerating appliances and this standard allows them to do so. Important updates have been made with this revised edition, most notably regarding fire safety”.
Revisions to the standard
The updated version of IEC 60335-2-24 provides several key changes. Most notably, it has been aligned with the general requirements for the safety of household found in IEC 60335-1, which has been recently updated.
A number of points have been clarified, including the definition of free space, testing of accessible glass panels in the back panel (to increase the level of safety and fire protection) and the locked rotor test for fan motors. Updates have also been made to appliances using motor compressors including their measurement of input current as well as compatibility tests for their winding insulation.
New requirements have also been introduced for material encasing and for motor running capacitors.
Publication of a Commented version
Alongside the publication of IEC 60335-2-24, the IEC is also making available a Commented version of the standard.
The Commented version clearly identifies the differences between the previous version of the standard and the new version and also provides comments on each of the main technical changes. IEC 60335-2-24 is one of the first IEC Standards to be offered as a Commented version (CMV).
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