EN 62477-1:2012/A11:2014

Overview

EN 62477-1:2012/A11:2014 - Safety requirements for power electronic converter systems and equipment (Part 1: General) is a CENELEC/CENELEC-derived European standard that defines the general safety principles for power electronic converters. Amendment A11 (published August 2014) links EN 62477-1 to the Low Voltage Directive (2006/95/EC) and records that the standard partially supersedes EN 50178:1997. It was prepared by CLC/TC 22X “Power electronics” and is intended to be adopted at national level across CENELEC members.

Key topics

This document establishes overarching safety requirements and guidance relevant to power electronic converter systems and equipment, including but not limited to:

• General safety principles for power electronic converters and related equipment.
• Relationship to regulatory frameworks such as the Low Voltage Directive (LVD) and the Principle Elements of its Safety Objectives.
• Safety aspects applicable to rectifiers, converters, stabilized power supplies and similar equipment (ICS 29.200).
• Requirements for documentation, marking and instructions to support safe installation, use and maintenance.
• Consideration of hazards typical for power electronics (electrical shock, thermal risks, system integrity) and measures to minimize those risks through design and protective provisions.
• Notes on national implementation dates and the partial supersession of legacy standards (EN 50178).

(Amendment A11 clarifies regulatory linkage and transition rather than introducing new technical test values.)

Applications

EN 62477-1:2012/A11:2014 is relevant for:

• Manufacturers and designers of power electronic converter systems (inverters, rectifiers, DC–DC converters, UPS, motor drives).
• Compliance and safety engineers preparing technical documentation and declarations of conformity under the LVD.
• Test laboratories and certification bodies assessing safety performance of converter equipment.
• System integrators and OEMs who must ensure products meet European safety requirements and harmonized standards.
• Regulatory and procurement teams seeking to align product specifications with current European normative references.

Related standards

• EN 62477-1:2012 (base standard, Part 1: General)
• EN 50178:1997 (partially superseded)
• Low Voltage Directive (2006/95/EC) - Principle Elements of the Safety Objectives
• Other parts of IEC/EN 62477 series and product-specific safety standards (refer to national bibliographies)

This amendment emphasizes conformity with the LVD and helps manufacturers and assessors align power converter safety practices with up-to-date European regulatory expectations.