EN 62246-2:2008

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-maj-2008
Enote z reed kontakti - 2. del: Visoko zmogljiva reed stikala (IEC 62246-2:2007)
Reed contact units - Part 2: Heavy-duty reed switches
Reedkontakt-Einheiten - Teil 2: Hochleistungs-Reedschalter
Contacts à lames souples en enceinte scellée - Partie 2: Relais à lames souples à usage
intensif
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 62246-2:2008
ICS:
29.120.70 Releji Relays
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 62246-2
NORME EUROPÉENNE
January 2008
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 29.120.70
English version
Reed contact units -
Part 2: Heavy-duty reed switches
(IEC 62246-2:2007)
Contacts à lames souples  Reedkontakt-Einheiten -
en enceinte scellée - Teil 2: Hochleistungs-Reedschalter
Partie 2: Relais à lames souples (IEC 62246-2:2007)
à usage intensif
(CEI 62246-2:2007)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2007-12-01. CENELEC members are bound to comply
with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard
the status of a national standard without any alteration.

Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on
application to the Central Secretariat or to any CENELEC member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified
to the Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.

CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

CENELEC
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung

Central Secretariat: rue de Stassart 35, B - 1050 Brussels

© 2008 CENELEC - All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC members.
Ref. No. EN 62246-2:2008 E
Foreword
The text of document 94/243/CDV, future edition 1 of IEC 62246-2, prepared by IEC TC 94, All-or-nothing
electrical relays, was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC Parallel Unique Acceptance Procedure and was
approved by CENELEC as EN 62246-2 on 2007-12-01.
This European Standard is to be read in conjunction with EN 62246-1:2002.
The following dates were fixed:
– latest date by which the EN has to be implemented
at national level by publication of an identical
national standard or by endorsement (dop) 2008-09-01
– latest date by which the national standards conflicting
(dow) 2010-12-01
with the EN have to be withdrawn
Annex ZA has been added by CENELEC.
__________
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 62246-2:2007 was approved by CENELEC as a European
Standard without any modification.
In the official version, for Bibliography, the following notes have to be added for the standards indicated:
IEC 60317-1 NOTE Harmonized as EN 60317-1:1994
+ A1 + A2 + A1:1997 + A2:1997 (not modified).
IEC 60947-5-1 NOTE Harmonized as EN 60947-5-1:2004 (not modified).
IEC 61810-1 NOTE Harmonized as EN 61810-1:2004 (not modified).
IEC 61810-2 NOTE Harmonized as EN 61810-2:2005 (not modified).
IEC 61811-1 NOTE Harmonized as EN 61811-1:1999 (not modified).
ISO/IEC 17050-1 NOTE Harmonized as EN ISO/IEC 17050-1:2004 (not modified).
ISO 9000 NOTE Harmonized as EN ISO 9000:2005 (not modified).
ISO 9001 NOTE Harmonized as EN ISO 9001:2000 (not modified).
__________
– 3 – EN 62246-2:2008
Annex ZA
(normative)
Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.

NOTE  When an international publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod), the relevant EN/HD
applies.
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year

IEC 62246-1 2002 Reed contacts units - EN 62246-1 2002
Part 1: Generic specification
IECEE 01 2006 IEC System of Conformity Assessment – –
Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and
Components (IECEE) - Basic rules

IECEE 03 2006 Rules of Procedure of the Scheme of the – –
IECEE for Mutual Recognition of Conformity
Assessment Certificates for Electrotechnical
Equipment and Components (CB-FCS)

IECQ 01 2003 IEC Quality Assessment System for – –
Electronic Components (IECQ) - Basic Rules

IECQ QC 001002-1 1998 IEC Quality Assessment System for – –
Electronic Components (IECQ) - Rules of
Procedure -
Part 1: Administration
IEC 62246-2
Edition 1.0 2007-10
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
Reed contact units –
Part 2: Heavy-duty reed switches

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
PRICE CODE
V
ICS 29.120.70 ISBN 2-8318-9330-5

– 2 – 62246-2 © IEC:2007(E)
CONTENTS
FOREWORD.5

1 General .7
1.1 Scope.7
1.2 Normative references .7
1.3 Terms, definitions, abbreviations and symbols.7
1.4 Preferred values.8
1.4.1 Frequency of operation.8
1.4.2 Duty cycle .8
1.4.3 Open-circuit voltage across contacts .8
1.4.4 Current ratings .8
1.4.5 Load ratings .8
1.4.6 Number of operations .8
1.4.7 Climatic category.8
1.4.8 Preferred environmental severities .8
1.4.9 Rated operational voltage; U .8
e
1.4.10 Rated switching current; I .9
e
1.4.11 Rated insulation voltage .9
1.4.12 Rated impulse voltage .9
1.4.13 Utilization categories .9
1.4.14 Contact reliability.9
1.4.15 Limiting continuous current; I .9
th
1.5 Marking .10
1.6 Order of precedence .10
1.7 Precautions regarding mercury (for mercury wetted contact units) .10
2 Quality assessment procedures.10
2.1 General .10
2.2 Self-certification .10
2.3 Two-party certification .10
2.4 Third-party certification.10
3 Test and measurement procedures.11
3.1 General .11
3.2 Alternative procedures .11
3.3 Standard conditions for testing .11
3.4 Visual inspection and check of dimensions.11
3.5 Functional tests.11
3.6 Remanence test .11
3.7 Contact circuit resistance .11
3.8 Dielectric test .11
3.9 Insulation resistance .11
3.10 Operate, release, transfer or bridging, and bounce times.11
3.11 Contact sticking.12
3.12 Robustness of terminals .12
3.13 Soldering (solderability and resistance to soldering heat) .12
3.14 Climatic sequence .12
3.15 Damp heat, steady state.12

62246-2 © IEC:2007(E) – 3 –
3.16 Rapid change of temperature .12
3.17 Salt mist.12
3.18 Bump .12
3.19 Vibration.12
3.20 Shock.12
3.21 Acceleration test – Functional test only .12
3.22 Sealing.12
3.23 Electrical endurance.12
3.23.1 General .12
3.23.2 Types of electrical endurance test .13
3.23.3 Standard electrical endurance test.13
3.23.4 Application simulation endurance test.14
3.23.5 Requirements .14
3.23.6 Information to be stated in the detail specification .14
3.24 Mechanical endurance.15
3.25 Maximum cycling frequency.15
3.26 Mounting position test (for mercury wetted contact units) .15
3.27 Drain time test (for mercury wetted contact units).15
3.28 Voltage surge test .15
3.29 Rated impulse voltage .15
3.29.1 Procedure.15
3.29.2 Requirements .16
3.29.3 Information to be stated in the detail specification .16
3.30 Rated making and breaking capacities .16
3.30.1 General test arrangements .16
3.30.2 Procedure.16
3.30.3 Requirements .16
3.30.4 Information to be stated in the detail specification .16
3.31 Rated conditional short-circuit current .19
3.31.1 General test arrangements .19
3.31.2 Procedure.19
3.31.3 Requirements .19
3.31.4 Information to be stated in the detail specification .20
3.32 Contact reliability test.20
3.32.1 General test arrangements .20
3.32.2 Procedure.20
3.32.3 Requirements .21
3.32.4 Information to be stated in the detail specification .21
3.33 Temperature rise.22
3.33.1 Procedure.22
3.33.2 Requirements .22
3.33.3 Information to be stated in the detail specification .22
3.34 Making current capacity test.23
3.34.1 General .23
3.34.2 Procedure.23
3.34.3 Requirements .23
3.34.4 Information to be stated in the detail specification .23
3.35 Breaking current capacity test .24
3.35.1 General .24

– 4 – 62246-2 © IEC:2007(E)
3.35.2 Procedure.24
3.35.3 Requirements .24
3.35.4 Information to be stated in the detail specification .24

Annex A (informative) Electrical endurance test circuit.26
Annex B (informative) Rated conditional short-circuit current test circuit .28
Annex C (informative) Electrical ratings based on utilization categories .29
Annex D (informative) Example of test arrangement for contact reliability test .31
Annex E (informative) Standard test coils for heavy-duty reed switches .32
Annex F (informative) Making current capacity test sequence .33
Annex G (informative) Breaking current capacity test sequence.34

Bibliography.35

Figure A.1 – Generalized endurance test circuit.26
Figure A.2 – Functional block diagram .27
Figure B.1 – Rated conditional short-circuit current test circuit.28
Figure D.1 – Contact reliability test circuit.31
Figure E.1 – Configuration of test coils .32
Figure F.1 – Making current capacity test sequence .33
Figure G.1 – Breaking current capacity test sequence .34

Table 1 – Utilization categories .9
Table 2 – Making and breaking capacity for electrical endurance tests .17
Table 3 – Verification of making and breaking capacity for AC-15 / DC-13 under normal
conditions .18
Table 4 – Verification of making and breaking capacity for AC-15 / DC-13 under
abnormal conditions.19
Table C.1 – Examples of contact rating designation based on utilization categories.29
Table E.1 – List of standard test coils .32

62246-2 © IEC:2007(E) – 5 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
______________
REED CONTACT UNITS –
Part 2: Heavy-duty reed switches

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote international
co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To this end and in
addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications, Technical Reports,
Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC Publication(s)”). Their
preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested in the subject dealt with
may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-governmental organizations liaising
with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely with the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence between
any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in the latter.
5) IEC provides no marking procedure to indicate its approval and cannot be rendered responsible for any equipment
declared to be in conformity with an IEC Publication.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and expenses
arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of patent
rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 62246-2 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 94:
All-or-nothing electrical relays.
This part of IEC 62246 is to be read in conjunction with IEC 62246-1.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
CDV Report on voting
94/243/CDV 94/257A/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all parts of IEC 62246 series, published under the general title Reed contact units, can
be found on the IEC website.
– 6 – 62246-2 © IEC:2007(E)
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until the
maintenance result date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
A bilingual version of this publication may be issued at a later date.

62246-2 © IEC:2007(E) – 7 –
REED CONTACT UNITS –
Part 2: Heavy-duty reed switches

1 General
1.1 Scope
This part of IEC 62246 applies to the switching performance of heavy-duty reed switches for use
in industrial applications based upon Part 1.
This part of IEC 62246 specifies reliability tests, rated making and breaking capacities, rated
impulse voltages, rated conditional short-circuit currents, temperature rise and construction
testing in addition to the requirements of Part 1.
Heavy-duty reed switches are glass sealed contact units and include high pressure sealed types.
This part of IEC 62246 does not apply to mercury-wetted reed contact units.
NOTE 1 Heavy-duty reed switches are mainly used within electromagnetic switching devices, valves, solenoids,
power relays, etc., as the electromagnetic load switching elements. The load conditions should be selected from the
standard inductive loads and the load specifications specified in IEC 61810-1 and IEC 60947-5-1.
NOTE 2 For elementary relays using heavy-duty reed switches as contact elements, this standard should be used
together with IEC 61810-1 and IEC 61811-1 as applicable.
NOTE 3 For electromechanical control circuit devices using heavy-duty reed switches as contact elements, this
standard should be used together with IEC 60947-5-1 as applicable.
1.2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For
dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the
referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
IEC 62246-1:2002, Reed contact units – Part 1: Generic specification
IECEE 01:2006, IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical
Equipment and Components (IECEE) – Basic rules
IECEE 03:2006, Rules of Procedure of the Scheme of the IECEE for Mutual Recognition of
Conformity Assessment Certificates for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components (CB-FCS)
IECQ 01:2003, IEC Quality Assessment System for Electronic Components (IECQ) – Basic
Rules
IECQ QC 001002-1:1998, IEC Quality Assessment System for Electronic Components (IECQ) –
Rules of Procedure – Part 1: Administration
1.3 Terms, definitions, abbreviations and symbols
For the purposes of this document, 1.3 of Part 1 applies with the following amendments.
Replace 1.3.1 as follows:
– 8 – 62246-2 © IEC:2007(E)
1.3.1
heavy-duty reed switch
assembly containing contact blades, some or all of magnetic material, in which greater switching
capacity is achieved by either blades having additional contact tips or a contact tip and spring
which separate the magnetic path and electric path, hermetically sealed in an envelope and
controlled by means of externally generated magnetic field (e.g. an energizing quantity applied
to a coil, or magnet actuator)
Add:
1.3.56
rated conditional short-circuit current
value of prospective current, stated by the manufacturer, which the switch, protected by a
short-circuit protective device specified by the manufacturer, can withstand satisfactorily for the
operating time of this device under the test conditions specified in the relevant product standard
1.4 Preferred values
1.4.1 Frequency of operation
Subclause 1.4.1 of Part 1 applies.
1.4.2 Duty cycle
Subclause 1.4.2 of Part 1 applies.
1.4.3 Open-circuit voltage across contacts
Subclause 1.4.3 of Part 1 applies.
1.4.4 Current ratings
Subclause 1.4.4 of Part 1 applies.
1.4.5 Load ratings
Subclause 1.4.5 of Part 1 applies with the following additions:
750; 1 000; 1 800; 3 600; 7 200 VA.
1.4.6 Number of operations
Subclause 1.4.6 of Part 1 applies.
1.4.7 Climatic category
Subclause 1.4.7 of Part 1 applies.
1.4.8 Preferred environmental severities
Subclause 1.4.8 of Part 1 applies.
1.4.9 Rated operational voltage; U
e
The following values are preferred.
AC 12, 24, 50, 100, 110, 120, 200, 220, 240, 380, 480, 500, 550, 600, 800, 1 000 V (r.m.s.)
DC 1, 6, 12, 24, 48, 100, 110, 120, 125, 200, 220, 250, 400, 500, 600, 800, 1 200, 1 500 V.

62246-2 © IEC:2007(E) – 9 –
1.4.10 Rated switching current; I
e
The following values are preferred.
1; 10; 15; 30; 50; 100 mA; 0,3; 0,5; 1; 2; 3; 5 A.
1.4.11 Rated insulation voltage
The following values of rated insulation voltage are preferred.
a) AC 250, 380, 500, 600 V (r.m.s.)
b) DC 250, 440, 500, 600 V.
1.4.12 Rated impulse voltage
The following values of rated impulse voltage and waveform are preferred.
a) 800, 1 500, 2 500, 3 000, 4 000 V
b) 1,2 × 50 μs.
1.4.13 Utilization categories
The utilization categories as given in Table 1 are preferred. Any other types of application shall
be based on agreement between manufacturer and user, but information given in the
manufacturer’s catalogue or tender may constitute such an agreement.
Table 1 – Utilization categories
Kind of current Category Typical application
AC-12 Control of resistive loads and solid state loads with isolation by
opto-couplers
AC-13 Control of solid state loads with transformer isolation
AC
AC-14 Control of small electromagnetic loads ≤72 VA
AC-15 Control of electromagnetic loads ≥72 VA
DC-12 Control of resistive loads and solid state loads with isolation by
opto-couplers
DC DC-13 Control of electromagnets
DC-14 Control of small electromagnetic loads having economy
resistors in circuit
NOTE These utilization categories correspond to those indicated in IEC 60947-5-1.

1.4.14 Contact reliability
The following values of contact reliability are preferred.
5; 50; 500 failures per 10 cycles.
1.4.15 Limiting continuous current; I
th
The following values of limiting continuous current (I ) are preferred.
th
2,5; 3; 5; 8, 10 A.
– 10 – 62246-2 © IEC:2007(E)
1.5 Marking
Subclause 1.5 of Part 1 applies. Information given in the manufacturer’s catalogue or tender
may substitute for marking of contact ratings (examples of contact ratings are shown in
Annex C).
1.6 Order of precedence
Subclause 1.6 of Part 1 applies.
1.7 Precautions regarding mercury (for mercury wetted contact units)
Heavy-duty reed switches shall not contain mercury-wetted contacts.
2 Quality assessment procedures
2.1 General
For the application of this standard, it is not mandatory to use quality assessment procedures.
However, if quality assessment is required, the following provisions apply.
The appropriate quality assessment procedure shall be selected by the manufacturer. There are
three fundamental conformity assessment processes which may be used:
a) self-certification in which the manufacturer declares conformity,
b) two-party certification in which the customer verifies conformity,
c) third-party certification in which an independent third party verifies conformity.
NOTE Whichever process is selected, the recommendations of ISO/IEC Guide 60 should be applied insofar as they
reasonably apply.
2.2 Self-certification
When self-certification is selected, the manufacturer shall, as a minimum, use a quality
management system such as ISO 9000 or similar.
NOTE 1 This does not mandate that the quality management system be certified by an accredited body (see
ISO 9001).
NOTE 2 It is recommended that the manufacturer's declaration of conformity be in accordance with
ISO/IEC 17050-1.
2.3 Two-party certification
When two-party certification is selected, both the manufacturer and the customer shall, as a
minimum, use a quality management system such as ISO 9000 or similar.
NOTE 1 This does not mandate that the quality management system be certified by an accredited body (see
ISO 9001).
NOTE 2 It is recommended that the manufacturer's declaration of conformity be in accordance with
ISO/IEC 17050-1.
2.4 Third-party certification
When third-party certification is selected, a recognized third-party approval system shall be
used to confirm the compliance of the product with the product specification. The international
IECQ or IECEE system shall be used, unless incompatible with existing market conditions.
• IECQ System:
62246-2 © IEC:2007(E) – 11 –
– when the IECQ-System is used, the basic rules and rules of procedure for the quality
assessment system shall be in accordance with publications IECQ 01 and QC 001002-1,
respectively. The provisions of Clause 2 of Part 1 apply.
• IECEE Scheme:
– when the IECEE Scheme is used, the rules and procedures for the quality assessment
system shall be in accordance with IECEE Publications IECEE 01 and IECEE 03,
respectively.
3 Test and measurement procedures
3.1 General
Subclause 3.1 of Part 1 applies.
3.2 Alternative procedures
Subclause 3.2 of Part 1 applies.
3.3 Standard conditions for testing
Subclause 3.3 of Part 1 applies with the exception that the test coils shall be selected from those
listed in Annex E.
3.4 Visual inspection and check of dimensions
Subclause 3.4 of Part 1 applies.
3.5 Functional tests
Subclause 3.5 of Part 1 applies.
3.6 Remanence test
Subclause 3.6 of Part 1 applies.
3.7 Contact circuit resistance
Subclause 3.7 of Part 1 applies with the following exception:
The voltage and current applied to the contact circuit shall be not more than 6 V and 1 A a.c.
r.m.s. or d.c. unless otherwise prescribed in the detail specification.
The frequency of the alternating current shall be stated in the detail specification.
3.8 Dielectric test
Subclause 3.8 of Part 1 applies.
When the terminals of the test equipment are short-circuited, the current shall be between
0,1 mA and 5 mA.
3.9 Insulation resistance
Subclause 3.9 of Part 1 applies.
3.10 Operate, release, transfer or bridging, and bounce times
Subclause 3.10 of Part 1 applies.

– 12 – 62246-2 © IEC:2007(E)
3.11 Contact sticking
Subclause 3.11 of Part 1 applies.
3.12 Robustness of terminals
Subclause 3.12 of Part 1 applies.
3.13 Soldering (solderability and resistance to soldering heat)
Subclause 3.13 of Part 1 applies.
3.14 Climatic sequence
Subclause 3.14 of Part 1 applies.
3.15 Damp heat, steady state
Subclause 3.15 of Part 1 applies.
3.16 Rapid change of temperature
Subclause 3.16 of Part 1 applies.
3.17 Salt mist
Subclause 3.17 of Part 1 applies.
3.18 Bump
Subclause 3.18 of Part 1 applies.
3.19 Vibration
Subclause 3.19 of Part 1 applies, but unless otherwise prescribed in the detail specification,
vibration shall be applied in three mutually perpendicular axes.
3.20 Shock
Subclause 3.20 of Part 1 applies, but unless otherwise prescribed in the detail specification,
shock shall be applied in three mutually perpendicular axes.
3.21 Acceleration test – Functional test only
Subclause 3.21 of Part 1 applies.
3.22 Sealing
Subclause 3.22 of Part 1 applies.
3.23 Electrical endurance
3.23.1 General
The load conditions shall be selected from the standard inductive loads (see Tables 3 and 4).
NOTE With respect to the establishment and assessment of reliability data for the switches such as failure mode
analysis or Weibull parameter analysis, reference is made to IEC 61810-2.

62246-2 © IEC:2007(E) – 13 –
3.23.2 Types of electrical endurance test
a) Standard electrical endurance test.
b) Application simulation endurance test.
3.23.3 Standard electrical endurance test
3.23.3.1 General test arrangements
The electrical endurance test evaluates failures caused by the electrical wear of contact surface
when switching voltage and current.
The test arrangement is shown in Annex A.
The test shall be performed under standard atmospheric conditions.
The frequency of operation, load condition, numbers of operations, rated switching current and
rated switching voltage shall be selected with reference to subclause 1.4.
The switching polarity shall comply with the detail specification.
The wiring of the control, measuring and indicating devices shall not effectively influence the
current through, and the voltage across, the contact during operation. For example, the test
points may be switchable for this purpose.
3.23.3.2 Procedure
The operate energization of the test coils shall be 150 % of the must-operate value of the reed
switches to be tested. The release energization shall be zero, unless otherwise prescribed in the
detail specification.
The pulse pattern shall be a rectangular waveform with a duty cycle of 50 % unless otherwise
prescribed in the detail specification.
The source for input energization should be a voltage source with low internal impedance.
The test coils in which the switches are mounted shall be energized individually or in parallel,
with precautions against interactions. Coil suppression (electrical components to suppress or
reduce unwanted transients) shall not be used, unless specified in the detail specification.
Each contact shall be connected to a separate load with or without additional contact protection,
as prescribed in the detail specification.
The load shall be switched on and off by the contact under test. The wiring to the loads shall be
as short as practicable.
Each contact shall be tested for failure to make and failure to break at each operation, unless
otherwise prescribed in the detail specification. This may be done by measuring the voltage drop
across the contacts under normal load conditions.
The measuring period τ , for failure to make, starts at a time t after the start of the coil
1 1
energization.
The measuring period τ , for failure to break, starts at a time t after the end of the coil
2 2
energization.
The times t , t , τ and τ shall be given in the detail specification.
1 2 1 2
– 14 – 62246-2 © IEC:2007(E)
At intervals prescribed in the detail specification, the contact circuit resistance of each contact
shall be measured according to the method described in 3.7, except that the measuring period
shall start at time t and shall last τ , as given in the detail specification and the energization
3 3
shall be 150 % of the must-operate energization value.
The integration times of the measuring device shall be shorter than τ , τ , and τ respectively.
1 2 3
NOTE The integration time is the time required by the monitoring device to register the mean value of a signal. In the
case of an input step voltage at the failure criteria level, it is the time required to register a failure.
This procedure describes only tests for make contacts. If break contacts are tested, similar test
conditions should be described in the detail specification. If both contacts are to be tested, when
two separate loads will be needed, the two circuits shall be independent of each other.
3.23.4 Application simulation endurance test
Details shall be stated in the detail specification or agreed between manufacturer and user.
3.23.5 Requirements
Any single switch shall be considered to have failed (become a 'defective') when a definitive
failure occurs during the specified number of operations. Thus for the purpose of the endurance
test, the end of life of a switch (a 'defective') occurs when a definitive failure has been assessed
before the number of operations specified for that test has been completed.
A definitive failure occurs in one single switch when the number of failures registered is equal to
or greater than a number specified in the detail specification. These failures may be specified in
each of the following categories:
a) failure to make;
b) failure to break;
c) failure to meet the contact circuit resistance requirements;
d) any combination of a), b) and c), as prescribed in the detail specification.
3.23.6 Information to be stated in the detail specification
a) Energization conditions:
– test coil number selected from the list given in Table A.1 of Part 1 or Table E.1, coil
suppression, if applicable;
– frequency of operation;
– duty cycle if other than 50 %;
– polarity, when applicable.
b) Load conditions:
– for inductive loads: voltage, current and load constant selected from Table 2.
c) Failure criteria:
– the total number of operations required;
– monitoring during test:
• limits for: failure to make:. Ω,
failure to break:. Ω,
• monitoring times: t , τ , t τ
1 1 2, 2,
• the number of failures in one switch making a definitive failure of that switch in the
test;
– periodic measurements:
62246-2 © IEC:2007(E) – 15 –
• number of operations at which contact resistance shall be measured,
• monitoring times: t , τ
3 3,
• failure limit for contact resistance and number of contact resistance failures of a
switch making a definitive failure of that switch in the test;
– monitoring for bridging for Form C contact or transfer for Form D contact: if prescribed in
the detail specification (not applicable for Form A and Form B contacts):
• monitoring time,
• monitoring interval;
– measurements before and after endurance test:
maximum permissible change in contact circuit resistance (mΩ) and in functional
values (A × turns) or limiting values of contact resistance and functional values as
prescribed in the detail specification, making a definitive failure of that switch in the
test.
d) Application:
– any other types of application shall be based on agreement between manufacturer and
user, but information given in the manufacturer’s catalogue or tender may constitute such
an agreement.
3.24 Mechanical endurance
Subclause 3.24 of Part 1 applies.
3.25 Maximum cycling frequency
Subclause 3.25 of Part 1 applies.
3.26 Mounting position test (for mercury wetted contact units)
See 1.7.
3.27 Drain time test (for mercury wetted contact units)
See 1.7.
3.28 Voltage surge test
This subclause of Part 1 does not apply.
3.29 Rated impulse voltage
3.29.1 Procedure
The test shall be performed under standard atmospheric conditions.
The test voltage prescribed in the detail specification shall be applied:
– across the contact of the switch in the open position unless otherwise prescribed;
– throughout a specified number of pulses with an interval between these pulses, as
prescribed in the detail specification.
) prescribed in the
The impulse withstand voltage shall be measured at the peak voltage (V
peak
detail specification and the value should be selected from those stated in 1.4.12.
The voltage shall be applied three times each with positive and negative polarity and then the
insulation resistance shall be measured.

– 16 – 62246-2 © IEC:2007(E)
3.29.2 Requirements
There shall be no disruptive discharge (sparkover, flashover or puncture) during test. After the
test, the switch shall comply with all relevant performance requirements.
3.29.3 Information to be stated in the detail specification
a) Preconditioning
b) V
peak
c) Number of pulses.
3.30 Rated making and breaking capacities
3.30.1 General test arrangements
The tests are intended to verify that the contact is capable of performing its intended duty
according to the utilization category and verified switching over-voltage.
The test arrangement is shown in Annex A.
3.30.2 Procedure
The test shall be performed under standard atmospheric conditions.
The operate energization of the test coil shall be at 150 % of the must-operate value of the
contact unit to be tested.
The release energization shall be zero, unless otherwise prescribed in the detail specification.
3.30.3 Requirements
a) For making and breaking capacities under normal conditions:
– the switch shall have the performance stated in the corresponding category in Table 3
without having any failure.
b) For making and breaking capacities under abnormal conditions:
– the switch shall have the performance stated in the corresponding category in Table 4
without having any failure.
3.30.4 Information to be stated in the detail specification
a) Energization conditions
– test coil number selected from the list given in Table A.1 of Part 1 or Table E.1;
– coil suppression, if applicable;
– frequency of operation;
– duty cycle if other than 50 %;
...