IEC 61643-1 SPD Test Requirements Snap Shot

The SineTamer® Surge Protection Devices recently passed the stringent test requirements of the IEC 61643-1 standard applicable for surge protection products connected to 50/60Hz a.c and d.c power circuits and equipment rated to 1000V r.m.s or 1500V d.c for protection against indirect and direct effects of lightning or other transient over voltages.  

The design of experiment as compared to UL1449 3rd very different. The products are classified as Class I; Class II and Class III and are tested for Voltage Protection Level and Operating Duty Cycle to demonstrate the devices performance characteristics. There are a lot of other tests to establish the mechanical and safety properties that we are not mentioning in this article. 

SineTamer® Surge Protection Devices under IEC 61643 Tests

Tests recommended on Class I Surge Protection Device

• 10/350 Impulse Current Test to measure Voltage Protection Level
• 8/20 Current Impulse with maximum impulse current to measure Voltage Protection Level
• 8/20 Current Impulse with Nominal discharge current to measure Voltage Protection Level
• 1.2/50 Open-circuit Voltage Impulse to measure Voltage Protection Level
• Operating Duty Tests to measure thermal stability

Tests recommended on Class II Surge Protection Device 

• 8/20 Current Impulse with Nominal discharge current to measure Voltage Protection Level
• 1.2/50 Open- circuit Voltage Impulse
• Operating Duty Tests to measure thermal stability

Tests recommended on Class III Surge Protection Device

• 8/20 current impulse & 1.2/50 open-circuit voltage impulse combination wave test to measure Voltage Protection Level
• Operating Duty Tests to measure thermal stability

The procedures to measure the Voltage Protection Level for each class of device with current and voltage impulse are summarized as below. 

Current pulse oscillogram of a combined wave 

 8/20 s positive polarity, amplitude А=3 kА

• Procedure to measure residual voltage with 8/20 impulse current wave for Class I and Class II SPDs: 8/20 current impulses are used with a sequence of peak amplitude 0.1/02/0.5/1.0 times the nominal impulse  current rating of the device. One sequence of positive and one sequence of negative impulse are applied. A current and a voltage oscilloscope is recorded for each impulse. The residual voltage used to calculate the measured limiting voltage is given by the definition as the highest voltage on this curve corresponding to the maximum surge current for Class I and to the nominal surge current for Class II

Voltage pulse oscillogram of a combined wave

1.2/50 s, positive polarity, amplitude =6 kV

• Procedure to measure front-of-wave spark over voltage for Class I and Class II SPDs: The 1.2/50 open-circuit voltage impulse is used. The generator voltage is set to an open circuit output voltage of 6kV. 10 impulses are applied to the SPD, 5 positive and five negative polarity. If spark over is not observed during any of 10 impulses on the front of the wave, then the test is repeated with open circuit voltage of 10kV. The voltage at the SPD is recorded with an oscilloscope. The measured limiting voltage is the maximum value of the spark-over voltage recorded during the whole test sequence

• Procedure to measure the limiting voltage with combination wave for Class III SPDs: Combination wave 8/20 short circuit current and 1.2/50 open circuit voltage is applied to an energized SPD. Maximum value of the combination wave is 20kV/10kA. SPD for a.c circuits are subjected to positive impulse at 90 degree and negative impulse 270 degree of sine-wave. SPD for d.c both positive and negative impulse. Voltage of combination wave generator 0.1/0.2/0.5/1 time the peak open-circuit voltage. Four surges of each amplitude applied - 2 positive and 2 negative. Measured limiting voltage is the max. magnitude of the peak voltage recorded recorded during the whole test period

The procedures for executing the operating duty tests on each class of devices is summarized as below:

These tests are applied only on SPDs used on a.c power line.

• Preconditioning: Fifteen 8/20 current impulses of positive polarity shall be applied in three groups of five impulses. interval between impulses 50s-60s, the interval between the groups 25min -30min. Class I devices are subjected to maximum impulse current and Class II and Class II are subjected to nominal impulse current.
• Class I and Class II Operating Duty Test : The SPD is energized at maximum continuous operating voltage. The test is carried out in steps 0.1/0.25/0.5/0.75/1.0 of the maximum surge current in case of Class I and nominal surge current in case of Class II. Thermal stability is checked after each impulse. The SPD pass the test if any follow current is self-extinguished and thermal stability is achieved after each impulse of the operating duty test.
• Class III Operating Duty Test : The SPD is energized at the maximum continuous operating voltage. The test is carried out in steps 0.1/0.25/0.5/0.75/1.0 of the rated open-circuit voltage impulse and one positive and one negative impulse is applied. The SPD pass the test if any follow current is self-extinguished and thermal stability is achieved after each impulse of the operating duty test.

The recommendations applicable for selection and application of Surge Protection Devices in the IEC environment are as IEC 61643-12:2002, Low-voltage surge protective devices - Part 12: Surge protective devices connected to low-voltage power distribution system - selection and application.

Engineers at Energy Control Systems specialize in designing power protection systems suitable for both IEEE and IEC environments. Our engineering department also provides services to test power line and telephone/data line surge protection devices to the IEC 61643standards.