Amendment 1 - AC motor capacitors - Part 1: General - Performance, testing and rating - Safety requirements - Guidance for installation and operation

This International Standard defines the conditions of utilization of the recycling symbol of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) associated with the chemical symbols indicating the electrochemical system of the battery. This standard applies to lead-acid batteries (Pb) and nicke-cadmium batteries (Ni-Cd).

Amendement 1 - Condensateurs des moteurs à courant alternatif - Partie 1: Généralités - Caractéristiques fonctionnelles, essais et valeurs assignées - Règles de sécurité - Lignes directrices pour l'installation et l'utilisation

La présente Norme internationale définit les modes d'utilisation du symbole de recyclage de l'Organisation Internationale de Normalisation (ISO) associé aux symboles chimiques précisant le système électrochimique de l'accumulateur. Cette norme s'applique aux accumulateurs au plomb (Pb) et aux accumulateurs au nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd).

General Information

Status
Published
Publication Date
28-Aug-2013
Drafting Committee
WG 3 - TC 33/WG 3
Current Stage
PPUB - Publication issued
Start Date
15-Sep-2013
Completion Date
29-Aug-2013

Relations

Effective Date
05-Sep-2023

Overview

IEC 60252-1:2010/AMD1:2013 is an important amendment to the international standard covering AC motor capacitors. It focuses on the general performance, testing and rating, safety requirements, and provides guidance for installation and operation of capacitors used in alternating current (AC) motor applications. Issued by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), this amendment enhances the testing methodologies, safety classifications, and operational guidelines to ensure robust capacitor functionality, safety, and reliability.

This standard is critical for manufacturers, engineers, and safety regulators involved with AC motor capacitors, setting out a comprehensive framework for assessing capacitor durability under electrical stress and environmental conditions.

Key Topics

  • Safety Protection Classes:
    IEC 60252-1/AMD1 introduces and clarifies four classes of safety protection for capacitors:

    • S0: No specific failure protection.
    • S1: Capacitor may fail open or short circuit but includes protection against fire or electric shock hazards.
    • S2: Designed to fail open circuit only, enhancing fire and shock hazard protection.
    • S3: Features segmented film construction with fail-safe residual capacitance and protection against hazards.
  • Destruction Testing Procedures:
    Detailed methodologies for sequential DC and AC testing (S1 and S2 types) and simultaneous DC and AC testing (S3 type) are specified to evaluate capacitor failure modes rigorously and safely. These tests simulate electrical stresses and ensure capacitors reliably fail into safe states under extreme conditions.

  • Test Apparatus and Conditions:
    The amendment provides guidance on proper test equipment setup, including power sources capable of delivering high short-circuit currents, voltage ratings up to ten times the capacitor rating, and controlled environmental preconditioning. These ensure reproducible and accurate testing results.

  • Marking and Identification:
    Updated marking requirements mandate visible indication of safety class directly on capacitors, improving identification for correct application and compliance verification.

Applications

IEC 60252-1/AMD1:2013 serves as a fundamental reference for organizations involved in:

  • AC motor manufacturing and maintenance, where capacitors are critical for motor starting, running efficiency, and power factor correction.
  • Electrical component testing labs requiring standardized procedures to certify capacitor endurance and safety performance.
  • Product certification bodies and regulatory agencies enforcing compliance with international safety and performance standards.
  • Design engineers and quality assurance teams seeking guidance on safe installation practices, ratings, and performance verification under different operational scenarios.

Adoption of this amendment leads to safer, more reliable motor capacitor designs that minimize risk of fire, shock, and unexpected failures, improving service life and customer satisfaction throughout the electrical equipment industry.

Related Standards

This amendment aligns with and updates related IEC standards including:

  • IEC 60529:2001 - Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code), referenced for housing safety in capacitors.
  • ISO 4046:2002 - Vocabulary for paper and board materials, used here for test paper preparation.
  • Other IEC documents addressing power capacitors performance, testing, and end-of-life guidelines.

Professionals referencing IEC 60252-1:2010/AMD1:2013 should also monitor the IEC webstore for the latest editions or related corrigenda ensuring compliance with the most current international best practices.


By adhering to IEC 60252-1:2010/AMD1:2013, stakeholders ensure that AC motor capacitors meet stringent performance, safety, testing, and operational standards, fostering innovation and safety in electrotechnical components worldwide.

Standard

IEC 60252-1:2010/AMD1:2013 - Amendment 1 - AC motor capacitors - Part 1: General - Performance, testing and rating - Safety requirements - Guidance for installation and operation

English and French language
16 pages
sale 15% off
Preview
sale 15% off
Preview

Frequently Asked Questions

IEC 60252-1:2010/AMD1:2013 is a standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Its full title is "Amendment 1 - AC motor capacitors - Part 1: General - Performance, testing and rating - Safety requirements - Guidance for installation and operation". This standard covers: This International Standard defines the conditions of utilization of the recycling symbol of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) associated with the chemical symbols indicating the electrochemical system of the battery. This standard applies to lead-acid batteries (Pb) and nicke-cadmium batteries (Ni-Cd).

This International Standard defines the conditions of utilization of the recycling symbol of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) associated with the chemical symbols indicating the electrochemical system of the battery. This standard applies to lead-acid batteries (Pb) and nicke-cadmium batteries (Ni-Cd).

IEC 60252-1:2010/AMD1:2013 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 01.080.20 - Graphical symbols for use on specific equipment; 29.220.20 - Acid secondary cells and batteries; 29.220.30 - Alkaline secondary cells and batteries; 31.060.30 - Paper and plastics capacitors; 31.060.70 - Power capacitors. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.

IEC 60252-1:2010/AMD1:2013 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to IEC 60252-1:2010. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.

IEC 60252-1:2010/AMD1:2013 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.

Standards Content (Sample)


IEC 60252-1 ®
Edition 2.0 2013-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
AMENDMENT 1
AMENDEMENT 1
AC motor capacitors –
Part 1: General – Performance, testing and rating – Safety requirements –
Guidance for installation and operation

Condensateurs des moteurs à courant alternatif –
Partie 1: Généralités – Caractéristiques fonctionnelles, essais et valeurs
assignées – Règles de sécurité – Lignes directrices pour l'installation et
l'utilisation
IEC 60252-1:2010/A1:2013
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from
either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester.
If you have any questions about IEC copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication,
please contact the address below or your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

Droits de reproduction réservés. Sauf indication contraire, aucune partie de cette publication ne peut être reproduite ni
utilisée sous quelque forme que ce soit et par aucun procédé, électronique ou mécanique, y compris la photocopie et les
microfilms, sans l'accord écrit de la CEI ou du Comité national de la CEI du pays du demandeur.
Si vous avez des questions sur le copyright de la CEI ou si vous désirez obtenir des droits supplémentaires sur cette
publication, utilisez les coordonnées ci-après ou contactez le Comité national de la CEI de votre pays de résidence.

IEC Central Office Tel.: +41 22 919 02 11
3, rue de Varembé Fax: +41 22 919 03 00
CH-1211 Geneva 20 info@iec.ch
Switzerland www.iec.ch
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigenda or an amendment might have been published.

Useful links:
IEC publications search - www.iec.ch/searchpub Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
The advanced search enables you to find IEC publications The world's leading online dictionary of electronic and
by a variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical electrical terms containing more than 30 000 terms and
committee,…). definitions in English and French, with equivalent terms in
It also gives information on projects, replaced and additional languages. Also known as the International
withdrawn publications. Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) on-line.

IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication
details all new publications released. Available on-line and or need further assistance, please contact the
also once a month by email. Customer Service Centre: csc@iec.ch.

A propos de la CEI
La Commission Electrotechnique Internationale (CEI) est la première organisation mondiale qui élabore et publie des
Normes internationales pour tout ce qui a trait à l'électricité, à l'électronique et aux technologies apparentées.

A propos des publications CEI
Le contenu technique des publications de la CEI est constamment revu. Veuillez vous assurer que vous possédez
l’édition la plus récente, un corrigendum ou amendement peut avoir été publié.

Liens utiles:
Recherche de publications CEI - www.iec.ch/searchpub Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
La recherche avancée vous permet de trouver des Le premier dictionnaire en ligne au monde de termes
publications CEI en utilisant différents critères (numéro de électroniques et électriques. Il contient plus de 30 000
référence, texte, comité d’études,…). termes et définitions en anglais et en français, ainsi que
Elle donne aussi des informations sur les projets et les les termes équivalents dans les langues additionnelles.
publications remplacées ou retirées. Egalement appelé Vocabulaire Electrotechnique
International (VEI) en ligne.
Just Published CEI - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished
Service Clients - webstore.iec.ch/csc
Restez informé sur les nouvelles publications de la CEI.
Just Published détaille les nouvelles publications parues. Si vous désirez nous donner des commentaires sur
Disponible en ligne et aussi une fois par mois par email. cette publication ou si vous avez des questions
contactez-nous: csc@iec.ch.
IEC 60252-1 ®
Edition 2.0 2013-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
AMENDMENT 1
AMENDEMENT 1
AC motor capacitors –
Part 1: General – Performance, testing and rating – Safety requirements –

Guidance for installation and operation

Condensateurs des moteurs à courant alternatif –

Partie 1: Généralités – Caractéristiques fonctionnelles, essais et valeurs

assignées – Règles de sécurité – Lignes directrices pour l'installation et

l'utilisation
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
CODE PRIX H
ICS 31.060.30; 31.060.70 ISBN 978-2-8322-1058-1

– 2 – 60252-1 Amend.1 © IEC:2013
FOREWORD
This amendment has been prepared by IEC technical committee 33: Power capacitors and
their applications.
The text of this amendment is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
33/532/FDIS 33/538/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this amendment can be found in the report
on voting indicated in the above table.
The committee has decided that the contents of this amendment and the base publication will
remain unchanged until the stability 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.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
_____________
2 Normative references
Replace the reference to IEC 60529 by the following:
IEC 60529:2001, Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)
Replace the reference to ISO 4046 by the following:
ISO 4046:2002, Paper, board, pulps and related terms – Vocabulary
3 Terms and definitions
3.22
class of safety protection
Replace definition 3.22 by the following:

60252-1 Amend.1 © IEC:2013 – 3 –
3.22
class of safety protection
degree of safety protection identified by one of four codes to be marked on the capacitor
3.22.1
(SO) class of safety protection
degree of safety protection indicating that the capacitor type has no specific failure protection
Note 1 to entry: Formerly referred to as P0.
3.22.2
(S1) class of safety protection
degree of safety protection indicating that the capacitor type may fail in the open-circuit or
short-circuit mode and is protected against fire or shock hazard
Note 1 to entry: Compliance is verified by the test described in 5.16.3 and 5.16.5.
Note 2 to entry: Formerly referred to as P1.
3.22.3
(S2) class of safety protection
degree of safety protection indicating that the capacitor type has been designed to fail in the
open-circuit mode only and is protected against fire or shock hazard
Note 1 to entry: Compliance is verified by the test described in 5.16.3 and 5.16.5.
Note 2 to entry: formerly referred to as P2.
3.22.4
(S3) class of safety protection
degree of safety protection indicating that the capacitor is of segmented film construction as
defined in 3.6
Note 1 to entry: This capacitor type is required to fail with low residual capacitance (<1 % C ) and has protection
N
against fire and shock hazard. Compliance is verified by the test described in 5.16.4 and 5.16.6.

5.16 Destruction test
Replace Subclause 5.16 by the following:
5.16 Destruction test
5.16.1 General
This test is optional.
Refer to revised definition 3.22 for the appropriate test for each class of safety protection.
Capacitors marked S0 are not required to be tested in accordance with this subclause.
Capacitors fitted with overpressure disconnect device designated S1 and S2 shall be
subjected to the sequential DC and AC test described in 5.16.3 and 5.16.5.
Capacitors with segmented film as defined in 3.6 and designated S3 class of safety protection
shall be subjected to the simultaneous DC and AC test described in 5.16.4 and 5.16.6.
For capacitors designated S1, S2 and S3 refer to Figure 1.

– 4 – 60252-1 Amend.1 © IEC:2013
5.16 Destruction test
Class of safety
5.16.2 Test specimen Class of safety
protection
protection S3
S1 and S2
5.16.3 + 5.16.5 5.16.4 + 5.16.6
sequential destruction simultaneous destruction
test test
5.16.7 Evaluation
IEC  2199/13
Figure 1 – Destruction test
5.16.2 Test specimens
The test is to be carried out on 10 samples, with a similar specimen of 10 samples held in
reserve for possible retest. Half the test specimens (5) shall have passed the test according to
5.4.1. The remaining five capacitors shall have passed the endurance test described in 5.13
(group 2).
For capacitors with a metal case, the metal case shall be connected to one of the terminals of
the voltage source.
If a distinction can be made between the capacitor terminals, the group shall be subdivided
into two subgroups. The first subgroup shall have terminal A connected to the case, the
second subgroup shall have terminal B connected to the case.
5.16.3 Test apparatus for sequential DC and AC test (capacitor type S1 and S2)
5.16.3.1 Test apparatus for d.c. conditioning
Apparatus for carrying out the d.c. conditioning is shown in Figure 2. The d.c. source shall be
capable of delivering an open-circuit voltage equivalent to 10 U and have a sustained short
N
circuit capability greater than 50 mA.
R
mA
DC
V C
source
IEC  2157/10
Figure 2 – Test apparatus for d.c. conditioning

60252-1 Amend.1 © IEC:2013 – 5 –
The d.c. source is adjusted to provide an open-circuit voltage equivalent to 10 U with the
N
switch in position 1.
A variable resistor R is adjusted to provide a current of 50 mA with the switch in position 2.
DC voltage is applied to the test capacitor with the switch in position 3.
5.16.3.2 Test apparatus for a.c. destruction test
a) The instantaneous short-circuit current of the a.c. supply shall be at least 300 A.
b) A 25 A slow-blow fuse and adjustable inductance (L) shall be inserted between the a.c.
source and the capacitor (see Figure 3).
Fuse L
A
V1 V2
IEC  2158/10
Figure 3 – Test apparatus for a.c. destruction test
The inductor shall be so adjusted that, with the switch in position 1 and a voltage of 1,3 U
N
applied across the voltmeter V1, a current equal to 1,3 times the capacitor rated current (I )
N
flows.
The capacitor is energized with the switch in position 2.
NOTE The variable inductor L in Figure 3 may be replaced by the arrangement shown in Figure 4 whereby T2 is a
fixed ratio transformer and L is a fixed inductor. A variable ratio transformer T1 is used to adjust the inductive
f
current.
T2
L
T1
L
f
IEC  2159/10
Figure 4 – Arrangement to produce the variable inductor L in Figure 3
5.16.4 Test apparatus for simultaneous DC and AC test (capacitor type S3)

Apparatus for carrying out the simultaneous DC and AC test is shown in Figure 5. The d.c.
source (U ) shall be capable of delivering an open-circuit voltage equivalent to 10 U and
dc N
shall have a sustained short-circuit capability greater than 50 mA but limited to 50 mA during
the test.
C D 100 kΩ/5 kV
F
Tr L
I
U U
AC DC
V0 V2 V3
Cx
AC DC
R
IEC  2200/13
– 6 – 60252-1 Amend.1 © IEC:2013
Tr Transformer (AC power supply) with sufficient capacity to supply an instantaneous short-circuit
current of at least 300 A
F Slow-blow fuse, rated 25 A
L Inductor of approximately 10 mH for grid decoupling (resonant free in all switching modes)
C Capacitor for DC decoupling: C ≥ 10 × C (e.g. C = 330 µF -->C = 33 µF)/U = 5 kV
x xmax cmax
C Capacitor under test
x
D High voltage diode for AC decoupling
I AC current: 1,3 × I at the beginning of the test when the capacitor is full operative (I = Rated
1 R R
current of the capacitor under test)
V2 AC test voltage: 1,3 × U (U = Rated voltage of the capacitor under test)
R R
V3 DC test voltage: Voltage increase from 0 V to max. 10 × U at a rate of 200 V/min (U = Rated
R R
voltage of the capacitor under test)
R Resistor for capacitor discharging at the end of the test
Figure 5 – Test apparatus for simultaneous DC and AC
5.16.5 Test procedure for sequential DC and AC test (capacitor type S1 and S2)
5.16.5.1 General
The test shall be conducted in four stages:
• 5.16.5.2 Preparation and pre-conditioning,
• 5.16.5.3 DC conditioning,
• 5.16.5.4 AC destruction test,
• 5.16.7 Evaluation of the failure.
NOTE The purpose of the d.c. conditioning is to produce a dielectric breakdown condition. It is not the intention
that d.c. conditioning is used to create open-circuit capacitors.
5.16.5.2 Preparation and pre-conditioning
All the test specimens shall be prepared and pre-conditioned as follows:
The capacitors shall be wrapped closely in tissue paper complying with 6.86 of
ISO 4046:2002 and mounted within an "air circulating" test chamber at t + 10 °C. The
c
temperature deviation shall not exceed ±2 °C. In preparation for the destruction test, the
specimens shall have rated voltage (U ) applied for 2 h at t + 10 °C.
N c
No open-circuit or short-circuit capacitors are permitted. If this occurs, the type shall be
declared a failure.
5.16.5.3 DC conditioning
Five capacitors that have passed the endurance test (group 2) shall be pre-heated to a
temperature of t + 10 °C before d.c. conditioning. The remaining five capacitors, having
c
passed the test in 5.4.1 shall be tested at room temperature.
The voltage of a d.c. source (see Figure 2) shall be raised from zero to a maximum of 10 U
N
at a rate of approximately 200 V/min until a short-circuit occurs or 10 U has been reached.
N
Capacitors shall be removed from d.c. conditioning when the voltage indicated on the
voltmeter is zero or 10 U has been reached and maintained for a period of 5 min or other
N
period as defined by the manufacturer.
A capacitor that becomes open-circuit after the d.c. conditioning shall be replaced by another
sample and not counted. The d.c. conditioning test may be repeated on new samples until all
the 10 reserve specimens referred to in 5.16.1 have been used up. If the required number of

60252-1 Amend.1 © IEC:2013 – 7 –
capacitors with dielectric breakdown cannot be achieved, then the test shall be regarded as
failed.
5.16.5.4 AC destruction test
With the capacitors maintained at the d.c. conditioning temperature, they shall then have
applied an a.c. voltage of 1,3 U (see Figure 3) . If the capacitor clears (becomes operative)
N
or becomes open-circuit, the voltage shall be maintained for 5 min. If the capacitor is still
operative after 5 min then the d.c. conditioning shall be repeated.
If the capacitor becomes short-circuit then the test shall be maintained for 8 h.
5.16.6 Test procedure for simultaneous DC and AC test (capacitor type S3)
5.16.6.1 Preparation and pre-conditioning
Same as 5.16.5.2.
5.16.6.2 Simultaneous DC and AC test
Five capacitors that have passed the endurance test (group 2) shall be pre-heated to a
temperature of t + 10 °C before testing. The remaining five capacitors, having passed the test
c
in 5.4.1 shall be tested at room temperature.
Apply a constant a.c. voltage of 1,3 U at U (V ) and measure the initial current (I ).
N ac1 2 1
The voltage of a d.c. source U (V ) shall be raised from zero to a maximum of 10 U at a
dc1 3 N
rate of approximately 200 V/min until the capacitor becomes inoperative or 10 U has been
N
reached.
The capacitor shall be considered as failed if it does not become inoperative (capacitance
<1 % C ) within 5 minutes at 10 U
N N.
The d.c. current shall be limited to 50 mA.
NOTE Inoperat
...

Questions, Comments and Discussion

Ask us and Technical Secretary will try to provide an answer. You can facilitate discussion about the standard in here.

Loading comments...