IEC 60320-2-4:2018

IEC 60320-2-4 ®
Edition 2.0 2018-06
REDLINE VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Appliance couplers for household and similar general purposes –
Part 2-4: Couplers dependent on appliance weight for engagement

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IEC 60320-2-4 ®
Edition 2.0 2018-06
REDLINE VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Appliance couplers for household and similar general purposes –

Part 2-4: Couplers dependent on appliance weight for engagement

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 29.120.30 ISBN 978-2-8322-5861-3

– 2 – IEC 60320-2-4:2018 RLV © IEC 2018
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references. 7
3 Terms and definitions . 8
4 General requirements . 9
5 General notes on tests . 9
6 Standard ratings . 10
7 Classification . 10
8 Marking . 12
9 Dimensions and compatibility . 14
10 Protection against electric shock . 14
11 Provision for earthing . 15
12 Terminals and terminations . 15
13 Construction . 15
14 Moisture resistance . 16
15 Insulation resistance and electric strength . 18
16 Forces necessary to insert and withdraw the connector/appliance outlet . 20
17 Operation of contacts . 20
18 Resistance to heating of appliance couplers for hot conditions or very hot
conditions . 20
19 Breaking capacity . 21
20 Normal operation . 22
21 Temperature rise . 24
22 Cords and their connection . 25
23 Mechanical strength . 26
24 Resistance to heat and ageing . 26
25 Screws, current-carrying parts and connections . 27
26 Clearances, creepage distances, clearances and distances through solid
insulation . 28
27 Resistance of insulating material to heat, fire and tracking . 33
28 Resistance to rusting . 34
29 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements . 35
Annex AA (normative) Proof tracking test .
Annex BBAA (normative) Needle-flame test . 37
Annex BB (normative) Apparatus for the test of 14.102 . 38
Annex C (normative) Test schedule . 39

Figure 101 – Examples of clearances . 30
Figure BB.1 – Apparatus for the test of Subclause 14.102 . 38

Table 101 – Test voltages . 19

Table 102 – Ratings for the tests of Clause 20 . 24
Table 102103 – Rated impulse voltage . 28
Table 103104 – Minimum clearances. 29
Table 104105 – Minimum creepage distances for basic insulation . 32

– 4 – IEC 60320-2-4:2018 RLV © IEC 2018
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
APPLIANCE COUPLERS FOR HOUSEHOLD
AND SIMILAR GENERAL PURPOSES –

Part 2-4: Couplers dependent on appliance
weight for engagement
FOREWORD
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International Standard IEC 60320-2-4 has been prepared by subcommittee 23G: Appliance
couplers, of IEC technical committee 23: Electrical accessories.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2005 and
Amendment 1:2009. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
a) IEC 60320-2-4 is aligned with IEC 60320-1:2015.
b) IEC 60320-2-4 is aligned with IEC 60335-1 and IEC 60335-2-15. IEC 60320-2-4
appliance couplers are incorporated into appliances designed and manufactured to these
standards. To this end, particular attention is drawn to 14.2 and Clause 20.
c) It also now proposes that appliance couplers with auxiliary contacts be considered.
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
23G/402/FDIS 23G/404/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this International Standard can be found in
the report on voting indicated in the above table.
This document has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
This Part 2-4 is to be used in conjunction with IEC 60320-1: Appliance couplers for household
and similar general purposes – Part 1: General requirements. It was established on the basis
of the third edition of that standard (2015).
The clauses of this standard supplement or modify the corresponding clauses of IEC 60320-1.
When a particular subclause or annex of Part 1 is not mentioned in this Part 2-4, the
subclause or annex of IEC 60320-1 applies without modification as far as is reasonable.
Where this standard states “addition”, “modification” or “replacement”, the relevant
requirement, test specification or explanatory matter in IEC 60320-1 should be adapted
accordingly.
Subclauses, figures or tables which are additional to those in Part 1 are numbered starting
...