IEC 62873-2:2016

IEC 62873-2 ®
Edition 1.0 2016-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
Residual current operated circuit-breakers for household and similar use –
Part 2: Residual current devices (RCDs) – Vocabulary
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IEC 62873-2 ®
Edition 1.0 2016-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
Residual current operated circuit-breakers for household and similar use –

Part 2: Residual current devices (RCDs) – Vocabulary

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 29.120.50 ISBN 978-2-8322-3612-3

– 2 – IEC 62873-2:2016 © IEC 2016
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
INTRODUCTION . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references. 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
3.1 Definitions relating to currents flowing from live parts to earth . 9
3.2 Definitions relating to the energization of an RCD . 10
3.3 Definitions relating to the operation and functions of an RCD . 11
3.4 Definitions relating to values and ranges of energizing quantities . 16
3.5 Definitions relating to arcing time . 19
3.6 Coordination between overcurrent protective devices in series . 20
3.7 Definitions relating to values and ranges of influencing quantities . 21
3.8 Definitions relating to terminals . 22
3.9 Definitions relating to conditions of operation . 24
3.10 Definitions relating to constructional elements . 25
3.12 Definitions relating to insulation coordination . 27
Annex A (informative) Glossary of symbols . 29
Bibliography . 30

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
RESIDUAL CURRENT OPERATED CIRCUIT-BREAKERS
FOR HOUSEHOLD AND SIMILAR USE –

Part 2: Residual current devices (RCDs) – Vocabulary

FOREWORD
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International Standard IEC 62873-2 has been prepared by subcommittee 23E: Circuit
breakers and similar equipment for household use, of IEC technical committee 23: Electrical
accessories.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
23E/963/FDIS 23E/981/RVD
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.

– 4 – IEC 62873-2:2016 © IEC 2016
A list of all parts of the IEC 62873 series, published under the general title Residual current
operated circuit-breakers for household and similar use can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC website 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.

INTRODUCTION
This document is part of the series described in the outline document IEC 62873-1.

– 6 – IEC 62873-2:2016 © IEC 2016
RESIDUAL CURRENT OPERATED CIRCUIT-BREAKERS
FOR HOUSEHOLD AND SIMILAR USE –

Part 2: Residual current devices (RCDs) – Vocabulary

1 Scope
This part of IEC 62873 provides the terms and definitions used in RCD product standards.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
Where the terms "voltage" or "current" are used, they imply r.m.s. values, unless otherwise
specified.
NOTE Reference to IEV definitions is also made when the term "device" or "mechanical switching device" has
been replaced by the term "RCCB", "RCBO" or "RCD".
Alphabetical index of definitions
Reference
A
ambient air temperature . 3.7.6
applied voltage . 3.5.5
arcing contact . 3.10.2
arcing time . 3.5.2
arcing time . 3.5.1
auxiliary circuit . 3.3.25
auxiliary contact . 3.10.4

B
break time . 3.5.3
break time . 3.3.15
breaking capacity . 3.4.12
breaking current . 3.4.18

C
circuit-breaker . 3.3.3
clearance . 3.12.12
closed position . 3.3.19
closing operation . 3.9.2
conditional residual short-circuit current . 3.4.19
conditional short-circuit current . 3.4.15
conductive part . 3.10.10
control circuit  . 3.3.24

Reference
control contact . 3.10.3
conventional non-tripping current . 3.6.3
conventional tripping current . 3.6.4
creepage distance . 3.12.13
current delay angle . 3.1.4

D
dependent manual operation . 3.9.4
detection  .
...