Protection against lightning – Part 3: Physical damage to structures and live hazard EN 62305-4:2011 Protection against lightning – Part 2: Risk management EN 62305-3:2011 Protection against lightning – Part 1: General principles EN 62305-2:2011
The following is a list of the key standards involved: Type 1, 2, or 3 SPDs to BS EN/EN 61643-11 are comparable to Class I, Class II and Class III SPDs to IEC 61643-11 respectively.Īwareness, that transient surges are the main influencing factor of the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) of systems and equipment, is driving all manufacturers in the area of surge protection to continuously develop new overvoltage protective devices with increasing features and in compliance with the actual international & european standards. Through following the guidance in these documents, the appropriate specification of SPDs to meet the installation requirement can be achieved. SPDs which have been tested to BS EN 61643 should be suitably labelled and marked, to include the relevant performance data for their application. Three samples of an SPD are tested and all must pass before approval is granted. Measurements are taken at the connectors/terminals. SPDs are tested with the connections or terminations following manufacturer’s instructions, as per the expected SPD installation. Tests include Class I impulse current, Class I & II nominal discharge current, Class I & II voltage impulse and Class III combination wave tests for SPDs installed on power lines, and Class D (high energy), C (fast rate of rise), and B (slow rate of rise) for those on data, signal and telecoms lines.
Mechanical and safety tests establish levels of protection against direct contact, water, impact, the SPD installed environment etc.įor voltage and current limiting performance, an SPD is tested according to its Type (or Class to IEC), which defines the level of lightning current or transient overvoltage it is expected to limit/divert away from sensitive equipment. The standard establishes the importance of testing SPDs to determine their electrical, mechanical and safety performance.Įlectrical tests include impulse durability, current limiting, and transmission tests.