What about type tested assemblies?

The tested switchboard,

complying with IEC 60439-1
IEC standards are based on the
consensus and knowledge find
among the best experts in the
world.

They provide minimum requirements

and test procedures for safe and
reliable installation allowing a high
availability of the electrical energy

2
 What is a switchboard used for ?

To gather and protect the control and protective devices

together with electrical and mechanical connections
against external influences.
To inform the end-user on the state of his installation.
To protect the switchboard user against the main risk of
accidents (direct contact protection, indirect contact
protection and fire risk).
To evolve with the activity

Installations monitoring Protection for individuals Electrical power distribution

and control 3
The LV electrical switchboard has
to be safe and available

It is a question of balance between:

the needs of safety and availability
the constraints of reliability and maintenability of the
installation.

Safety

Reliability Availability

Maintenability

4
IEC 60439 series
Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear
assemblies

One general standard :

IEC 60439-1 type-tested assemblies (TTA) and partially type-
tested assemblies (PTTA)

Four related standards:

IEC 60439 -2 busbar trunking systems (busways)
IEC 60439 -3 distribution boards (<250A, unskill people)
IEC 60439 -4 assemblies for construction sites (ACSs)
IEC 60439 -5 cable distribution cabinets (CDCs)

5
What about the main features?

The tested switchboard,

complying with IEC 60439-1
 IEC 60439-1, what about the scope?

Scope : Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear

assembly, TTA or PTTA, whose rated voltage is 1000
Vac or 1500 Vdc.
TTA : type-tested assemblies conforming to an established type or
system without deviations likely to significantly influence the performance,
from the typical ASSEMBLY verified to be in accordance with this
standard. A full range of representative configurations have been
tested.
PTTA : partially type-tested assemblies, containing both type-tested and
non type-tested arrangements provided that the latter are derived (e.g. by
calculation) from type-tested arrangements which have complied with the
relevant tests. Some limited configurations may be tested.

Definition : A combination of one or more low-voltage switching

devices together with associated control, measuring, signalling,
protective, regulating equipment, etc., completely assembled under
the responsibility of the manufacturer with all the internal electrical
and mechanical interconnections and structural parts

Either a TTA or a PTTA equipment meeting IEC 60439 afford the same quality level
7
 The IEC 60439-1 standard gives
general rules for
switchboards construction

Meeting IEC 60439-1 requirements means :

a minimum level of safety for people and equipment
to include the low-voltage switchgear and controlgear
assemblies for the power distribution and control
precise requirements for
- service conditions (temperature...)
Safety - construction requirements (IP, IK, forms,...)
precise test procedures
IEC 60439-1: one worldwide standard for all the
professionals of switchboards.
Reliability Availability
Conformity to IEC 60439 provides
an insurance on switchboard realization quality
Maintenability
8
Classification according to IEC 60439-1

external design (open-type, dead front, enclosed, busway)

place of installation (indoor - outdoor)

conditions of installation with respect to mobility (stationary - movable)

degree of protection (for outdoor IP 3X)

type of enclosure (e.g metallic or plastic)

method of mounting (fixed or removable)

measures of protection of persons

form of internal separation (to be detailed, agreement between customer and

manufacturer)

types of electrical connections of functional units (to be detailed, agreement

between customer and manufacturer)
9
 IEC 60439-1 : Functional unit

Definition : Part of an assembly, comprising all the

electrical and mechanical elements that contribute to the
fulfilment of the same function

Incoming

Functional unit Outgoing

Auxiliary

Example : drawer in a Motor Control Centre switchboard .

10
IEC 60439-1 proposes different
V. Forms
type of secured forms adapted
to each situation

In most installations, no particular partitioning is needed,

electrical switchboard of the form 1 type is acceptable.
However this is no longer true without a front plate or other
equivalent mean. The user shall not access to living parts.

Following forms 2, 3 and 4 introduce additional partitioning

within the switchboard

Form 2: partitioning of busbars

Form 3a and 3b:
- functional units separated from each other and
separated from the busbars
- connecting terminals separated from busbars
Form 4a and 4b:
- functional units separated from each other and
separated from the busbars
- connecting terminals separated from each other and
separated from busbars.

11
 IEC 60439-1 The forms of internal separation

Form 1 Form 3a Form 4a

Form 2a

Form 2b Form 3b Form 4b

1. Maintenance people should not be in a dangerous situation, e.g. parts not under maintenance
should not create dangerous situation in parts under maintenance
2. Maintenance in one part should not create a dangerous situation in another part e.g. a screw or a
tool falls in another part
3. Danger in one part should not expand to other parts e.g. an arc in one part should not influence
other parts
12
 Electrical connections for
functional units

Types of electrical connections of functional units (FU)

F = Fixed

D = Disconnectable

W = Withdrawable

Identification
connections are codified with these 3 letters referring to :
1st : main incoming circuit
2nd : main outgoing circuit
3rd: auxiliary circuits

13
What about test procedure ?

The tested switchboard,

complying with IEC 60439-1
 The tests of standard IEC 60439-
1

B
They guarantee that the switchboard complies
with the necessary standard requirement

There are two type of tests:

7 type tests are performed by the manufacturer on one or

several configurations:
n1 temperature rise limits
n2 dielectric properties
n3 short-circuit withstand
n4 protective circuit effectiveness
n5 clearances and creepage distances
n6 mechanical operation
n7 degree of protection.

3 routine tests are performed by the panelbuilder on each

particular switchboard:
n8 general inspection
n9 insulation/dielectric test
n10 protection measures.
15
 The 7 type tests performed by
the manufacturer

The aim of these tests is to confirm the switchboard

characteristics.

The 7 type tests are carried out on the most difficult and
unfavourable system configurations.
The assembled and cabled switchboards are made up of their
usual components, connection system, equipped with
switchgear and assemblied and installed according to
industrial standards.
The tests are conducted either in approved laboratories
(Asefa, Kema, Lcie,), or in a manufacturer laboratory.

16
Test n1
(8-2-1): temperature rise limits
Test performed by the manufacturer

Guarantees the safety and reliability of the switchboard, by

avoiding problems such as:
connection damages
reduction in insulation performances
risk of burn for maintenance operators
electronic components damages
faulty operation of the devices: inopportune release.

How to proceed:
to measure the temperature of each equipment, after a
delay allowing a stabilized temperature, when each circuit
is used at its rated power and when the complete
switchboard is loaded with an appropriate diversity factor

Result to be obtain
temperature rise shall not exceed what the different
equipment can withstand
the temperature of accessible surfaces has to be checked
17
Test n2
(8-2-2): dielectric properties
Test performed by the manufacturer

Guarantees the switchboard safety and reliability,

to avoid problems such as:
electrical arc generation
insulation performance decreasing
connection damages
Withstand impulse voltage test and an ac test are
performed

18
 Test n3
(8-2-3): short-circuit withstand
Test performed by the manufacturer

This test simulates an incident which could occur on site.

Withstanding the short-circuit currents is:
to avoid danger (rupture and projections of components,
arc generation and propagation outside the
switchboard,...)
it also means the installation can be quickly put back
into operation after the incident.
Relationship between peak current (Ipk) and short-circuit current (Icw):
Ipk = Icw x n
RMS value of short-circuit n Ipk (kA)
current kA eff/1s (Icw)

Icw 5 1.5 Ipk 7.5

5 < Icw 10 1.7 8.5 < Ipk 17
10 < Icw 20 2 20 < Ipk 40
20 < Icw 50 2.1 42 < Ipk 105
50 < Icw 2.2 110 < Ipk

19
Test n4
(8-2-4): effectiveness of the protective
circuit
Test performed by the manufacturer

The effectiveness of the protective circuit is verified by

two tests:
resistance measurement of the connection between the
exposed conductive parts and the protective circuits
short-circuit withstand performed between the protective
conductor and the nearest phase conductor.

20
Test n5
(8-2-5): clearance and creepage distances
Test performed by the manufacturer

Clearance control: shortest distance between two

conductive parts.

Creepage distance control: shortest distance along the

surface of an insulating material between two conductive
parts.

21
Test n6
(8-2-6): mechanical operation
Test performed by the manufacturer

Endurance of material, guaranteeing the longevity of the

various mechanisms.

The standard requires 50 operating cycles.

22
 Test n7
(8-2-7): degree of protection (IP, IEC
60529)
Test performed by the manufacturer

The tests carried out define the capacity of an equipped

switchboard to:
protect persons against contact with live parts
protect equipment against penetration of solid objects
and liquids

IP 1st digit:
protection of persons
protection against solids.
2nd digit: protection against liquids.
Note: in case of only protection of persons is needed, the 2 IP digits are replaced by x.
Example: IPxxB.
Additional letter (optional): protection of persons against contact
with live parts:
A: protect againts access of the back of the hand
B: protect against access of fingers 12 mm
C: protect against access of a tool 2.5 mm
D: protect against access of a tool 0.1 mm.

23
The 3 tests performed by the
panelbuilder

These 3 routine tests can be easily and rapidly performed

by the panelbuilder:
overall inspection according to the mounting instructions
and technical documents (right device ratings, tightening
torques)
insulation checking by a dielectric test
checking of protective measures and of the electrical
continuity of the protective circuits.
They complete the 7 manufacturer type tests and guarantee
professionnalism and responsability of panelbuilder.

3 routine tests performed by the panelbuilder:

n8 general inspection
n9 insulation/dielectric test
n10 protection measures.

24
Test n8
(8-3-1): general inspection
Test performed by the panelbuilder

Check of mechanical actuating elements, interlocks,...

effectiveness.

Check of proper laying of conductors and cables and

proper mounting of device.

Check of connections adequate contact, especially screwed

and bolted connections.

25
Test n9
(8-3-4): insulation resistance/(8-3-2):
dielectric test
Test performed by the panelbuilder

No arc flash-over or insulator perforation must be

observed between the live parts each other and between
the live parts and the conductive structural parts.

26
Test n10
(8-3-3): protective measures
Test performed by the panelbuilder

Checking of protective measures and of the electrical

continuity of the protective circuits for metallic
assemblies.

27
What about the benefits?

The tested switchboard,

complying with IEC 60439-1
 The benefits from IEC 60439-1

IEC 60439-1 provides minimum requirements and test

procedures for safe and reliable installation allowing a high
availability of the electrical energy

Specifiers/consultants:
the certainty to prescribe a switchboard which ensures
the level of safety required by the user
Panel-builder / Installer:
confidence in products and swichboards systems,
following the standard
increase efficiency, easy to show conformity
Manufacturer:
products tested in real configurations
detailed instructions for fautless construction.

29