Plug and Switch Test Solutions

With the development of science, technology and technological level in the world, the requirements for plugs and sockets products are getting higher and higher. Different from low price and low quality products flooding the market in the past, the plugs and sockets on sale are required to be certified: China Compulsory Certification in the market now or for sold in Europe and America, they must meet the requirements of IEC60884-1 (or other corresponding international standards), which greatly improves the requirements for manufacturers in terms of quality control.

In fact, 3C authentication is actually a combination of CCEE, CCIB, EMC and the test requirements of 3C authentication for plugs and sockets are mainly concentrated in the GB standards. For the products circulating in the international market, they must meet the general requirements of IEC-60884-1.

The main test items for these series standards are the following:

1. General requirements: including test environment, rated current/voltage value and current/voltage making
2. Dimension check: performance of insert and draw/fitness check
3. Protection against electric shock: protective performance of live part and insulation part
4. Ground test
5. Terminals test
6. Socket plug structure detection
7. Resistance to aging test
8. Insulation resistance and electrical strength
9. Normal operation/Temperature rise/Force necessary to withdraw the plugs
10. Others tests

Part 1 General requirements

This section defines and sorts the types of plugs and sockets. For example, the working voltage is usually 50V~440V, the working current of the plugs and sockets with screw type terminals is limited to 32A, and the fixed socket-outlets without screw terminals is limited to 16A. For the specifications of rated current and voltage value, please refer to the requirements in table IEC60884-1 6.1. At the same time, it requires the requirements of the environment temperature for carrying the routine tests: If there are no special requirements, the environment temperature should be in 15°~35°or 20 °±5° (LISUN recommends  GDJS series high and low temperature humidity chamber to ensure the test temperature).

Part 2 Dimension check

This part of the test mainly includes: plug and draw test (insert the plug into the socket 10 times continuously); use the gauge to measure the center distance; fitness check of the socket and plug. For specific requirements, please refer to the requirements in table IEC60884-1 9.1. (LISUN recommends the use of professional micrometers, vernier calipers, and LG series plug and socket gauges for inspection.)

Part 3 Protection against electric shock

In IEC60884-1, the requirements of protection against electrical shock of plugs and sockets are as follows:

1. When the plug and socket fit perfectly, can not touch the live parts unless using the special tools to dismantle.
2. When installed normally, it needs to be isolated from the live parts
3. When the plug or pin part can be touched, the operator cannot touch the live part
4. For other requirements, please refer to the requirements of IEC60884-1 10th.

Except the judgment via the naked eye, LISUN recommends to use professional electric shock / shock testing equipment, such as test finger / straight finger with propulsive force / electrical indicator, probe (TZ-1), test ball line bar (QXB-1) to carry the test.

Part 4 Ground test

This part of the test is a critical part of the electrical safety performance in the plug and socket test, and the following requirements have been made in the IEC60884-1:

1. When the plug is inserted into the socket, the ground terminal must be connected firstly.
2. Before the plug is pulled out, please firstly disconnect the current carrying terminal and the ground terminal in turn.

For these tests, LISUN recommends TOS3200 contact resistance meter and other AC power supplies (LSP-Series).

Part 5 Terminals test

In the twelfth part of IEC60884-1, the following requirements are made for this part of the experiment:

1. Rewirable socket must be fastened by thread
2. Non-rewirable must be fixed by welding (LISUN recommends WLW-1 screwless bend tester)
3. The rated current of the socket and its copper conductor must be one-to-one correspondence to ensure that the size, bending resistance (LISUN recommends professional torque testing tools), current endurance, thermal stress test (LISUN recommends the HYL lateral stress test device), deflected test force are in line with the requirements
4. For other requirements, please refer to the requirements of IEC60884-1-12

At the same time, there are strict requirements in the standards for wire test (LISUN recommends DSS-1 conductor storage test device)

Part 6 Socket plug structure detection

In the thirteenth part of IEC60884-1, the following requirements are made for this part of the experiment:

1. Stress Test
2. anticorrosion and anti-abrasion test
3. Mechanical strength test (LISUN recommends IK level impact testing device)
4. Installation convenience test
5. Waterproof / dustproof test (LISUN recommends JL-X waterproof testing system and the SC-015 dustproof testing machine as well as the waterproof testing wall)
6. Size test of connection cables (Refer to LISUN test equipments in cable and wire test requirements)
7. Temperature / humidity environment test (LISUN recommends GDJS series high and low temperature humidity chamber)

Part 7 Resistance to aging test

The basic requirements for resistance to aging are as follows:

1. Before starting the test, the sample should be placed in a naturally ventilated heating box for aging. The temperature is set at 70°± 2°, and the time will be at least 7 days, 168 hours. At the end of the aging period, the sample is removed from the heating box and placed in a 45%~55% humidity environment for 4 days, 96 hours. The final result requires that the surface is free of cracks. (LISUN recommends professional heating oven for aging and GDJS series high and low temperature humidity chamber for test)
2. Shell protection level test, please refer to the relevant IEC standards
3. Moistureproof test, place the sample in the relative humidity was 90%~95%, the environment temperature is 20°~30°to carry the test. For IPX0 level, the sample test time is 48 hours; the sample test time is 168 hours if its protection level is higher than IPX0. At the end of the test, be sure that there is nothing which can affect the work of sample such as taking in water or others. (LISUN recommended GDJS-Series high and low temperature humidity chamber)

Part 8 Insulation resistance and electrical strength

1. The test needs to be carried out following the aging test
2. Insulation resistance: When the insulation resistance is tested by using the DC voltage of 500V, the insulation resistance value shall not be less than 5MΩ. (LISUN recommends LS9923 Programmable Withstanding Voltage & Insulation Test/LS9955 Automatic Safety Test System for test)
3. Withstand voltage test: When the applied frequency is 50HZ or 60HZ voltage for a minute, if the rated voltage of samples is less than or equal to 130V, the test voltage should be 1250V; if the rated voltage of samples is more than 130V, the test voltage should be 2000V; In the experiment, the sample cannot appear breakdown or flashover phenomenon. (LISUN recommends LS9923/LS9955 for test)

Part 9 Normal operation/Temperature rise/Force necessary to withdraw the plugs

1. Temperature rise test: When the plug is inserted into the socket and the connection current is in accordance with table IEC60884-1-20, the temperature rise shall not exceed 45K in an hour. (LISUN recommends the WJJ-1 temperature rise clamping device)
2. Breaking test: (LISUN recommends DFX-Series load cabinet with breaking capability and normal operation life test system for test.)
3. Normal operation: Electrical accessories shall be able to withstand the mechanical, electrical and thermal conditions when normally used. Wear or damage should not occur. The basic experimental requirements are: Plug in / pull out the socket 5000 times and experience 10000 strokes; For the sample, if its rated current is ≤16A and rated voltage is ≤250V, the rate is 30 times/min;

If others samples rate is 15 times/min, please refer to IEC60884-1 table 20 to carry the operations. (LISUN recommends DFX series load cabinet and CZKS series plug socket switch life tester for test)

Part 10 Others tests

In addition to the above test items, because there are many fine parts in the plug socket devices, IEC standards also provides corresponding testing requirements for them, such as:

1. Cables and wires test. Please refer to the test requirements in <brief introduction of safety performance detection for cable and wire products>
2. Electrical safety performance test: Including glow-wire test , horizontal vertical flame test, needle flame test. (LISUN recommends ZY-3/ZRS-3 for test)

With the higher and higher requirements for plugs and sockets products, the products will not be competitive in the future without certification and detection. The above tests only describe parts of the requirements of IEC60884-1, other requirements including size, color and structure, please refer to the corresponding test standards. There is no doubt that all manufacturers are faced with the problem of quality inspection. After years of research and development, LISUN has a full range of product lines, can provide customers with a full set of complete testing equipment. Customers can refer to the following table to choose:

Contact us if you need more info or quotations: Sales@Lisungroup.com