EN 13763-20:2025

Explosives for civil uses - Detonators and detonating cord relays - Part 20: Verification of total electrical resistance of electric detonators

This document specifies a method for determining the electrical resistance of electric detonators. This document applies to explosives for civil uses.

Explosivstoffe für zivile Zwecke - Zünder und Sprengschnurverzögerer - Teil 20: Überprüfung des elektrischen Gesamtwiderstandes elektrischer Zünder

Dieses Dokument legt ein Prüfverfahren zur Überprüfung des elektrischen Gesamtwiderstands elektrischer Zünder fest.
Dieses Dokument ist nicht anwendbar für nichtelektrische und elektronische Zünder, Sprengkapseln oder halbfertige Zünder.
Dieses Dokument ist nicht anwendbar für Sprengschnurverzögerer, Oberflächenverbinder, Zünderdrähte und Zündschläuche, Verbinder und elektronische Zündsysteme.

Explosifs à usage civil - Détonateurs et relais pour cordeau détonant - Partie 20 : Vérification de la résistance électrique totale des détonateurs électriques

Le présent document spécifie une méthode de vérification de la résistance électrique totale des détonateurs électriques.
Le présent document ne s’applique pas aux détonateurs non électriques, électroniques, pyrotechniques ou semi finis.
Le présent document ne s’applique pas aux relais pour cordeau détonant, aux connecteurs de surface, aux fils d’amorce, aux tubes à transmission d’ondes de choc, aux manchons d’accouplement et aux systèmes d’amorçage électroniques.

Eksplozivi za civilno uporabo - Detonatorji in zakasnilniki - 20. del: Ugotavljanje celotne upornosti električnih detonatorjev

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 30-Sep-2025
• ICS: 71.100.30 - Explosives. Pyrotechnics and fireworks
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 321 - Explosives for civil uses
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 321/WG 4 - Detonators and relays
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 01-Oct-2025
• Due Date: 04-Apr-2022
• Completion Date: 01-Oct-2025
• Directive: 2014/28/EU - Directive 2014/28/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market and supervision of explosives for civil uses
• Mandate: M/055 - Standardization mandate to CEN for explosives for civil uses
• Mandate: M/562 - Standardization Request on Explosives for civil use
• Ref Project: SIST EN 13763-20:2025 - Explosives for civil uses - Detonators and relays - Part 20: Determination of total electrical resistance of electric detonators

Relations

• Replaces: EN 13763-20:2003 - Explosives for civil uses - Detonators and relays - Part 20: Determination of total electrical resistance of electric detonators
• Effective Date: 23-Oct-2019

Overview

EN 13763-20:2025 (CEN) is the European standard that specifies a test method for the verification of the total electrical resistance of electric detonators used in civil applications. Approved in October 2025, this part of the EN 13763 series replaces the 2003 version and clarifies scope, test principle, apparatus, sample preparation, measurement procedure and reporting requirements. The standard applies to electric detonators only and excludes non‑electric, electronic, plain or semi‑finished detonators and several accessories (detonating cord relays, surface connectors, leading wires and shock tubes, coupling accessories, electronic initiation systems).

Key topics and requirements

• Scope & exclusions: Applies to electric detonators for civil uses; explicitly excludes a list of non‑applicable initiation systems and components.
• Test principle: Measure total electrical resistance (bridgewire + leading wires) because detonators are typically connected in series and deviations can cause misfires.
• Apparatus
  • 4‑wire ohmmeter (four‑terminal measurement) readable to 0.05 Ω, measuring current ≤ 15 mA to avoid inadvertent initiation.
  • Conditioning chamber maintaining (20 ± 2) °C.
• Sample preparation
  • Select 20 test pieces (if multiple leading‑wire lengths, 20 of the shortest and 20 of the longest).
  • Leave leading wires at specified length, strip at least 5 cm of insulation at ends.
  • Condition at (20 ± 2) °C for 1 hour.
• Procedure
  • Measure each conditioned test piece at (20 ± 2) °C using the 4‑wire method and record values.
• Acceptance criteria
  • A test is “pass” only if every measured resistance lies within ±10% of the total resistance value specified for that detonator in EN 13763-1:2025, clause 4.2.1.8; otherwise “fail”.
• Test report
  • Must reference EN 13763-20:2025, identify the tested detonator, list individual resistance measurements (Ω) and state pass/fail with observations for failures.

Applications and users

• Quality control and production testing by detonator manufacturers.
• Independent testing and calibration laboratories performing acceptance, batch release or incoming inspection.
• Procurement, mining, quarrying, civil blasting contractors and safety officers who require documented verification of initiation reliability.
• Regulators and notified bodies assessing conformity with safety requirements and Directive 2014/28/EU (informative Annex ZA explains the relationship).

Related standards

• EN 13763-1:2025 - Requirements for detonators and detonating cord relays (used for specified resistance values)
• EN 13857-1:2025 - Vocabulary for explosives for civil uses
• EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 - General requirements for testing laboratory competence (referenced in bibliography)

Keywords: EN 13763-20:2025, electric detonators, total electrical resistance, verification method, 4‑wire ohmmeter, conditioning, pass/fail criteria, explosives for civil uses, CEN.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2025
Eksplozivi za civilno uporabo - Detonatorji in zakasnilniki - 20. del: Ugotavljanje
celotne upornosti električnih detonatorjev
Explosives for civil uses - Detonators and relays - Part 20: Determination of total
electrical resistance of electric detonators
Explosivstoffe für zivile Zwecke - Zünder und Verzögerungselemente - Teil 20:
Bestimmung des Gesamtwiderstandes elektrischer Zünder
Explosifs à usage civil - Détonateurs et relais - Partie 20: Détermination de la résistance
globale des détonateurs électriques
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 13763-20:2025
ICS:
71.100.30 Eksplozivi. Pirotehnika in Explosives. Pyrotechnics and
ognjemeti fireworks
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 13763-20
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
October 2025
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 71.100.30 Supersedes EN 13763-20:2003
English Version
Explosives for civil uses - Detonators and detonating cord
relays - Part 20: Verification of total electrical resistance of
electric detonators
Explosifs à usage civil - Détonateurs et relais pour Explosivstoffe für zivile Zwecke - Zünder und
cordeau détonant - Partie 20 : Vérification de la Sprengschnurverzögerer - Teil 20: Überprüfung des
résistance électrique totale des détonateurs électriques elektrischen Gesamtwiderstandes elektrischer Zünder
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 29 September 2025.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 13763-20:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Principle . 5
5 Apparatus . 5
)
6 Preparation of test sample . 6
7 Procedure . 6
8 Expression of results . 6
9 Test report . 6
Annex ZA (informative) Relationship between this European Standard and the essential
requirements of Directive 2014/28/EU relating to the making available on the market and
supervision of explosives for civil uses aimed to be covered . 7
Bibliography . 8

European foreword
This document (EN 13763-20:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 321 “Explosives
for civil uses”, the secretariat of which is held by UNE.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by April 2026, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by April 2026.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN 13763-20:2003.
EN 13763-20:2003:
a) the document title has been changed from “Detonators and relays — Part 20: Determination of total
electrical resistance of electric detonators” to “Detonators and detonating cord relays — Part 20:
Verification of total electrical resistance of electric detonators”;
b) the Scope has been revised to clarify the covered and not covered explosives;
c) the normative references have been updated;
d) the Clause “Principle” has been revised;
e) the Clause “Apparatus” has been updated;
f) the Clause “Test pieces” is now called “Preparation of test sample”, the number of test pieces per
leading wires length has been reduced and the conditioning step has been moved there from the
Clause “Procedure”;
g) the Clause 8 “Expression of results” has been added;
h) the Clause “Test report” does no longer require conformity with EN ISO/IEC 17025 and the
information to be provided has been revised;
i) the former Annex A “Range of applicability of the test method” has been removed;
j) the Annex ZA has been updated;
k) the Bibliography has been added and lists EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
This document has been prepared under a standardization request addressed to CEN by the European
Commission. The Standing Committee of the EFTA States subsequently approves these requests for its
Member States.
For the relationship with EU Legislation, see informative Annex ZA, which is an integral part of this
document.
A list of all parts in the EN 13763 series, published under the general title Explosives for civil uses —
Detonators and detonating cord relays, can be found on the CEN website.
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