EN 50676:2019

• Abstract:

  This document specifies general requirements for the construction, testing and performance of electrically operated refrigerant fixed gas detection equipment in safety applications. This document will not specify requirements for portable locating leak detectors for refrigerant application as already covered by EN 14624:2012. This document is applicable to equipment whose primary purpose is to provide an indication, alarm and/or other output function to warn of the presence of refrigerant gases in an industrial or commercial environment and, in some cases, to initiate automatic or manual protective actions. It is applicable to equipment in which the sensor automatically generates an electrical signal when gas is present. This standard does not apply to gas detection equipment: — for non-refrigerant application; — used for air pollution monitoring; — sampling systems, which are not integral part of the gas detection equipment; — open path gas detection; — residential applications; — process control; — for applications in mines; — portable locating leak detectors for refrigerant application.

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 19-Dec-2019
• Withdrawal Date: 03-Nov-2022
• ICS: 13.320 - Alarm and warning systems
• ICS: 27.200 - Refrigerating technology
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 216 - Gas detectors (see also SC 31-9)
• Drafting Committee: CLC/TC 216/WG 12 - Electric apparatus used for detection and concentration measurement of refrigerant gases or SF6 - Performance requirements and test methods
• Current Stage: 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
• Start Date: 01-Apr-2026
• Completion Date: 08-Sep-2026
• Directive: Not Harmonized517/2014 - REGULATION (EU) No 517/2014 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 April 2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases and repealing Regulation (EC) No 842/2006
• Ref Project: SIST EN 50676:2020 - Electrical equipment used for detection and concentration measurement of refrigerant gases - Performance requirements and test methods

Overview

EN 50676:2019 - Electrical equipment used for detection and concentration measurement of refrigerant gases - specifies performance requirements and test methods for fixed, electrically operated refrigerant gas detection equipment used in safety applications. It covers design, construction, testing and performance verification of sensors and transmitters that automatically generate electrical signals or alarms to warn of refrigerant leaks and, where required, initiate protective actions. This standard applies to industrial and commercial HVAC and refrigeration environments and excludes portable locating leak detectors, residential or mining applications, open-path systems and non‑refrigerant gas monitoring.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and exclusions: Focus on fixed refrigerant gas detectors; portable leak detectors covered separately (EN 14624:2012) are excluded.
• Types and gas classes: Defines Type I, II and III equipment mapped to refrigerant safety classes (A1, A2, A2L, A3, B1, B2L, B3 and ammonia R717) following EN 378 classifications and aligns flammable-gas performance with EN 60079-29-1 and toxic-gas performance with EN 45544 series.
• Performance parameters: Requirements for measuring ranges, reference values and maximum alarm thresholds. Correction factors for groups of gases are specified (manufacturer-defined correction factor range min 0.25 to max 4).
• Timing characteristics: Warm‑up time and response time (t90) definitions and measurement guidance.
• Construction and safety: Mechanical/electrical construction, labelling, marking, documentation and requirements for equipment using software/digital technologies.
• Test methods: Detailed test sequencing, normal test conditions, poison gas tests and environmental/functional tests for validation by test laboratories.
• Documentation: Instruction manual content and marking required for safe installation and maintenance.

Applications

• Refrigeration and HVAC systems in commercial and industrial facilities
• Machinery rooms, cold stores and plant rooms where refrigerant leaks pose flammability, toxicity or asphyxiation risks
• Fixed gas detection systems integrated with building management, safety controls or emergency shutdown systems
• Product development and type‑testing of fixed refrigerant gas detectors and transmitters

Who should use this standard

• Manufacturers of fixed refrigerant gas detectors and gas detection transmitters
• Test laboratories and certification bodies validating detector performance
• HVAC/R engineers, system integrators and safety managers specifying leak-detection solutions
• Asset owners seeking compliance with refrigerant safety and environmental regulations

Related standards

• EN 378-1:2016 (refrigeration system safety & classification)
• EN 60079-29-1 (flammable gas detector performance)
• EN 45544 series (toxic gas detector performance and guidance)
• EN 14624:2012 (portable refrigerant leak detectors - excluded)
• IEC 60335-2-40 (relevant appliance safety aspects)
• F-Gas Regulation (EU‑517/2014) referenced for low‑GWP refrigerant considerations

Keywords: EN 50676:2019, refrigerant gas detection, fixed gas detectors, performance requirements, test methods, HVAC safety, refrigeration leak detection.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-februar-2020
Električna oprema za zaznavanje hladilnih plinov in merjenje njihove koncentracije
- Zahteve za delovanje in preskusne metode
Electrical equipment used for detection and concentration measurement of refrigerant
gases - Performance requirements and test methods
Elektrische Geräte zur Detektion unud Konzentrationsmessung von Kältemittelgasen -
Anforderungen an das Betriebsverhalten und Prüfverfahren
Appareils électriques utilisés pour la détection et la mesure de la concentration de gaz
frigorigènes - Exigences de performance et méthodes d'essai
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 50676:2019
ICS:
13.320 Alarmni in opozorilni sistemi Alarm and warning systems
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 50676
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
December 2019
ICS 13.320; 27.200
English Version
Electrical equipment used for detection and concentration
measurement of refrigerant gases - Performance requirements
and test methods
Appareils électriques utilisés pour la détection et la mesure Elektrische Geräte zur Detektion unud
de la concentration de gaz frigorigènes - Exigences de Konzentrationsmessung von Kältemittelgasen -
performance et méthodes d'essai Anforderungen an das Betriebsverhalten und Prüfverfahren
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2019-11-04. CENELEC 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 CENELEC 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 CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the
same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2019 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN 50676:2019 E
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 3
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 6
Figure 1 — Warm-up time in clean air (typical) . 8
4 General requirements . 8
4.1 Introduction . 8
4.2 Construction . 9
Table 1 — Measuring ranges, reference values and maximum thresholds . 9
4.3 Adjustments . 10
4.4 Gas detection transmitter for use with separate gas detection control units . 10
4.5 Separate gas detection control units for use with gas detection transmitter(s) . 10
4.6 Equipment using software and/or digital technologies . 10
4.7 Labelling and marking . 10
4.8 Instruction manual . 11
5 Test methods . 11
5.1 Introduction . 11
5.2 General requirements for tests . 11
5.3 Samples and sequence of tests . 11
5.4 Normal conditions for test . 12
5.5 Tests . 13
Table 2 — Test gas for poison gas test . 15
Annex A (normative) Gas specific performance requirements (EN 45544-1) . 17
Table A.1 — Gas specific performance requirements . 17
Annex B (normative) Performance requirements under standard test conditions. 18
Table B.1 — Performance requirements under standard test conditions . 18
Bibliography . 20

European foreword
This document (EN 50676:2019) has been prepared by CLC/TC 216 “Gas detectors”.
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which this document has (dop) 2020-11-04
to be implemented at national level by
publication of an identical national
standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national (dow) 2022-11-04
standards conflicting with this document
have to be withdrawn
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Introduction
This document specifies test methods and performance requirements for all electrical equipment used for
gas detection in refrigerant applications as defined in EN 378-1:2016 by means of concentration
measurement.
This document is addressed to the manufacturers of such equipment and test laboratories which validate it.
The tendency to use low-GWP refrigerant gases in the refrigeration and HVAC market (F-Gas Regulation)
has intensified the considerations of safety measures for low-GWP gases as some are flammable, toxic and
can cause lack of oxygen.
This document covers all refrigerant gases and defines performance requirements for the detection
equipment, mentioned in EN 378-3:2016 as gas detectors or sensors, used in refrigerant applications. The
level of safety is expected to be the same as in the already existing performance standards for general-
purpose equipment, i.e. EN 60079-29-1 concerning refrigerant flammable gases and EN 45544 series
concerning refrigerant toxic gases in atmospheres. Refrigerant gases not mentioned by EN 378-1:2016 are
also covered by this standard following the categorization scheme of EN 378-1:2016.
1 Scope
This document specifies general requirements for the construction, testing and performance of electrically
operated refrigerant fixed gas detection equipment in safety applications. This document does not specify
requirements for portable locating leak detectors for refrigerant application as already covered by
EN 14624:2012.
This document is applicable to equipment whose primary purpose is to provide an indication, alarm and/or
other output function to warn of the presence of refrigerant gases in an industrial or commercial environment
and, in some cases, to initiate automatic or manual protective actions. It is applicable to equipment in which
the sensor automatically generates an electrical signal when gas is present.
This standard does not apply to gas detection equipment:
— for non-refrigerant application;
— used for air pollution monitoring;
— sampling systems, which are not integral part of the gas detection equipment;
— open path gas detection;
— residential applications;
— process control;
— for applications in mines;
— portable locating leak detectors for refrigerant application.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 378-1:2016, Refrigerating systems and heat pumps - Safety and environmental requirements - Part 1:
Basic requirements, definitions, classification and selection criteria
EN 45544-1, Workplace atmospheres - Electrical apparatus used for the direct detection and direct
concentration measurement of toxic gases and vapours - Part 1: General requirements and test methods
EN 45544-2, Workplace atmospheres - Electrical apparatus used for the direct detection and direct
concentration measurement of toxic gases and vapours - Part 2: Performance requirements for apparatus
used for exposure measurement
EN 45544-3, Workplace atmospheres - Electrical apparatus used for the direct detection and direct
concentration measurement of toxic gases and vapours - Part 3: Performance requirements for apparatus
used for general gas detection
EN 45544-4, Workplace atmospheres - Electrical apparatus used for the direct detection and direct
concentration measurement of toxic gases and vapours - Part 4: Guide for selection, installation, use and
maintenance
EN 60079-29-1:2016, Explosive atmospheres - Part 29-1: Gas detectors - Performance requirements of
detectors for flammable gases
IEC 60335-2-40, Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-40: Particular requirements for
electrical heat pumps, air-conditioners and dehumidifiers
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 60079-29-1, EN 45544 series and
the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1 Gas properties
3.1.1
refrigerant
fluid used for heat transfer in a refrigerating system, which absorbs heat at a low temperature and a low fluid
pressure and expels heat at a higher temperature and a higher pressure usually involving changes of the
state of the fluid
3.1.2
halocarbon and hydrocarbon
either:
— CFC: fully-halogenated halocarbon containing only chlorine, fluorine and carbon;
— HCFC: halocarbon containing hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine and carbon;
— HFC: halocarbon containing only hydrogen, fluorine and carbon;
— PFC: fully fluorinated halocarbon containing only fluorine and carbon;
— HC: hydrocarbon containing only hydrogen and carbon
[SOURCE: EN 378-1:2016, 3.7.14]
3.1.3
hydrocarbon
contains only hydrogen and carbon
3.1.4
global warming potential
GWP
climatic warming potential of a greenhouse gas relative to that of carbon dioxide (‘CO ’), calculated in terms
of the 100-year warming potential of one kilogram of a greenhouse gas relative to one kilogram of CO
3.1.5
poison
poison for sensors
substance which leads to temporary or permanent loss of sensor sensitivity
3.1.6
reference value
value used as the basis to specify requirements such as measuring range, resolution and alarm set point
3.1.7
measuring range
range of measured values of gas concentration over which the accuracy of the equipment lies within
specified limits
3.1.8
group of gases
defined by the manufacturer to be measured with one piece of equipment without modification of hardware
or software which can be represented by a reference gas also defined by the manufacturer
3.1.9
reference gas
representative gas of a group of gases
Note 1 to entry: Only the reference gas is specifically tested in correspondence with the performance requirements of
this present standard.
3.1.10
correction factor
factor defined by the manufacturer to convert the measurement values of a given gas from a group in
relation to the defined reference gas
3.1.11
acute-toxicity exposure limit
ATEL
maximum recommended refrigerant concentration determined in accordance with EN 378-1 and intended to
reduce the risks of acute toxic hazards to humans in the event of a refrigerant release
[SOURCE: EN 378-1:2016, 3.7.5, modified]
3.1.12
occupational exposure limit value
OELV
limit of the time-weighted average of the concentration of a chemical agent in the air within the breathing
zone of a worker in relation to a specified reference period
Note 1 to entry: The term “limit value” is often used as a synonym for “occupational exposure limit value”, but the term
“occupational exposure limit value” is preferred because there is more than one limit value (e.g., biological limit value and
occupational exposure limit value).
Note 2 to entry: Occupational exposure limit values (OELVs) are often set for reference periods of 8 h, but can also be
set for shorter periods or concentration excursions.
3.1.13
machinery room
space that is designed to house compressors and pressure vessels
3.2 Types of equipment and components
3.2.1
gas detection transmitter
fixed gas detection equipment that provides a conditioned electronic signal or output indication to a generally
accepted industry standard (such as 4 mA to 20 mA), intended to be utilized with separate gas detection
control units or signal processing data acquisition, central monitoring and similar systems, and which
typically processes information from various locations and sources including, but not limited to gas detection
equipment
3.2.2
alarm-only equipment
equipment having an alarm but not a display or other device to indicate the measured gas concentration
Note 1 to entry: In EN 14624 and EN 378-3, this type of electrical equipment is defined as an indicating fixed gas
detector.
3.3 Times
3.3.1
time of response
tx
time interval, when the equipment is in a warmed-up condition, between the time when an instantaneous
variation in volume ratio is produced at the equipment inlet and the time when the response reaches a stated
percentage (x) of the final indication
Note 1 to entry: This document refers lo t90 as the time of response.
3.3.2
warm-up time
time interval, with the equipment in a stated atmosphere, between the time when the equipment is switched
on and the time when the indication reaches and remains within the stated tolerances
Note 1 to entry: For an example see Figure 1.
Note 2 to entry: Warm-up time is not applicable to spot-reading equipment.

Key
1 power off in clean air
2 power on in clean air
3 apparatus zero
4 specified tolerance band on zero indication
5 warm-up time
y indication
x time
Figure 1 — Warm-up time in clean air (typical)
4 General requirements
4.1 Introduction
— Type I: Refrigerant gas detection equipment for A2, A2L, A3, B3 refrigerants and ammonia (R717) as
per safety class in EN 378-1:2016, Annex E in accordance with explosion protection. The equipment
shall follow the existing performances in EN 60079-29-1 for ranges up to 20 % LFL and or 0 % – 100 %
LFL. and performance requirements in EN 378 series
Equipment shall fulfil the general requirements of EN 60079-29-1 and the thresholds specified in EN 378
series.
— Type II: Refrigerant gas detection equipment for A1, A2L, B1, B2L refrigerants as per safety class in
Annex E of EN 378-1:2016. Performance of the equipment shall be in accordance with general
requirements in EN 45544-1 in combination with EN 45544-2.and suitable for exposure measurements
in workplace atmospheres.
Equipment shall fulfil the general requirements of EN 45544-1 in conjunction with EN 45544-2.
— Type III: Refrigerant gas detection equipment for A1, A2L, B1, B2L refrigerants as per safety class in
Annex E of EN 378-1:2016 not covered by Type I or Type II. Performance of the equipment shall be in
accordance with general requirements in EN 45544-1 in combination with EN 45544-3 and EN 378
series.
Equipment shall fulfil the general requirements of EN 45544-1 in conjunction with EN 45544-3 and the
thresholds specified in EN 378 series.
Following extensions and deviations from these general requirements are applicable.
4.2 Construction
4.2.1 General
EN 60079-29-1 and EN 45544 series shall apply.
4.2.2 Measuring ranges and correction factor
4.2.2.1 General
The maximum measuring range for Type I and Type III equipment or the reference value for Type II
equipment for
...