EN 61008-1:2012/A2:2014

Residual current operated circuit-breakers without integral overcurrent protection for household and similar uses (RCCBs) - Part 1: General rules

The contents of the corrigendum of January 2014 have been included in this copy.

Fehlerstrom-/Differenzstrom-Schutzschalter ohne eingebauten Überstromschutz (RCCBs) für Hausinstallationen und für ähnliche Anwendungen - Teil 1: Allgemeine Anforderungen

Interrupteurs automatiques à courant différentiel résiduel sans dispositif de protection contre les surintensités incorporé pour usages domestiques et analogues (ID) - Partie 1: Règles générales

Le contenu du corrigendum de janvier 2014 a été pris en considération dans cet exemplaire.

Odklopniki na preostali (residualni) tok brez vgrajene nadtokovne zaščite za gospodinjsko in podobno rabo (RCCB's) - 1. del: Splošna pravila (IEC 61008-1:2010/A2:2014, spremenjen)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 02-Oct-2014
• Withdrawal Date: 03-Aug-2017
• ICS: 29.120.50 - Fuses and other overcurrent protection devices
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 23E - Circuit breakers and similar devices for household and similar applications
• Drafting Committee: IEC/SC 23E - IEC_SC_23E
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 03-Oct-2014
• Completion Date: 03-Oct-2014
• Directive: 2004/108/EC - Directive 2004/108/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2004 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to electromagnetic compatibility and repealing Directive 89/336/EEC
• Directive: 2004/108/EU - DIRECTIVE 2004/108/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 December 2004 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to electromagnetic compatibility and repealing Directive 89/336/EEC
• Directive: 2006/95/EC - Directive 2006/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on the harmonisation of the laws of Member States relating to electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits (codified version)
• Directive: 2014/30/EU - Directive 2014/30/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 electromagnetic compatibility (recast)
• Directive: 2014/35/EU - Directive 2014/35/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 of electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits
• Directive: 2014/53/EU - Directive 2014/53/EU of The European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of radio equipment and repealing Directive 1999/5/EC
• Ref Project: SIST EN 61008-1:2013/A2:2014 - Residual current operated circuit-breakers without integral overcurrent protection for household and similar uses (RCCBs) -- Part 1: General rules (IEC 61008-1:2010/A2:2013, modified)

Relations

• Amends: EN 61008-1:2012 - Residual current operated circuit-breakers without integral overcurrent protection for household and similar uses (RCCBs) - Part 1: General rules
• Effective Date: 29-Jan-2023

Overview

EN 61008-1:2012/A2:2014 is a European standard specifying general rules for residual current operated circuit-breakers (RCCBs) without integral overcurrent protection, primarily intended for household and similar applications. This amendment incorporates corrigenda from January 2014, ensuring alignment with the latest international standards as defined by IEC 61008-1:2010/A2:2013, with specific common modifications by CENELEC.

RCCBs are vital electrical safety devices designed to detect earth leakage currents and immediately disconnect the power supply to prevent electric shock or fire hazards. The standard establishes testing procedures, safety requirements, and performance criteria to guarantee reliable operation across diverse electrical installations within specified voltage limits.

Key Topics

• Scope and Application
  The standard applies to RCCBs used in households and comparable environments, covering devices without built-in overcurrent protection. It supports the Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC and harmonizes with the IEC framework for electrical safety.

• Design and Testing Requirements
  EN 61008-1:2012/A2:2014 mandates stringent conditions for:

  • Operating characteristics and behavior under residual currents, including those with AC or pulsating DC components
  • Clearances and creepage distances ensuring electrical insulation and safety
  • Operating temperature ranges (e.g., -5°C to +40°C) and load conditions to confirm reliability
  • Verification under abrupt residual current changes and steady increases
  • Measurement techniques requiring true root mean square (r.m.s.) values for residual current detection

• Testing Procedures
  Detailed tests include:

  • Steady and sudden increases in residual current
  • Tripping time measurement under various current conditions
  • Behavior with DC components superimposed on fault currents
  • Insulation resistance validation in closed circuit conditions
  • Load tests simulating typical operational environments
    Annexes and modified clauses offer additional guidance and requirements for specific terminal types and safety clearances.

• Compliance and Certification
  Devices certified according to this standard align with EU regulations, facilitating market access across CENELEC member countries. It mandates national implementation by August 4, 2015, with conflicting standards withdrawn by August 4, 2017.

Applications

• Household Electrical Safety
  EN 61008-1 ensures RCCBs provide effective earth leakage protection in residential wiring and household appliances, significantly reducing risks of electrocution and electrical fires.

• Similar Usage Contexts
  The standard covers RCCBs suitable for settings similar to households, such as small commercial premises or community buildings, where overcurrent protection may be handled separately.

• Installation in Electrical Accessories
  Compliance supports manufacturers of circuit breakers and electrical accessories in producing devices that meet internationally recognized safety and quality standards.

• Component Evaluation and Quality Assurance
  Manufacturers and testing laboratories utilize EN 61008-1 for type testing, product development, and quality control, ensuring devices consistently meet safety objectives under various operational scenarios.

Related Standards

• IEC 61008-1:2010/A2:2013 – International base standard for RCCBs without integral overcurrent protection.
• EN 60664-1 – Addresses electrical insulation coordination, relevant for clearances and creepage distances referenced in EN 61008-1.
• Low Voltage Directive (LVD 2006/95/EC) – Regulatory framework setting safety objectives for electrical equipment, supported by this standard.
• EN 61009 Series – Standards relating to RCCBs with overcurrent protection (RCBOs) for complementary applications.
• IEC/TC 23 – Technical committee responsible for the development and maintenance of standards for household electrical accessories including RCCBs.

---

Keywords: residual current operated circuit breakers, RCCB standards, EN 61008-1, electrical safety, household circuit breakers, earth leakage protection, residual current device testing, CENELEC, IEC 61008-1 amendment, Low Voltage Directive compliance, circuit breaker performance, electrical accessories standards.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2014
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Residual current operated circuit-breakers without integral overcurrent protection for
household and similar uses (RCCBs) -- Part 1: General rules (IEC 61008-
1:2010/A2:2013, modified)
Fehlerstrom-/Differenzstrom-Schutzschalter ohne eingebauten Überstromschutz
(RCCBs) für Hausinstallationen und für ähnliche Anwendungen -- Teil 1: Allgemeine
Anforderungen (IEC 61008-1:2010/A2:2013, modifiziert)
Interrupteurs automatiques à courant différentiel résiduel sans dispositif de protection
contre les surintensités incorporé pour usages domestiques et analogues (ID) -- Partie 1:
Règles générales (CEI 61008-1:2010/A2:2013, modifié)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 61008-1:2012/A2:2014
ICS:
29.120.50 9DURYDONHLQGUXJD Fuses and other overcurrent
PHGWRNRYQD]DãþLWD protection devices
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 61008-1:2012/A2
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
October 2014
ICS 29.120.50
English Version
Residual current operated circuit-breakers without integral
overcurrent protection for household and similar uses (RCCBs) -
Part 1: General rules
(IEC 61008-1:2010/A2:2013 , modified)
Interrupteurs automatiques à courant différentiel résiduel Fehlerstrom-/Differenzstrom-Schutzschalter ohne
sans dispositif de protection contre les surintensités eingebauten Überstromschutz (RCCBs) für
incorporé pour usages domestiques et analogues (ID) - Hausinstallationen und für ähnliche Anwendungen - Teil 1:
Partie 1: Règles générales Allgemeine Anforderungen
(CEI 61008-1:2010/A2:2013 , modifiée) (IEC 61008-1:2010/A2:2013 , modifiziert)
This amendment A2 modifies the European Standard EN 61008-1:2012; it was approved by CENELEC on 2014-08-04. CENELEC
members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this amendment 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 amendment 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, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, 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: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels
© 2014 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN 61008-1:2012/A2:2014 E

Contents Page
Foreword .3
Common modifications .4

– 3 – EN 61008-1:2012/A2:2014
Foreword
This document (EN 61008-1:2012/A2:2014) consists of the text of IEC 61008-1:2010/A2:2013 prepared by
SC 23E "Circuit-breakers and similar equipment for household use" of IEC/TC 23 "Electrical accessories",
together with the common modifications prepared by CLC/TC 23E "Circuit breakers and similar devices for
household and similar applications".
The following dates are fixed:
– latest date by which this document has to be implemented at (dop) 2015-08-04
national level by publication of an identical national standard or
by endorsement
– latest date by which the national standards conflicting with this (dow) 2017-08-04
document have to be withdrawn
Clauses, subclauses, notes, tables, figures and annexes which are additional to those in
IEC 61008-1:2010/A2:2013 are prefixed “Z”.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. CENELEC [and/or CEN] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

This standard covers the Principle Elements of the Safety Objectives for Electrical Equipment Designed for
Use within Certain Voltage Limits (LVD - 2006/95/EC).
This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CENELEC by the European Commission and
the European Free Trade Association, and supports essential requirements of EU Directive(s).
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 61008-1:2010/A2:2013 was approved by CENELEC as a
European Standard with agreed common modifications.

Common modifications
Item Clause Common modifications
1. 4.11
Delete the modifications to 4.11.
2. 9.9.1 Delete the last paragraph (“For RCCBs having multiple settings of residual operating
current, the tests shall be made for each setting.”)
3. 9.9.2.4
Delete the note.
4. Annex A Delete the following modifications:
Table A.3
"Change in the first column D by D .
2 0
Insert the new line D after the line D as follows:
2 0
D 3 max. rating I 3 max. rating I 3 max. rating I
2 n n n
min. rating I min. rating I min. rating I
Δn Δn Δn
"
5. Annex A Replace
Table A.3
j
"Add a footnote to test sequence G:"
by
j
"Add a footnote to test sequence G :"
6. Annex ZXX Add a new modification:
"Annex ZXX (informative) List of clauses that require retesting
Replace the contents of Annex ZXX by
“Based on EN 61008-1:2012/FprA1:2014, the following tests and/or requirements have
been technically modified and may require retesting or inspection as applicable:
− 8.1.3  Clearances and creepage distances (see Annex B)”"

IEC 61008-1 ®
Edition 3.0 2013-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
AMENDMENT 2
AMENDEMENT 2
Residual current operated circuit-breakers without integral overcurrent

protection for household and similar uses (RCCBs) –

Part 1: General rules
Interrupteurs automatiques à courant différentiel résiduel sans dispositif de

protection contre les surintensités incorporé pour usages domestiques et

analogues (ID) –
Partie 1: Règles générales
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
CODE PRIX H
ICS 29.120.50 ISBN 978-2-8322-1064-2

– 2 – 61008-1 Amend. 2 © IEC:2013
FOREWORD
This amendment has been prepared by subcommittee 23E: Circuit-breakers and similar
equipment for household use, of IEC technical committee 23: Electrical accessories.
The text of this amendment is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
23E/795/FDIS 23E/819/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this amendment can be found in the report
on voting indicated in the above table.
The committee has decided that the contents of this amendment and the base publication will
remain unchanged until the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under
"http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the
publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
The contents of the corrigendum of January 2014 have been included in this copy.
_____________
4.11 According to the type of terminals
Replace Note 3 introduced by Amendment 1 by the following new Note 3:
NOTE 3 The requirements for RCCBs equipped with this type of terminals are given in Annex L.
8.1.3 Clearances and creepage distances (see Annex B)
Replace the third paragraph of this subclause, and the modifications brought to it by
Amendment 1, as follows:
The clearances of items 2 and 4 (except accessible surface after installation, see Note 1) may
be reduced provided that the measured clearances are not shorter than the minimum allowed
in IEC 60664-1 for homogenous field conditions.
Add the following new note after the third paragraph and renumber the existing notes of this
subclause, introduced by Amendment 1, accordingly:
NOTE 1 Accessible surface after installation means any surface accessible by the user when the RCD is installed
according to the manufacturer's instructions. The test finger can be applied to determine whether a surface is
accessible or not.
8.5 Operating characteristics
Replace "9.9 and 9.21" by "9.9.1, 9.9.2, 9.9.3 and 9.9.4"

61008-1 Amend. 2 © IEC:2013 – 3 –
8.15 Behaviour of RCCBs in case of earth fault currents comprising a d.c. component
Replace the second paragraph as follows:
Compliance is checked by the tests of 9.9.3.
Table 9 – List of type tests
In the table, delete the following item:
– Behaviour of RCCBs in case of an earth fault current comprising a d.c. component 9.21
9.7.2 Insulation resistance of the main circuit
Replace the existing text in item c) with the following text:
c) with the RCCB in the closed position, between all poles connected together and the frame
including a metal foil or part in contact with the outer surface of the housing of insulating
material but with the terminal areas kept completely free to avoid flashover between
terminals and the metal foil;
Replace 9.9 and the modifications brought to it by Amendment 1 by the following:
9.9 Verification of the operating characteristics
9.9.1 Test circuit and test procedure
The RCCB is installed as for normal use.
The test circuit shall be of negligible inductance. For tests according to 9.9.2, the test circuit
shall correspond to Figure 4. For tests according to 9.9.3, the test circuit shall correspond to
Figure 5 or Figure 6, as applicable.
The instruments for the measuremen
...