EN IEC 62561-3:2023

Lightning protection system components (LPSC) - Part 3: Requirements for isolating spark gaps (ISGs)

IEC 62561-3:2023 is available as IEC 62561-3:2023 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.IEC 62561-3:2023 specifies the requirements and tests for isolating spark gaps (ISGs) for lightning protection systems. ISGs can be used to indirectly bond a lightning protection system to other nearby metalwork where a direct bond is not permissible for functional reasons. This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition, published in 2017. This edition constitutes a technical revision. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition. a) alignment with the latest edition of ISO 22479 relating to humid sulphurous atmosphere treatment; b) addition of a new normative Annex D for the applicability of previous tests.

Blitzschutzsystembauteile (LPSC) - Teil 3: Anforderungen an Trennfunkenstrecken

Composants des systèmes de protection contre la foudre (CSPF) - Partie 3: Exigences pour les éclateurs d'isolement

IEC 62561-3:2023 est disponible sous forme de IEC 62561-3:2023 RLV qui contient la Norme internationale et sa version Redline, illustrant les modifications du contenu technique depuis l'édition précédente.L'IEC 62561-3:2023 spécifie les exigences et les essais applicables aux éclateurs d'isolement destinés aux systèmes de protection contre la foudre. Les éclateurs d'isolement peuvent être utilisés pour raccorder indirectement un système de protection contre la foudre à une autre partie métallique proche lorsqu'un raccordement direct n'est pas admissible pour des raisons fonctionnelles. Cette troisième édition annule et remplace la deuxième édition parue en 2017. Cette édition constitue une révision technique. Cette édition inclut les modifications techniques majeures suivantes par rapport à l'édition précédente: a) alignement sur l’édition la plus récente de l'ISO 22479 concernant le traitement en atmosphère sulfureuse humide; b) ajout d’une nouvelle Annexe D normative concernant l’applicabilité des essais antérieurs.

Elementi za zaščito pred strelo (LPSC) - 3. del: Zahteve za izolacijska iskrišča (IEC 62561-3:2023)

Ta del standarda IEC 62561 določa zahteve in preskuse za izolacijska iskrišča (ISG) sistemov za zaščito pred strelo.
Izolacijska iskrišča se lahko uporabljajo za posredno povezovanje sistema za zaščito pred strelo na druge bližnje kovinske konstrukcije, pri katerih neposredna povezava ni dovoljena zaradi funkcionalnih razlogov.
Običajna uporaba vključuje povezavo z naslednjimi sistemi:
• ozemljitveni sistemi električnih inštalacij,
• ozemljitveni sistemi telekomunikacijskih sistemov,
• pomožna ozemljila zemljekostičnih odklopnikov pod napetostjo,
• železniška ozemljila izmeničnih in enosmernih železnic,
• merilna ozemljila za laboratorije,
• inštalacije s sistemi katodne zaščite in blodečih tokov,
• servisni vhodni stebri za nizkonapetostne nadzemne kable,
• obvodne izolirane prirobnice in izolirani spojniki cevovodov.
Načini uporabe, pri katerih nastajajo sledilni tokovi, niso vključeni.
Pri števcih udarov strele za uporabo v nevarnih atmosferah morda veljajo dodatne zahteve za komponente.
OPOMBA 1: V državah članicah CENELEC so zahteve za preskušanje komponent za eksplozivne atmosfere določene v dokumentu CLC/TS 50703-2.
OPOMBA 2: Preskušanje komponent za eksplozivno atmosfero (kot je določeno v skupini standardov IEC 60079-10) v tem dokumentu ni zajeto.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Aug-2023
• ICS: 91.120.40 - Lightning protection
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 81X - Lightning protection
• Drafting Committee: IEC/TC 81 - IEC_TC_81
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 01-Sep-2023
• Due Date: 28-Feb-2023
• Completion Date: 01-Sep-2023
• Ref Project: SIST EN IEC 62561-3:2023 - Lightning protection system components (LPSC) - Part 3: Requirements for isolating spark gaps (ISG) (IEC 62561-3:2023)

Relations

• Replaces: EN 62561-3:2017 - Lightning Protection System Components (LPSC) - Part 3: Requirements for isolating spark gaps (ISG)
• Effective Date: 07-Sep-2021

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-november-2023
Elementi za zaščito pred strelo (LPSC) - 3. del: Zahteve za izolacijska iskrišča (IEC
62561-3:2023)
Lightning protection system components (LPSC) - Part 3: Requirements for isolating
spark gaps (ISG) (IEC 62561-3:2023)
Blitzschutzsystembauteile (LPSC) - Teil 3: Anforderungen an Trennfunkenstrecken (IEC
62561-3:2023)
Composants des systèmes de protection contre la foudre (CSPF) - Partie 3: Exigences
pour les éclateurs d'isolement (IEC 62561-3:2023)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN IEC 62561-3:2023
ICS:
29.080.99 Drugi standardi v zvezi z Other standards related to
izolacijo insulation
91.120.40 Zaščita pred strelo Lightning protection
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN IEC 62561-3

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM September 2023
ICS 91.120.40 Supersedes EN 62561-3:2017
English Version
Lightning protection system components (LPSC) - Part 3:
Requirements for isolating spark gaps (ISGs)
(IEC 62561-3:2023)
Composants des systèmes de protection contre la foudre Blitzschutzsystembauteile (LPSC) - Teil 3: Anforderungen
(CSPF) - Partie 3: Exigences pour les éclateurs d'isolement an Trennfunkenstrecken
(IEC 62561-3:2023) (IEC 62561-3:2023)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2023-08-09. 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,
Türkiye 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
© 2023 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN IEC 62561-3:2023 E

European foreword
The text of document 81/727/FDIS, future edition 3 of IEC 62561-3, prepared by IEC/TC 81 "Lightning
protection" was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and approved by CENELEC as
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at national (dop) 2024-05-09
level by publication of an identical national standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national standards conflicting with the (dow) 2026-08-09
document have to be withdrawn
This document supersedes EN 62561-3:2017 and all of its amendments and corrigenda (if any).
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.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national committee. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CENELEC website.
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 62561-3:2023 was approved by CENELEC as a European
Standard without any modification.
In the official version, for Bibliography, the following notes have to be added for the standard indicated:
IEC 60079-10 (series) NOTE Approved as EN 60079-10 (series)
IEC 60529 NOTE Approved as EN 60529
IEC 61643-11 NOTE Approved as EN 61643-11
IEC 62305-3 NOTE Approved as EN 62305-3
IEC 62305-4 NOTE Approved as EN 62305-4
Annex ZA
(normative)
Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications
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.
NOTE 1 Where an International Publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod), the
relevant EN/HD applies.
NOTE 2 Up-to-date information on the latest versions of the European Standards listed in this annex is available
here: www.cencenelec.eu.
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year
IEC 60068-2-52 2017 Environmental testing - Part 2-52: Tests - EN IEC 60068-2-52 2018
Test Kb: Salt mist, cyclic (sodium chloride
solution)
IEC 60068-2-75 2014 Environmental testing - Part 2-75: Tests - EN 60068-2-75 2014
Test Eh: Hammer tests
IEC 62305-1 2010 Protection against lightning - Part 1: EN 62305-1 2011
General principles
- -  /AC 2016-11
IEC 62561-1 - Lightning protection system components EN IEC 62561-1 -
(LPSC) - Part 1: Requirements for
connection components
ISO 4892-2 2013 Plastics - Methods of exposure to EN ISO 4892-2 2013
laboratory light sources - Part 2: Xenon-arc
lamps
ISO 4892-3 2016 Plastics - Methods of exposure to EN ISO 4892-3 2016
laboratory light sources - Part 3:
Fluorescent UV lamps
ISO 4892-4 2013 Plastics - Methods of exposure to - -
laboratory light sources - Part 4: Open-
flame carbon-arc lamps
ISO 6957 1988 Copper alloys; ammonia test for stress - -
corrosion resistance
ISO 22479 2019 Corrosion of metals and alloys - Sulphur EN ISO 22479 2022
dioxide test in a humid atmosphere (fixed
gas method)
IEC 62561-3 ®
Edition 3.0 2023-07
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Lightning protection system components (LPSC) –

Part 3: Requirements for isolating spark gaps (ISGs)

Composants des systèmes de protection contre la foudre (CSPF) –

Partie 3: Exigences pour les éclateurs d'isolement

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 91.120.40  ISBN 978-2-8322-7129-2

– 2 – IEC 62561-3:2023 © IEC 2023
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms and definitions . 8
4 Classification . 9
4.1 According to the capability of ISGs to withstand lightning current . 9
4.2 According to ISGs installation location . 9
5 Requirements . 10
5.1 General . 10
5.2 Environmental requirements . 10
5.3 Documentation and installation instructions . 10
5.4 Lightning current carrying capability . 10
5.5 Rated impulse sparkover voltage . 10
5.6 Rated withstand voltage . 10
5.6.1 Rated DC withstand voltage . 10
5.6.2 Rated power frequency withstand voltage . 10
5.7 Isolation resistance . 11
5.8 Marking . 11
6 Tests . 11
6.1 General test conditions . 11
6.2 Ultraviolet (UV) light test . 12
6.2.1 General test conditions . 12
6.2.2 Acceptance criteria . 12
6.3 Corrosion resistance test . 12
6.3.1 General test conditions . 12
6.3.2 Acceptance criteria . 12
6.4 Impact test . 12
6.4.1 General test conditions . 12
6.4.2 Acceptance criteria . 13
6.5 Electrical tests . 13
6.5.1 Isolation resistance . 13
6.5.2 Withstand voltage . 13
6.5.3 Rated impulse sparkover voltage . 14
6.5.4 Lightning current . 14
6.6 Documentation and installation instructions . 15
6.6.1 General conditions . 15
6.6.2 Acceptance criteria . 15
6.7 Marking test . 15
6.7.1 General test conditions . 15
6.7.2 Acceptance criteria . 16
7 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) . 16
8 Structure and content of the test report . 16
8.1 General . 16
8.2 Report identification . 16
8.3 Specimen description . 17

IEC 62561-3:2023 © IEC 2023 – 3 –
8.4 Standards and references . 17
8.5 Test procedure . 17
8.6 Testing equipment description . 17
8.7 Measuring instruments description . 17
8.8 Results and parameters recorded . 17
8.9 Statement of pass or fail . 17
Annex A (normative) Flowchart for testing ISGs . 18
Annex B (normative) Resistance to corrosion tests for ISGs . 20
B.1 General . 20
B.2 Salt mist treatment . 20
B.3 Humid sulphurous atmosphere treatment . 20
B.4 Ammonia atmosphere treatment. 20
Annex C (normative) Environmental test for outdoor isolating spark gaps – Resistance

to ultraviolet light . 21
C.1 General . 21
C.2 Test . 21
C.3 First alternative test to C.2 . 21
C.4 Second alternative test to C.2 . 21
Annex D (normative) Applicability of previous tests . 22
Bibliography . 23

Figure A.1 – Flowchart of the sequence of tests for ISGs . 19

a
Table 1 – Lightning impulse current (I ) parameters . 15
imp
Table D.1 – Differences in the requirements for ISGs complying with IEC 62561-3:2017 . 22

– 4 – IEC 62561-3:2023 © IEC 2023
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM COMPONENTS (LPSC) –

Part 3: Requirements for isolating spark gaps (ISGs)

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote international
co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To this end and
in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications, Technical Reports,
Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC Publication(s)”). Their
preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested in the subject dealt with
may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-governmental organizations liaising
with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely with the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence between
any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of patent
rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
IEC 62561-3 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 81: Lightning protection. It is an
International Standard.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition, published in 2017. This edition
constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition.
a) alignment with the latest edition of ISO 22479 relating to humid sulphurous atmosphere
treatment;
b) addition of a new normative Annex D for the applicability of previous tests.

IEC 62561-3:2023 © IEC 2023 – 5 –
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
81/727/FDIS 81/729/RVD
Full information on the voting for its approval can be found in the report on voting indicated in
the above table.
The language used for the development of this International Standard is English.
This document was drafted in accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, and developed in
accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 and ISO/IEC Directives, IEC Supplement, available
at www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs. The main document types developed by IEC are
described in greater detail at www.iec.ch/publications.
A list of all parts in the IEC 62561 series, published under the general title Lightning protection
system components (LPSC), can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under webstore.iec.ch in the data related to the
specific document. At this date, the document will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
– 6 – IEC 62561-3:2023 © IEC 2023
INTRODUCTION
This part of IEC 62561 deals with the requirements and tests for lightning protection system
components (LPSC), specifically isolating spark gaps (ISGs) used for the installation of a
lightning protection system (LPS) designed and implemented according to the IEC 62305
series.
IEC 62561-3:2023 © IEC 2023 – 7 –
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM COMPONENTS (LPSC) –

Part 3: Requirements for isolating spark gaps (ISGs)

1 Scope
This part of IEC 62561 specifies the requirements and tests for isolating spark gaps (ISGs) for
lightning protection systems.
ISGs can be used to indirectly bond a lightning protection system to other nearby metalwork
where a direct bond is not permissible for functional reasons.
Typical applications include the connection to
• earth-termination systems of power installations,
• earth-termination systems of telecommunication systems,
• auxiliary earth electrodes of voltage-operated, earth fault circuit breakers,
• rail earth electrodes of power and DC railways,
• measuring earth electrodes for laboratories,
• installations with cathodic protection and stray current systems,
• service entry masts for low-voltage overhead cables,
• bypassing insulated flanges and insulated couplings of pipelines.
Applications where follow currents occur are not included.
Extra requirements for the components can be necessary for LSCs intended for use in
hazardous atmospheres.
NOTE 1 In CENELEC member countries, testing requirements of components for explosive atmospheres are
specified in CLC/TS 50703-2.
NOTE 2 Testing of components for an explosive atmosphere (as defined in the IEC 60079-10 series) is not covered
by this document.
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.
IEC 60068-2-52:2017, Environmental testing – Part 2-52: Tests – Test Kb: Salt mist, cyclic
(sodium chloride solution)
IEC 60068-2-75:2014, Environmental testing – Part 2-75: Tests – Test Eh: Hammer tests
IEC 62305-1:2010, Protection against lightning – Part 1: General principles
IEC 62561-1, Lightning protection system components (LPSC) – Part 1: Requirements for
connection components
– 8 – IEC 62561-3:2023 © IEC 2023
ISO 4892-2:2013, Plastics – Methods of exposure to laboratory light sources – Part 2: Xenon-
arc lamps
ISO 4892-3:2016, Plastics – Methods of exposure to laboratory light sources – Part 3:
Fluorescent UV lamps
ISO 4892-4:2013, Plastics – Methods of exposure to laboratory light sources – Part 4: Open-
flame carbon-arc lamps
ISO 6957:1988, Copper alloys – Ammonia test for stress corrosion resistance
ISO 22479:2019, Corrosion of metals and alloys – Sulphur dioxide test in a humid atmosphere
(fixed gas method)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology 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
ISG
isolating spark gap
component with discharge distance for isolating electrically conductive installation sections
Note 1 to entry: In the event of a lightning strike, the isolated sections are temporarily connected conductively as
the result of response to the discharge.
3.2
sparkover voltage
maximum voltage value before disruptive discharge between the electrodes of the ISG
3.3
withstand voltage
value of the test voltage to be applied under specified conditions in a withstand test, during
which a specified number of disruptive discharges is tolerated
3.4
power frequency withstand voltage
RMS value of a sinusoidal power frequency voltage that the ISG can withstand
3.5
DC withstand voltage
value of a DC voltage that the ISG can withstand
3.6
rated withstand voltage
value of a withstand voltage declared by the manufacturer to characterize the isolating
behaviour of an ISG
IEC 62561-3:2023 © IEC 2023 – 9 –
3.7
U
W AC
rated power frequency withstand voltage
value of a power frequency withstand voltage declared by the manufacturer to characterize the
isolating behaviour of an ISG
3.8
U
W DC
rated DC withstand voltage
value of a DC withstand voltage declared by the manufacturer to characterize the isolating
behaviour of an ISG
3.9
impulse sparkover voltage
impulse voltage of the waveshape 1,2/50 to classify the sparkover behaviour of the ISG
3.10
U
imp
rated impulse sparkover voltage
manufacturer’s declaration of the ISG sparkover voltage
3.11
isolation resistance
ohmic resistance of the ISG between the active parts
3.12
I
imp
lightning impulse
...