EN 61242:1997/A2:2016

Electrical accessories - Cable reels for household and similar purposes

2016-01-12: no BT decision available about extension of DOW = DOR + 60 months
2015-04-17: Extension of DOW = DOR + 60 Months to be requested to CLC/BT.

Elektrisches Installationsmaterial - Leitungsroller für den Hausgebrauch und ähnliche Zwecke

Petit appareillage électrique - Cordons prolongateurs enroulés sur tambour pour usages domestiques et analogues

Električni pribor - Kabelski bobni za gospodinjske in podobne namene (IEC 61242:1995/A2:2015)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 04-Feb-2016
• Withdrawal Date: 02-Dec-2018
• ICS: 29.060 - Electrical wires and cables
• ICS: 29.120.99 - Other electrical accessories
• ICS: 55.060 - Spools. Bobbins
• ICS: 97.180 - Miscellaneous domestic and commercial equipment
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 23BX - CLC_TC_23BX
• Drafting Committee: IEC/SC 23B - IEC_SC_23B
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 05-Feb-2016
• Completion Date: 05-Feb-2016
• 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: 2014/35/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 61242:1997/A2:2016 - Electrical accessories - Cable reels for household and similar purposes (IEC 61242:1995/A2:2015)

Relations

• Amends: EN 61242:1997 - Electrical accessories - Cable reels for household and similar purposes
• Effective Date: 26-Jan-2023

Overview

EN 61242:1997/A2:2016 is a European standard concerning electrical accessories, specifically cable reels for household and similar purposes. This standard aligns with the International Electrotechnical Commission’s IEC 61242:1995/A2:2015 and has been adopted as a harmonized standard under the Low Voltage Directive (LVD 2006/95/EC). It sets the essential safety requirements and technical specifications for cable reels intended for domestic use, ensuring they perform safely under specified environmental and electrical conditions within Europe.

Published by CLC and endorsed by CENELEC members, including national electrotechnical committees from a broad range of European countries, EN 61242:1997/A2:2016 ensures consistency in safety, manufacturing quality, and market compliance for cable reels in European markets.

Key Topics

• Scope and Ambient Conditions
  Cable reels covered by EN 61242 are designed for ambient temperatures not exceeding +40 °C (average over 24 hours no more than +35 °C) with a minimum operational temperature of -5 °C.

• Classification and Protection
  The standard specifies the degree of protection against water ingress based on IEC 60529, referred to by IP codes (e.g., IPX4, IPX5). This classification ensures adequate protection under typical household and similar environments.

• Marking and Identification
  Products must be correctly marked including details such as the protection degree (IP rating), voltage rating, and other relevant information for clear end-user understanding and regulatory compliance.

• Components and Materials
  Specific requirements cover components such as plugs, socket-outlets, switches, and fuses, referencing complementary standards (IEC 60884-2-7 for detachable flexible cables and IEC 60730-2-9 for control components). Screws and current-carrying parts must be made from suitable metals like copper or stainless steel with corrosion-resistant coatings according to ISO standards.

• Temperature Rise and Overload Testing
  The standard mandates testing procedures under overload conditions to ensure thermal stability and safe operation without damage or hazards.

• Electrical Safety and Compatibility
  Emphasis on preventing corrosion and mechanical wear, safe component assembly, and compatibility with national standards for cords and connections.

Applications

EN 61242:1997/A2:2016 applies primarily to:

• Household cable reels used for power extension and electrical access in domestic settings.
• Similar purposes encompassing light industrial or office environments where portable cable reels are employed.
• Manufacturers designing and certifying electrical cable reels ensuring compliance with safety directives in European markets.
• Importers and distributors needing to verify product compliance to European electrical safety standards.
• Regulatory bodies assessing conformity of cable reels to LVD and related directives.
• End-users requiring safe and reliable cable reels for indoor and outdoor use with protection against ingress of water and electrical hazards.

Related Standards

• IEC 61242:1995/A2:2015 – The international version of the cable reel standard providing the basis for EN 61242.
• IEC 60884-2-7 – Specifies requirements for plugs and socket-outlets, referenced for detachable flexible cables.
• IEC 60730-2-9 – Covers automatic electrical controls, ensuring components used in cable reels meet safety types 1.D, 2.D, 1.E, or 2.E.
• IEC 60529 – Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP code), critical for ingress protection classification.
• ISO 2081, ISO 1456, ISO 2093 – Standards for electroplated coatings on metals, essential for corrosion resistance of metallic parts.

---

EN 61242:1997/A2:2016 is integral for ensuring safe, durable, and reliable cable reels used daily in households across Europe, supporting manufacturers and consumers alike in meeting stringent electrical safety requirements.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-julij-2016
(OHNWULþQLSULERU.DEHOVNLEREQL]DJRVSRGLQMVNHLQSRGREQHQDPHQH,(&
$
Electrical accessories - Cable reels for household and similar purposes (IEC
61242:1995/A2:2015)
Elektrisches Installationsmaterial - Leitungsroller für den Hausgebrauch und ähnliche
Zwecke (IEC 61242:1995/A2:2015)
Petit appareillage électrique - Cordons prolongateurs enroulés sur tambour pour usages
domestiques et analogues (IEC 61242:1995/A2:2015)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 61242:1997/A2:2016
ICS:
29.120.99 'UXJDHOHNWULþQDGRGDWQD Other electrical accessories
RSUHPD
55.060 Tulci. Vretena Spools. Bobbins
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 61242:1997/A2

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
February 2016
ICS 29.060; 29.120.99
English Version
Electrical accessories - Cable reels for household and similar
purposes
(IEC 61242:1995/A2:2015)
Petit appareillage électrique - Cordons prolongateurs Elektrisches Installationsmaterial - Leitungsroller für den
enroulés sur tambour pour usages domestiques et Hausgebrauch und ähnliche Zwecke
analogues (IEC 61242:1995/A2:2015)
(IEC 61242:1995/A2:2015)
This amendment A2 modifies the European Standard EN 61242:1997; it was approved by CENELEC on 2015-12-03. 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
© 2016 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN 61242:1997/A2:2016 E

European foreword
The text of document 23B/1166/CDV, future IEC 61242:1995/A2, prepared by SC 23B "Plugs,
socket-outlets and switches", of IEC/TC 23 "Electrical accessories" was submitted to the IEC-
CENELEC parallel vote and approved by CENELEC as EN 61242:1997/A2:2016.
The following dates are fixed:
(dop) 2016-09-03
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at
national level by publication of an identical national
standard or by endorsement
(dow) 2018-12-03
• latest date by which the national standards conflicting with
the 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 [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).
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 61242:1995/A2:2015 was approved by CENELEC as a
European Standard without any modification.
IEC 61242 ®
Edition 1.0 2015-10
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
AM ENDMENT 2
AM ENDEMENT 2
Electrical accessories – Cable reels for household and similar purposes

Petit appareillage électrique – Cordons prolongateurs enroulés sur tambour

pour usages domestiques et analogues

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 29.060, 29.120.99 ISBN 978-2-8322-2952-1

– 2 – IEC 61
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