IEC 60068-2-18:2017

Environmental testing - Part 2-18: Tests - Test R and guidance: Water

IEC 60068-2-18:2017 provides methods of test applicable to products which, during transportation, storage or in service, can be subjected to falling water drops, impacting water, immersion or high pressure water impact. The primary purpose of water tests is to verify the ability of enclosures, covers and seals to maintain components and equipment in good working order after and, when necessary, under a standardized drop field or immersion in water.
These tests are not corrosion tests and cannot be considered and used as such.
Established water tests in other standards are not intended to simulate natural rainfall and their quoted intensities are too high to be adopted for that purpose. Therefore, in addition to the high-intensity severities, test R includes an artificial rain test based upon natural conditions but not taking into account high wind speeds generally associated with natural rain.
Guidance is given on the applicability of the tests and the severities to be selected.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition published in 2000. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a. addition of the new test method Rb 3.

Essais d'environnement - Partie 2-18: Essais - Essai R et guide: Eau

L’IEC 60068-2-18:2017 spécifie les méthodes d’essai applicables aux produits qui, pendant leur transport, leur stockage, ou alors qu’ils sont en service, peuvent être soumis à des chutes de gouttes d'eau, à des projections d’eau, à une immersion ou à des projections d’eau à haute pression. Le but premier des essais d’eau est de vérifier l’aptitude des enveloppes, des couvercles et des joints d’étanchéité à maintenir les composants et les matériels en bon état de marche après et, si besoin, pendant un arrosage par des gouttes d’eau ou une immersion dans l’eau normalisée.
Ces essais ne sont pas des essais de corrosion et ne peuvent pas être considérés ou utilisés comme tels.
Les essais d’eau déjà établis dans d’autres normes ne sont pas destinés à simuler les chutes de pluie naturelles et leurs intensités correspondantes sont trop élevées pour être utilisées dans ce but. En conséquence, en plus des sévérités de forte intensité, l’essai R comprend un essai de pluie artificielle basé sur des conditions naturelles, mais sans tenir compte des grands vents qui sont généralement associés à la pluie naturelle.
Des préconisations sont données sur l’applicabilité des essais et sur les sévérités à choisir.
Cette troisième édition annule et remplace la deuxième édition parue en 2000. Cette édition constitue une révision technique.
Cette édition inclut les modifications techniques majeures suivantes par rapport à l'édition précédente:
a. ajout de la nouvelle méthode d'essai Rb 3.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 09-Mar-2017
• ICS: 01 - GENERALITIES. TERMINOLOGY. STANDARDIZATION. DOCUMENTATION
• ICS: 19.040 - Environmental testing
• ICS: 29.060.10 - Wires
• Technical Committee: TC 104 - Environmental conditions, classification and methods of test
• Drafting Committee: MT 18 - TC 104/MT 18
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 17-Mar-2017
• Completion Date: 10-Mar-2017

Relations

• Revises: IEC 60068-2-18:2000 - Environmental testing - Part 2-18: Tests - Test R and guidance: Water
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 60068-2-18 ®
Edition 3.0 2017-03
REDLINE VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Environmental testing –
Part 2-18: Tests – Test R and guidance: Water

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from
either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester. If you have any questions about IEC
copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication, please contact the address below or
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About the IEC
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International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

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IEC 60068-2-18 ®
Edition 3.0 2017-03
REDLINE VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Environmental testing –
Part 2-18: Tests – Test R and guidance: Water

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 19.040 ISBN 978-2-8322-4106-6

– 2 – IEC 60068-2-18:2017 RLV © IEC 2017
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 5
INTRODUCTION . 7
1 Scope and object . 8
2 Normative references . 8
3 Terms and definitions . 8
4 Survey of water tests . 9
4.1 General . 9
4.2 Description of tests R: water . 9
5 Test Ra: falling drops . 10
5.1 Object . 10
5.2 Method Ra 1: artificial rain . 10
5.2.1 General description of the test . 10
5.2.2 Severities . 11
5.2.3 Preconditioning . 11
5.2.4 Initial measurements . 11
5.2.5 Testing . 11
5.2.6 Recovery . 12
5.2.7 Final measurements . 12
5.2.8 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 12
5.3 Method Ra 2: drip box . 13
5.3.1 General description of the test . 13
5.3.2 Severities . 13
5.3.3 Preconditioning . 14
5.3.4 Initial measurements . 14
5.3.5 Testing . 14
5.3.6 Recovery . 14
5.3.7 Final measurements . 14
5.3.8 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 14
6 Test Rb: impacting water . 15
6.1 Object . 15
6.2 Method Rb 1: oscillating tube and spray nozzle . 15
6.2.1 General description of the test . 15
6.2.2 Method Rb 1.1: oscillating tube . 15
6.2.3 Method Rb 1.2: spray nozzle . 19
6.3 Method Rb 2: water jet . 21
6.3.1 General description of the test . 21
6.3.2 Severities . 21
6.3.3 Preconditioning . 22
6.3.4 Initial measurements . 22
6.3.5 Testing . 22
6.3.6 Recovery . 22
6.3.7 Final measurements . 23
6.3.8 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 23
6.4 Method Rb 3: fan jet . 23
6.4.1 General description of the test . 23
6.4.2 Severities . 24

6.4.3 Preconditioning . 24
6.4.4 Initial measurements . 24
6.4.5 Testing . 24
6.4.6 Recovery . 24
6.4.7 Final measurements . 24
6.4.8 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 25
7 Test Rc: immersion . 25
7.1 Object . 25
7.2 Method Rc 1: water tank . 25
7.2.1 General description . 25
7.2.2 Severities . 25
7.2.3 Preconditioning . 26
7.2.4 Initial measurements . 26
7.2.5 Testing . 26
7.2.6 Recovery . 26
7.2.7 Final measurements . 26
7.2.8 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 26
7.3 Method Rc 2: pressurized water chamber . 27
7.3.1 General description of the test . 27
7.3.2 Severities . 27
7.3.3 Preconditioning . 27
7.3.4 Initial measurements . 27
7.3.5 Testing . 27
7.3.6 Recovery . 28
7.3.7 Final measurements . 28
7.3.8 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 28
Annex A (informative) Water characteristics to be considered when writing the
relevant specification . 29
A.1 General . 29
A.2 Purity . 29
A.2.1 General . 29
A.2.2 Effect on test specimen . 29
A.2.3 Effect on test apparatus . 29
A.2.4 Ingress of water into the specimen . 30
A.3 Water quality for tests R . 30
A.3.1 Test Ra: falling drops. 30
A.3.2 Test Rb: impacting water . 30
A.3.3 Test Rc: immersion . 30
Annex B (informative) General guidance . 31
B.1 General . 31
B.2 Factors affecting the test severity . 31
Annex C (informative) Guidance for test Ra . 32
C.1 General . 32
C.2 Example of test apparatus . 32
C.2.1 Method Ra 1: artificial rain . 32
C.2.2 Method Ra 2: drip box . 33
C.3 Verification of test apparatus . 34
C.3.1 Intensity .
...

IEC 60068-2-18 ®
Edition 3.0 2017-03
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Environmental testing –
Part 2-18: Tests – Test R and guidance: Water

Essais d’environnement –
Partie 2-18: Essais – Essai R et guide: Eau

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from
either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester. If you have any questions about IEC
copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication, please contact the address below or
your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

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About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigenda or an amendment might have been published.

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documents. Available for PC, Mac OS, Android Tablets and languages. Also known as the International Electrotechnical
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IEC 60068-2-18 ®
Edition 3.0 2017-03
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Environmental testing –
Part 2-18: Tests – Test R and guidance: Water

Essais d’environnement –
Partie 2-18: Essais – Essai R et guide: Eau

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 19.040 ISBN 978-2-8322-4019-9

– 2 – IEC 60068-2-18:2017 © IEC 2017
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 5
INTRODUCTION . 7
1 Scope . 8
2 Normative references . 8
3 Terms and definitions . 8
4 Survey of water tests . 9
4.1 General . 9
4.2 Description of tests R: water . 9
5 Test Ra: falling drops . 10
5.1 Object . 10
5.2 Method Ra 1: artificial rain . 10
5.2.1 General description of the test . 10
5.2.2 Severities . 11
5.2.3 Preconditioning . 11
5.2.4 Initial measurements . 11
5.2.5 Testing . 11
5.2.6 Recovery . 12
5.2.7 Final measurements . 12
5.2.8 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 12
5.3 Method Ra 2: drip box . 13
5.3.1 General description of the test . 13
5.3.2 Severities . 13
5.3.3 Preconditioning . 14
5.3.4 Initial measurements . 14
5.3.5 Testing . 14
5.3.6 Recovery . 14
5.3.7 Final measurements . 14
5.3.8 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 14
6 Test Rb: impacting water . 15
6.1 Object . 15
6.2 Method Rb 1: oscillating tube and spray nozzle . 15
6.2.1 General description of the test . 15
6.2.2 Method Rb 1.1: oscillating tube . 15
6.2.3 Method Rb 1.2: spray nozzle . 19
6.3 Method Rb 2: water jet . 21
6.3.1 General description of the test . 21
6.3.2 Severities . 21
6.3.3 Preconditioning . 22
6.3.4 Initial measurements . 22
6.3.5 Testing . 22
6.3.6 Recovery . 22
6.3.7 Final measurements . 23
6.3.8 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 23
6.4 Method Rb 3: fan jet . 23
6.4.1 General description of the test . 23
6.4.2 Severities . 24

6.4.3 Preconditioning . 24
6.4.4 Initial measurements . 24
6.4.5 Testing . 24
6.4.6 Recovery . 24
6.4.7 Final measurements . 24
6.4.8 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 25
7 Test Rc: immersion . 25
7.1 Object . 25
7.2 Method Rc 1: water tank . 25
7.2.1 General description . 25
7.2.2 Severities . 25
7.2.3 Preconditioning . 26
7.2.4 Initial measurements . 26
7.2.5 Testing . 26
7.2.6 Recovery . 26
7.2.7 Final measurements . 26
7.2.8 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 26
7.3 Method Rc 2: pressurized water chamber . 27
7.3.1 General description of the test . 27
7.3.2 Severities . 27
7.3.3 Preconditioning . 27
7.3.4 Initial measurements .
...