IEC 62271-214:2024

High-voltage switchgear and controlgear - Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV

IEC 62271-214:2024 specifies requirements for internal arc classification of AC metal-enclosed pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear with rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV with service frequencies up to and including 60 Hz. This document is applicable to three-phase, two-phase and single-phase open terminal equipment for which an internal arc classification is assigned. Enclosures may include fixed and removable components and may be filled with fluid (liquid or gas) to provide insulation. This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2019. This edition constitutes a technical revision. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) indicators positioning update;
b) neutral earthing connection of the test circuit for three-phase tests;
c) general review for consistency with IEC 62271-200, Ed.3.0:2021.
The content of the corrigendum 1 (2025-04) has been included in this copy.

Appareillage à haute tension - Partie 214 : Classification arc interne des appareillages sous enveloppe métallique à courant alternatif de tensions assignées supérieures à 1 kV et inférieures ou égales à 52 kV montées sur poteau

L'IEC 62271-214:2024 spécifie les exigences relatives à la classification arc interne des appareillages sous enveloppe métallique à courant alternatif montés sur poteau, de tensions assignées supérieures à 1 kV et inférieures ou égales à 52 kV, et de fréquences de service inférieures ou égales à 60 Hz. Le présent document s'applique aux équipements à bornes ouvertes triphasés, biphasés et monophasés auxquels une classification arc interne est attribuée. Les enveloppes peuvent comprendre des composants fixes et amovibles et peuvent être remplies de fluide (liquide ou gaz) pour l'isolation. Cette deuxième édition annule et remplace la première édition parue en 2019. Cette édition constitue une révision technique. Cette édition inclut les modifications techniques majeures suivantes par rapport à l'édition précédente:
a) mise à jour du positionnement des indicateurs;
b) connexion de mise à la terre du neutre du circuit d'essai pour les essais triphasés;
c) révision générale à des fins de cohérence avec l'IEC 62271-200 Éd.3.0:2021.
Le contenu du corrigendum 1 (2025-04) a été pris en considération dans cet exemplaire.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 15-Apr-2024
• ICS: 29.130.10 - High voltage switchgear and controlgear
• Technical Committee: SC 17C - Assemblies
• Drafting Committee: WG 35 - TC 17/SC 17C/WG 35
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 16-Apr-2024
• Completion Date: 05-Apr-2024

Relations

• Corrected By: IEC 62271-214:2024/COR1:2025 - Corrigendum 1 - High-voltage switchgear and controlgear - Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV
• Effective Date: 08-Nov-2024
• Revises: IEC 62271-214:2019 - High-voltage switchgear and controlgear - Part 214: Internal arc classification for metal-enclosed pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Overview

IEC 62271-214:2024 - High-voltage switchgear and controlgear - Part 214 - defines the internal arc classification (IAC) for AC metal-enclosed pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear with rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV (service frequencies up to 60 Hz). This Edition 2.0 (2024) is a technical revision of the 2019 edition, includes corrigendum 1 (2025-04), and updates indicator positioning, neutral earthing connection for three-phase tests, and alignment with IEC 62271-200.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope and applicability: Three-phase, two-phase and single-phase open terminal equipment; enclosures can be fixed/removable and may be filled with insulating fluids (liquid or gas).
• Internal arc classification (IAC): Defines how equipment is classified and verified against internal arc faults (internal arc fault scenarios, IAC designation, and pass/fail criteria).
• Type tests and routine tests: Detailed requirements for internal arc type tests, dielectric and short-circuit withstand tests, tightness tests, and EMC/X-ray considerations as applicable.
• Test arrangement & parameters: Requirements for test object identification, arrangement of equipment during tests, indicators for gas thermal effects, and test procedures and acceptance criteria (transferability of results also addressed).
• Design and construction: Clauses on gas/liquid insulation, earthing, auxiliary/control circuits, nameplates, position indicators, degrees of protection, fire hazard, and maintenance considerations.
• Safety & documentation: Instructions for transport, installation, operating and maintenance, plus information required with enquiries, tenders and orders.

Practical applications

• Ensures pole-mounted, metal-enclosed high-voltage switchgear meets recognized internal arc safety and performance standards.
• Provides a standardized basis for type testing, product certification, factory acceptance tests and supplier specifications.
• Supports design decisions related to enclosure design, insulation media, earthing arrangements, and safety labelling to mitigate internal arc risk.
• Useful for verifying compliance with regulatory and industry safety requirements during procurement and installation.

Who uses this standard

• Switchgear manufacturers (design, type testing, product documentation)
• Utilities and transmission/distribution engineers (equipment selection and safety assessment)
• Test laboratories and certification bodies (conducting IAC and related type tests)
• Specifiers, consultants and safety engineers (tendering, installation guidance, risk mitigation)

Related standards

• IEC 62271-200 (referenced for consistency)
• IEC 62271-1:2017 + AMD1:2021 (referenced in the extended version)

Keywords: IEC 62271-214, internal arc classification, pole-mounted switchgear, metal-enclosed switchgear, high-voltage switchgear, IAC, internal arc fault, switchgear testing, rated voltages up to 52 kV.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 62271-214 ®
Edition 2.0 2024-04
COMMENTED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
High-voltage switchgear and controlgear –
Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed pole-mounted
switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and
including 52 kV
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.

IEC Secretariat Tel.: [phone]
3, rue de Varembé [e-mail]
CH-1211 Geneva 20 www.iec.ch
Switzerland
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 corrigendum or an amendment might have been published.

IEC publications search - webstore.iec.ch/advsearchform IEC Products & Services Portal - products.iec.ch
The advanced search enables to find IEC publications by a
Discover our powerful search engine and read freely all the
variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical publications previews, graphical symbols and the glossary.
committee, …). It also gives information on projects, replaced With a subscription you will always have access to up to date
and withdrawn publications. content tailored to your needs.

IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished
Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published
The world's leading online dictionary on electrotechnology,
details all new publications released. Available online and
containing more than 22 500 terminological entries in English
once a month by email.
and French, with equivalent terms in 25 additional languages.

Also known as the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary
IEC Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc
(IEV) online.
If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or

need further assistance, please contact the Customer Service
Centre: [e-mail].
IEC 62271-214 ®
Edition 2.0 2024-04
COMMENTED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
High-voltage switchgear and controlgear –
Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed pole-mounted
switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and
including 52 kV
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 29.130.10 ISBN 978-2-8322-8792-7
– 2 – IEC 62271-214:2024 CMV © IEC 2024
CONTENTS
FOREWORD .4
INTRODUCTION .6
1 Scope .7
2 Normative references .7
3 Terms and definitions .8
3.1 General terms and definitions .8
3.8 Index of definitions . 10
4 Normal and special service conditions . 11
5 Ratings . 11
5.1 General . 11
5.2 Rated voltage (U ) . 11
r
5.2.1 General . 11
5.3 Rated insulation level (U , U , U ) . 12
d p s
5.4 Rated frequency (f ) . 12
r
5.101 Ratings of the internal arc classification (IAC). 12
5.101.1 General . 12
5.101.2 Rated approach distance (D ) . 12
AP
5.101.3 Rated arc fault currents (I , I ) . 12
A Ae
5.101.4 Rated arc fault duration (t , t ) . 12
A Ae
6 Design and construction . 13
6.11 Nameplate . 13
6.11.2 Application . 13
6.101 Internal arc fault . 13
6.102 Enclosure . 14
7 Type tests . 15
7.1 General . 15
7.1.1 Basics . 15
7.1.2 Information for identification of test object . 16
7.1.3 Information to be included in type-test reports . 16
7.101 Internal arc type test . 17
7.101.1 General . 17
7.101.2 Test conditions . 17
7.101.3 Arrangement of the equipment . 18
7.101.4 Indicators (for assessing the thermal effects of the gases) . 21
7.101.5 Arrangement of indicators . 21
7.101.6 Test parameters . 22
7.101.7 Test procedure . 23
7.101.8 Criteria to pass the test. 29
7.101.9 Transferability of the test results . 30
8 Routine tests . 30
9 Guide to the selection of switchgear and controlgear (informative) . 30
9.1 General . 30
9.101 Internal arc fault . 30
9.101.1 General . 30
9.101.2 Causes and preventive measures . 31

9.101.3 Supplementary protective measures . 32
9.101.4 Considerations for the selection and installation . 32
9.101.5 Internal arc test . 32
9.101.6 IAC designation . 33
10 Information to be given with enquiries, tenders and orders (informative) . 33
10.1 General . 33
11 Transport, storage, installation, operation instruction and maintenance . 34
11.1 General . 34
11.2 Conditions during transport, storage and installation . 34
11.3 Installation . 34
11.3.1 General . 34
11.101 Maintenance . 34
12 Safety . 34
12.1 General . 34
13 Influence of the product on the environment . 34
Annex A (normative) Identification of the test objects . 36
A.1 General . 36
A.2 Data . 36
A.3 Drawings . 36
Bibliography . 37
List of comments . 39

Figure 1 – Examples of enclosures and compartment(s) in different arrangements . 15
Figure 2 – Test arrangement for pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear . 20
Figure 3 – Horizontal indicator . 21
Figure 4 – Flow-chart for the choice of arc initiation depending on the construction . 27

Table 1 – Nameplate information . 13
Table 2 – Parameters for internal arc fault test according to enclosure and
compartment construction . 25
Table 3 – Locations, causes and examples of measures to decrease the probability of
internal arc faults . 31
Table 4 – Single-phase-to-earth arc fault current depending on the network neutral
earthing . 33

– 4 – IEC 62271-214:2024 CMV © IEC 2024
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
HIGH-VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR AND CONTROLGEAR –

Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed
pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages
above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV

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) IEC draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). IEC takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent rights in
respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, IEC had not received notice of (a) patent(s), which
may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that this may not represent
the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at https://patents.iec.ch. IEC
shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This commented version (CMV) of the official standard IEC 62271-214:2024 edition 2.0
allows the user to identify the changes made to the previous IEC 62271-214:2019
edition 1.0. Furthermore, comments from IEC TC SC 17C experts are provided to explain
the reasons of the most relevant changes, or to clarify any part of the content.
A vertical bar appears in the margin wherever a change has been made. Additions are in
green text, deletions are in strikethrough red text. Experts' comments are identified by a
blue-background number. Mouse over a number to display a pop-up note with the
comment.
This publication contains the CMV and the official standard. The full list of comments is
available at the end of the CMV.

IEC 62271-214 has been prepared by subcommittee 17C: Assemblies, of IEC technical
committee 17: High voltage switchgear and controlgear. It is an International Standard.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2019. This edition
constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
a) indicators positioning update;
b) neutral earthing connection of the test circuit for three-phase tests;
c) general review for consistency with IEC 62271-200, Ed.3.0:2021.
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
17C/924/FDIS 17C/931/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.
This standard shall be read in conjunction with IEC 62271-1, second edition, published in 2017,
to which it refers, and which is applicable unless otherwise specified in this standard. In order
to simplify the indication of corresponding requirements, the same numbering of clauses and
subclauses is used as in IEC 62271-1. Amendments to these clauses and subclauses are given
under the same references whilst additional subclauses are numbered from 101. Any clause
with the term "Not applicable" relates to the clause not being relevant to IEC 62271-214, and
does not infer the clause is or is not relevant for its applicable switchgear standard.
A list of all parts of the IEC 62271 series, published under the general title High-voltage
switchgear and controlgear, 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, or
• revised.
IMPORTANT – The "colour inside" logo on the cover page of this document indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct understanding
of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a colour printer.

– 6 – IEC 62271-214:2024 CMV © IEC 2024
INTRODUCTION
IEC 62271-214 has been developed due to the requirement to remove IAC Type C designated
pole-mounted switchgear from IEC 62271-200. Only enclosed terminal equipment is to be
considered within IEC 62271-200. For this reason, IEC 62271-214 is to be considered
independent of IEC 62271-200, however it is still related to other product standards of the
IEC 62271 series.
Only open terminal pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear has been considered within this
document.
This equipment relates to operation in three-phase, two-phase and single-phase systems.

HIGH-VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR AND CONTROLGEAR –

Part 214: Internal arc classification for
AC 1 metal-enclosed pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear for rated
voltages above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV

1 Scope
This part of IEC 62271 specifies requirements for internal arc classification of AC metal-
enclosed pole-mounted switchgear installations used for alternating current and controlgear
with rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV with service frequencies up to
and including 60 Hz.
This document is applicable to three-phase, two-phase and single-phase open terminal
equipment for which an internal arc classification is assigned 2. Enclosures may include fixed
and removable components and may be filled with fluid (liquid or gas) to provide insulation.
NOTE 1 The IAC classification takes into account the installation disposition of the high-voltage switchgear and
controlgear and worker's operating area. 3
NOTE 2 For the use of this document, high-voltage (IEC 60050-601:1985, 601-01-27) is the rated voltage above
1 000 V. However, medium voltage (IEC 60050-601:1985, 601-01-28) is commonly used for distribution systems with
voltages above 1 kV and generally applied up to and including 52 kV; refer to [1] .
This document does not preclude that other equipment may be included in the same enclosure.
In such a case, any possible influence of that equipment on the switchgear and controlgear is
to be taken into account.
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 60050-151:2001, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 151: Electrical
and magnetic devices
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD1:2013
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD2:2014
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD3:2019
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD4:2020
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD5:2021
IEC 60050-441:1984, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 441: Switchgear,
controlgear and fuses
IEC 60050-441:1984/AMD1:2000
IEC 62271-1:2017, High-voltage switchgear and controlgear – Part 1: Common specifications
for alternating current switchgear and controlgear
IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021
___________
in square brackets refer to the Bibliography.
Numbers
– 8 – IEC 62271-214:2024 CMV © IEC 2024
IEC 62271-200:2021, High-voltage switchgear and controlgear – Part 200: AC metal-enclosed
switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 62271-1,
IEC 60050-151 and IEC 60050-441, as well as the following apply.
NOTE 1 The classification system for definitions of IEC 62271-1:2017 is not followed. Terms and definitions are
referenced and prioritized in the following order:
– Clause 3 of this document;
– IEC 62271-1:2017;
– IEC 60050-441;
– IEC 60050-151.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
NOTE 2 Additional definitions are classified so as to be aligned with the classification system used in
IEC 60050-441.
3.1 General terms and definitions
3.1.101
metal-enclosed switchgear and controlgear
switchgear and controlgear assemblies with an external metal enclosure intended to be earthed,
and completely assembled except for external connections
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-441:1984, 441-12-04, modified – "complete" has been replaced by
"completely assembled"; NOTE has been deleted.]
3.1.102
functional unit
part of pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear comprising all the components of the
main circuits and auxiliary circuits that contribute to the fulfilment of a single function
Note to entry: Functional units are distinguished according to the function for which they are intended, e.g.
incoming unit, outgoing unit, etc.
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-441:1984, 441-13-04, modified – references to the supply and feed sides
in the note has been deleted]
3.1.102
enclosure
part of an assembly providing a specified degree of protection of equipment against external
influences and a specified degree of protection against approach to or contact with live parts
and against contact with moving parts
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-441:1984, 441-13-01, modified – has been deleted.]
3.1.103
high-voltage compartment
compartment of switchgear and controlgear, containing high-voltage conducting parts, enclosed
except for openings necessary for interconnection, control or ventilation, where one segment
of the compartment can be part of the outer earthed metallic enclosure

3.1.104
component
essential part of the high-voltage or earthing circuits of pole-mounted switchgear and
controlgear which serves a specific function (e.g. circuit-breaker, disconnector, switch, fuse,
instrument transformer, bushing, busbar)
3.1.105
main circuit
all the high-voltage conductive parts of pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear included in a
circuit which is intended to carry the rated continuous current
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-441:1984, 441-13-02, modified – "high voltage" has been added,
"assembly" has been substituted by "pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear" and "transmit
electrical energy" has been substituted by "carry the rated continuous current".]
3.1.106
earthing circuit
conductors, connections, and the conducting parts of earthing devices intended to connect the
high-voltage conductive parts to the earthing system of the installation
Note 1 to entry: Parts of metallic enclosures connected to the earthing system can be part of the earthing circuit.
3.1.107
normal operating condition
in service condition with all covers properly closed and secured
Note 1 to entry: The term "in service" implies "under live conditions".
[SOURCE: IEC 62271-200:2021[2], 3.1.106, modified – "" and "doors and"
have been removed and Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.1.108
pressure relief device
device incorporated as part of an enclosure or compartment intended to operate to prevent
excessive pressure in the enclosure or compartment
3.1.109
fluid-filled compartment
high-voltage compartment of pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear filled with a fluid, either
gas, other than ambient air, or liquid, for insulation purposes
3.1.110
pole
vertical single member support in wood, concrete, steel or other material, with one end buried
in the ground, either directly or by means of a foundation
Note 1 to entry: The term pole as defined here is not to be mixed up with the use of the same term as synonymous
for phase as used in other standards.
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-466:1990, 466-07-01[8], modified – Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.1.111
pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear
metal-enclosed switchgear and controlgear, typically connected to overhead lines, installed on
one or more poles or equivalent structures at a defined height, with restricted accessibility by
installation out of reach
– 10 – IEC 62271-214:2024 CMV © IEC 2024
3.1.112
internal arc classified switchgear and controlgear classification
IAC
metal-enclosed switchgear and controlgear for which prescribed criteria, for protection of
authorized persons and the general public beneath the apparatus 4, are met in the event of
internal arc for specified installation conditions, as demonstrated by type tests
Note 1 to entry: The internal arc classification is described by the characteristics given from 3.1.1013114 to
3.1.1016116.
[SOURCE: IEC 62271-200:20112021, 3.1326.117, modified – "authorized" and "and general
public beneath the apparatus" have been added, "assembly" has been changed by "metal-
enclosed switchgear and controlgear".]
3.1.113
arc fault current
three-phase and where applicable the single-phase-to-earth RMS value of the internal arc fault
current for which the switchgear and controlgear is designed to protect persons in the event of
an internal arc
[SOURCE: IEC 62271-200:20112021, 3.132.37.101]
3.1.114
arc fault duration
duration of the internal arc fault current for which the switchgear and controlgear is designed to
protect persons in the event of an internal arc
[SOURCE: IEC 62271-200:20112021, 3.132.47.102]
3.1.115
approach distance
distance between the test object and indicators arranged in an IAC test
3.1.116
arc mitigation device
device dedicated to reacting to internal arc fault conditions to decrease the arc energy
[SOURCE: CIGRE TECHNICAL BROCHURE 686:2017][5]
3.8 Index of definitions
A – C
approach distance . 3.1.115
arc fault current . 3.1.113
arc fault duration . 3.1.114
arc mitigation device . 3.1.116
component . 3.1.104
E – F
earthing circuit . 3.1.106
enclosure . 3.1.102
fluid-filled compartment . 3.1.109

H – I
high-voltage compartment . 3.1.103
internal arc classification, IAC . 3.1.112
M – N
main circuit . 3.1.105
metal-enclosed switchgear and controlgear . 3.1.101
normal operating condition . 3.1.107
P
pole . 3.1.110
pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear . 3.1.111
pressure relief device . 3.1.108
4 Normal and special service conditions
4.1 General
Unless otherwise specified in this document, operation under normal and special service
conditions is considered to be covered by the relevant IEC standard.
Clause 4 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 is not applicable.
5 Ratings
Subclauses of Clause 5 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 not mentioned
below are not applicable for this document.
5.1 General
Subclause 5.1 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 is not applicable and
replaced by following text:
The relevant ratings with respect to the arc fault classification of pole-mounted switchgear and
controlgear for the internal arc classification are the following:
a) rated voltage (U );
r
) rated frequency (f );
r
) ratings of the internal arc classification (IAC).
5.2 Rated voltage (U )
r
Subclause 5.2 of IEC 62271-1:2017 is applicable with following addition to 5.2.1.
5.2.1 General
The rated voltage is equal to the maximum system voltage for which the equipment is designed.
It indicates the maximum value of the "highest system voltage" of networks for which the
equipment may be used (refer to Clause 9 of IEC 60038:2009 [6]).
NOTE It is possible that components forming part of pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear have differing values
of rated voltage in accordance with their relevant standards.

– 12 – IEC 62271-214:2024 CMV © IEC 2024
5.3 Rated insulation level (U , U , U )
d p s
Not applicable.
5.4 Rated frequency (f )
r
The standard values of the rated frequency are 16,7 Hz, 25 Hz, 50 Hz and 60 Hz.
Subclause 5.4 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 is applicable.
5.101 Ratings of the internal arc classification (IAC)
5.101.1 General
An IAC classified pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear shall have the following ratings:
rated approach distance, arc fault currents and arc fault durations.
5.101.2 Rated approach distance (D )
AP
The rated approach distance shall be stated by the manufacturer (refer to Figure 2).
5.101.3 Rated arc fault currents (I , I )
A Ae
The standard value of rated arc fault currents should be selected from the R 10 series specified
in IEC 60059 [7].
Two ratings of the arc fault currents are recognised:
a) three-phase and phase-to-phase arc fault current (I ), when applicable;
A
b) single-phase-to-earth arc fault current (I ), when applicable.
Ae
When only a three-phase rating is specified, the single-phase rating is by default 87 % of the
three-phase rating, and need not be specified.
NOTE 1 The rationale for this 87 % is the arc fault test with 2-phase ignition; refer to 7.101.7.2.
The manufacturer shall specify the compartments to which the single-phase-to-earth arc fault
current rating applies. Such value is assigned to switchgear and controlgear where its
construction will prevent the arc from becoming multiphase, as demonstrated during the internal
arc test.
When IAC testing on single phase switchgear and controlgear or single-phase high voltage
compartments where only a singlephase supply circuit has been applied only an I rating shall
Ae
be assigned. In the case where all high-voltage compartments are only designed for single-
phase-to-earth arc faults, instead of I rating, the I rating shall be assigned (refer to
A Ae
7.101.7.2).
NOTE 2 Information about the relationship between type of neutral earthing and the single-phase-to-earth arc fault
current is provided in 9.101.6.
5.101.4 Rated arc fault duration (t , t )
A Ae
Standard Recommended values for the arc fault duration (t , t ) are 0,1 s, 0,5 s and 1 s.
A Ae
NOTE It is in general not possible to calculate the permissible arc duration for a current which differs from that used
in the test.
6 Design and construction
Subclauses of Clause 6 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 not mentioned
below are not applicable for this document.
6.11 Nameplate
6.11.1 General
6.11.2 Application
Subclause 6.11.2 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 is applicable, except
for Table 9, with the following additions:
Pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear, with a rated internal arc classification shall include
in the nameplate the additional IAC information in accordance with Table 1.
Table 1 – Nameplate information
Abbreviation Unit ** Condition:
Marking only required if
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Internal arc classification IAC X
Rated approach distance D m X
AP
Arc fault current and duration I , t kA, s Y Three-phase test or
A A
phase-to-phase test are
applicable
Single-phase-to-earth arc fault current I , t kA, s Y A single-phase test is
Ae Ae
and duration applicable or I differs
Ae
from 87 % of I
A
Fitted with arc mitigation device  Y Arc mitigation device
fitted and not disabled
during testing
(**)
X : the marking of these values is mandatory where internal arc classification is assigned;
Y : conditions for marking of these values are given in column (5)
NOTE 1 If there is an abbreviation in column (2) it can be used instead of the terms in column (1).

6.101 Internal arc fault
Pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear, in principle, are designed and manufactured, to
prevent the occurrence of internal arc faults.
However, where internal arc classification is assigned, the switchgear and controlgear shall be
designed to give a defined level of protection of persons in the event of an internal arc, when
the switchgear and controlgear is in normal service operating condition.
If an internal arc classification is assigned by the manufacturer and verified by type tests
according to , the pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear shall be designated as follows:
– Designation: IAC (Internal Arc Classified)
– Rated three-phase arc fault values (where applicable): current [kA] and duration [s] and/or
– Rated single-phase arc fault values (where applicable): current [kA] and duration [s]

– 14 – IEC 62271-214:2024 CMV © IEC 2024
– If the unit is fitted with a device limiting the duration of the arc that cannot be disabled, then
the IAC designation shall indicate that the switchgear and controlgear is: “Fitted with arc
mitigation device”
The designation shall be included in the nameplate (refer to 6.11).
Some examples for internal arc classification are given in 7.101.7.2.5.
6.102 Enclosure
The complete enclosure should be capable of is designed for withstanding the mechanical,
electrical, thermal and environmental stresses likely to be encountered in normal service
operating condition and under conditions of internal arc fault.
Figure 1 shows examples of different arrangements of components in high voltage
compartment(s) within an enclosure.

a) three-phase
b) single-phase
Figure 1 – Examples of enclosures and compartment(s) in different arrangements
7 Type tests
Subclauses of Clause 7 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 not mentioned
below are not applicable for this document.
7.1 General
7.1.1 Basics
The type test is performed to verify the internal arc ratings and characteristics of pole-mounted
switchgear and controlgear.
– 16 – IEC 62271-214:2024 CMV © IEC 2024
7.1.2 Information for identification of test object
Subclause 7.1.2 of IEC 62271-1:2017 does not apply for this document and is replaced by
following text.
The manufacturer shall submit to the testing laboratory, drawings and other data containing
sufficient information to unambiguously identify by type the essential details and parts of the
switchgear and controlgear presented for test. A summary list of the drawings and data
schedules shall be supplied by the manufacturer and shall be uniquely referenced and shall
contain a statement to the effect that the manufacturer guarantees that the drawings or data
schedules listed are the correct version and truly represent the switchgear and controlgear to
be tested.
The testing laboratory shall check that drawings and data sheets adequately represent the
essential details and parts of the test object, but is not responsible for the accuracy of the
detailed information.
Particular drawings or data required to be submitted by the manufacturer to the test laboratory
for identification of essential parts of test object are specified in Annex A.
7.1.3 Information to be included in type-test reports
The results shall be recorded in type-test reports containing sufficient data to prove compliance
with the test clauses of this document for the test(s) conducted. Sufficient information shall be
included so that the essential parts of the test object can be identified. In particular, the following
information shall be included:
– manufacturer;
– type designation and unique identifier for switchgear the test object;
– rated characteristics of switchgear the test object;
– photographs to illustrate the condition of switchgear the test object before and after test;
– sufficient outline drawings and data schedules to represent the switchgear test object;
– the reference numbers of all drawings including revision number submitted to identify the
essential parts of the test object;
– details of the testing arrangement (including diagram of test circuit);
– statements of the behaviour of the switchgear test object during test and its condition after
test;
– description of the test object with a drawing showing the main dimensions, details relevant
to the mechanical strength, the arrangement of the pressure relief device(s) and the method
of fixing the switchgear and controlgear test object to the pole(s), including the pole
characteristics;
– point and method of initiation of the internal arc fault;
– drawings of test arrangement (test object, source side connection point, and mounting frame
of indicators, pole dimensions) and any other relevant installation conditions; applied
voltage and frequency;
• IAC designation validated by test;
• include use of fuse protection if used;
• include the use of arc mitigation device if used;
– for the prospective and/or test current (refer to 7.101.6.3):
a) RMS value of the AC component during:
• the first three half-cycles;
• the last three half-cycles;
b) highest peak value (actual and/or prospective);

c) average RMS value of the AC component over the actual duration of the test;
d) test duration of arc fault current;
e) prospective RMS value and duration of the test current;
– oscillogram(s) showing currents and voltages;
– optionally, total arc energy, peak arc power;
– optionally, measurement of pressure in compartments;
– assessment of the test results, including a record of the observations in accordance with
7.101.8;
– other relevant remarks.
7.101 Internal arc type test
7.101.1 General
The test is applicable to pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear for which internal arc
classification is assigned, covering the event of an arc fault within the enclosure(s) or within
components having housings which form part of the enclosure in normal operating condition.
The internal arc test makes allowance for effects acting on all parts of the enclosure, such as
internal overpressure, thermal effects of the arc or its roots, and for the effects of ejected hot
gases and glowing particles on the persons situated beneath the apparatus under test. The
tests are not intended to cover e.g.:
– the influences of an internal arc between compartments;
– the effect of an arc on the external connections outside the enclosure;
– the effects caused by an explosion of high-voltage components;
– the presence of gases with potential toxic characteristics, or the hazard of fire propagation
to combustible materials or equipment placed in the proximity of the pole-mounted
switchgear and controlgear.
7.101.2 Test conditions
The test shall be carried out with the switchgear and controlgear in normal operating condition.
This means the position of high-voltage switching devices, connecting and disconnecting
withdrawable parts is set according to 7.101.7.1.4. All other equipment, for example measuring
instruments a
...

IEC 62271-214 ®
Edition 2.0 2024-04
EXTENDED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
This extended version of IEC 62271-214:2024 includes the content of the references made to
IEC 62271-1:2017+AMD1:2021 CSV

High-voltage switchgear and controlgear –
Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed pole-mounted
switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and
including 52 kV
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.

IEC Secretariat Tel.: [phone]
3, rue de Varembé [e-mail]
CH-1211 Geneva 20 www.iec.ch
Switzerland
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 corrigendum or an amendment might have been published.

IEC publications search - webstore.iec.ch/advsearchform IEC Products & Services Portal - products.iec.ch
The advanced search enables to find IEC publications by a Discover our powerful search engine and read freely all the
variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical publications previews, graphical symbols and the glossary.
committee, …). It also gives information on projects, replaced With a subscription you will always have access to up to date
and withdrawn publications. content tailored to your needs.

IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished
Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published
The world's leading online dictionary on electrotechnology,
details all new publications released. Available online and once
containing more than 22 500 terminological entries in English
a month by email.
and French, with equivalent terms in 25 additional languages.

Also known as the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary
IEC Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc
(IEV) online.
If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or need

further assistance, please contact the Customer Service
Centre: [e-mail].
IEC 62271-214 ®
Edition 2.0 2024-04
EXTENDED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
This extended version of IEC 62271-214:2024 includes the content of the references made to
IEC 62271-1:2017+AMD1:2021 CSV
High-voltage switchgear and controlgear –
Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed pole-mounted
switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and
including 52 kV
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 29.130.10 ISBN 978-2-8322-8793-4

– 2 – IEC 62271-214:2024 EXV © IEC 2024
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 6
INTRODUCTION . 8
INTRODUCTION to IEC 62271-214:2024 . 8
1 Scope . 9
2 Normative references . 9
3 Terms and definitions . 12
3.1 General terms and definitions . 12
3.2 Assemblies of switchgear and controlgear . 17
3.3 Parts of assemblies . 17
3.4 Switching devices . 18
3.5 Parts of switchgear and controlgear . 18
3.6 Operational characteristics of switchgear and controlgear . 21
3.6.5 Terms and definitions relative to pressure (or density) . 22
3.6.6 Terms and definitions relating to gas and vacuum tightness . 23
3.6.7 Terms and definitions relating to liquid tightness. 24
3.7 Characteristic quantities . 25
3.8 Index of definitions . 26
4 Normal and special service conditions . 28
5 Ratings . 28
5.1 General . 28
5.2 Rated voltage (U ) . 28
r
5.2.1 General . 28
5.2.2 Range I for rated voltages of 245 kV and below . 29
5.2.3 Range II for rated voltages above 245 kV . 29
5.3 Rated insulation level (U , U , U ) . 29
d p s
5.4 Rated frequency (f ) . 29
r
5.5 Rated continuous current (I ) . 29
r
5.6 Rated short-time withstand current (I ) . 29
k
5.7 Rated peak withstand current (I ) . 29
p
5.8 Rated duration of short-circuit (t ) . 29
k
5.9 Rated supply voltage of auxiliary and control circuits (U ) . 29
a
5.10 Rated supply frequency of auxiliary and control circuits . 29
5.11 Rated pressure of compressed gas supply for controlled pressure systems . 29
5.101 Ratings of the internal arc classification (IAC) . 30
5.101.1 General . 30
5.101.2 Rated approach distance (D ) . 30
AP
5.101.3 Rated arc fault currents (I , I ) . 30
A Ae
5.101.4 Rated arc fault duration (t , t ) . 30
A Ae
6 Design and construction . 30
6.1 Requirements for liquids in switchgear and controlgear . 30
6.2 Requirements for gases in switchgear and controlgear . 30
6.3 Earthing of switchgear and controlgear . 30
6.4 Auxiliary and control equipment and circuits . 31
6.5 Dependent power operation . 31
6.6 Stored energy operation . 31
6.7 Independent unlatched operation (independent manual or power operation) . 31

6.8 Manually operated actuators . 31
6.9 Operation of releases . 31
6.10 Pressure/level indication . 31
6.11 Nameplates. 31
6.11.1 General . 31
6.11.2 Application . 31
6.12 Locking devices . 32
6.13 Position indication . 32
6.14 Degrees of protection provided by enclosures . 32
6.15 Creepage distances for outdoor insulators . 32
6.16 Gas and vacuum tightness . 32
6.17 Tightness for liquid systems . 32
6.18 Fire hazard (flammability) . 33
6.19 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) . 33
6.20 X-ray emission . 33
6.21 Corrosion . 33
6.22 Filling levels for insulation, switching and/or operation . 33
6.101 Internal arc fault . 33
6.102 Enclosure . 33
7 Type tests . 34
7.1 General . 34
7.1.1 Basics . 34
7.1.2 Information for identification of test objects . 35
7.1.3 Information to be included in type-test reports . 35
7.2 Dielectric tests . 36
7.3 Radio interference voltage (RIV) test . 37
7.4 Resistance measurement . 37
7.5 Continuous current tests . 37
7.6 Short-time withstand current and peak withstand current tests . 37
7.7 Verification of the protection . 37
7.8 Tightness tests . 37
7.9 Electromagnetic compatibility tests (EMC) . 37
7.10 Additional tests on auxiliary and control circuits . 37
7.11 X-radiation test for vacuum interrupters . 37
7.101 Internal arc type test . 37
7.101.1 General . 37
7.101.2 Test conditions . 37
7.101.3 Arrangement of the equipment . 38
7.101.4 Indicators (for assessing the thermal effects of the gases) . 40
7.101.5 Arrangement of indicators . 40
7.101.6 Test parameters . 41
7.101.7 Test procedure . 42
7.101.8 Criteria to pass the test . 47
7.101.9 Transferability of the test results . 48
8 Routine tests . 48
9 Guide to the selection of switchgear and controlgear (informative) . 48
9.1 General . 48
9.2 Selection of rated values . 48
9.3 Cable-interface considerations . 48

– 4 – IEC 62271-214:2024 EXV © IEC 2024
9.4 Continuous or temporary overload due to changed service conditions . 48
9.5 Environmental aspects . 48
9.101 Internal arc fault . 48
9.101.1 General . 48
9.101.2 Causes and preventive measures . 49
9.101.3 Supplementary protective measures . 50
9.101.4 Considerations for the selection and installation . 51
9.101.5 Internal arc test . 51
9.101.6 IAC designation . 51
10 Information to be given with enquiries, tenders and orders (informative) . 52
10.1 General . 52
10.2 Information with enquiries and orders . 52
10.3 Information with tenders . 52
11 Transport, storage, installation, operating instructions and maintenance. 52
11.1 General . 52
11.2 Conditions during transport, storage and installation . 52
11.3 Installation . 53
11.3.1 General . 53
11.3.2 Unpacking and lifting . 53
11.3.3 Assembly . 53
11.3.4 Mounting . 53
11.3.5 Connections . 53
11.3.6 Information about gas and gas mixtures for controlled and closed
pressure systems . 53
11.3.7 Final installation inspection . 53
11.3.8 Basic input data by the user . 53
11.3.9 Basic input data by the manufacturer . 53
11.4 Operating instructions . 53
11.5 Maintenance . 53
11.101 Maintenance . 53
12 Safety . 54
12.1 General . 54
12.2 Precautions by manufacturers . 54
12.3 Precautions by users . 54
13 Influence of the product on the environment . 54
Annex A (normative) Identification of test objects . 55
A.1 General . 55
A.2 Data . 55
A.3 Drawings. 55
Annex B (informative) Determination of the equivalent RMS value of a short-time
current during a short-circuit of a given duration . 57
Annex C (normative) Method for the weatherproofing test for outdoor switchgear and
controlgear . 58
Annex D (informative) References for auxiliary and control circuit components . 61
Annex E (normative) Tolerances on test quantities during tests . 63
Annex F (informative) Information and technical requirements to be given with
enquiries, tenders and orders . 66
F.1 General . 66

F.2 Normal and special service conditions (refer to Clause 4) . 66
F.3 Ratings (refer to Clause 5) . 67
F.4 Design and construction (refer to Clause 6) . 67
F.5 System information . 68
F.6 Documentation for enquiries and tenders . 68
Annex G (informative) List of symbols . 69
Annex H (informative) Electromagnetic compatibility on site . 70
Annex I (informative) List of notes concerning certain countries . 71
Annex J (informative) Extension of validity of type tests . 72
J.1 General . 72
J.2 Dielectric tests . 72
J.3 Short-time withstand current tests . 72
J.4 Continuous current test . 72
J.5 Electromagnetic immunity test on auxiliary and control circuits . 73
J.6 Environmental tests on auxiliary and control circuits . 73
Annex K (informative) Exposure to pollution . 74
K.1 General . 74
K.2 Pollution levels . 74
K.3 Minimum requirements for switchgear . 74
Bibliography . 76

Figure 1 – Examples of enclosures and compartment(s) in different arrangements . 34
Figure 2 – Test arrangement for pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear . 39
Figure 3 – Horizontal indicator . 40
Figure 4 – Flow-chart for the choice of arc initiation depending on the construction . 45
Figure B.1 – Determination of short-time current . 57
Figure C.1 – Arrangement for weatherproofing test . 59
Figure C.2 – Nozzle for weatherproofing test . 60

Table 9 – Nameplate information . 32
Table 1 – Nameplate information . 32
Table 2 – Parameters for internal arc fault test according to enclosure and
compartment construction . 44
Table 3 – Locations, causes and examples of measures to decrease the probability of
internal arc faults . 50
Table 4 – Single-phase-to-earth arc fault current depending on the network neutral
earthing . 52
Table D.1 – List of reference documents for auxiliary and control circuit components
(1 of 2) . 61
Table E.1 – Tolerances on test quantities for type test . 64
Table K.1 – Environmental examples by site pollution severity (SPS) class. 75
Table K.2 – Minimum nominal specific creepage distance by pollution level . 75

– 6 – IEC 62271-214:2024 EXV © IEC 2024
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
HIGH-VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR AND CONTROLGEAR –

Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed
pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages
above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV

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) IEC draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). IEC takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent rights in
respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, IEC had not received notice of (a) patent(s),
which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that this may not
represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
https://patents.iec.ch. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This extended version (EXV) of the official IEC Standard provides the user with the
comprehensive content of the Standard.
made to IEC 62271-1:2017+AMD1:2021 CSV.
The specific content of IEC 62271-214:2024 is displayed on a blue background.

IEC 62271-214 has been prepared by subcommittee 17C: Assemblies, of IEC technical
committee 17: High voltage switchgear and controlgear. It is an International Standard.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2019. This edition
constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
a) indicators positioning update;
b) neutral earthing connection of the test circuit for three-phase tests;
c) general review for consistency with IEC 62271-200, Ed.3.0:2021.
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
17C/924/FDIS 17C/931/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.
This standard shall be read in conjunction with IEC 62271-1, second edition, published in
2017, to which it refers, and which is applicable unless otherwise specified in this standard. In
order to simplify the indication of corresponding requirements, the same numbering of clauses
and subclauses is used as in IEC 62271-1. Amendments to these clauses and subclauses are
given under the same references whilst additional subclauses are numbered from 101. Any
clause with the term "Not applicable" relates to the clause not being relevant to IEC 62271-
214, and does not infer the clause is or is not relevant for its applicable switchgear standard.
A list of all parts of the IEC 62271 series, published under the general title High-voltage
switchgear and controlgear, 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, or
• revised.
IMPORTANT – The "colour inside" logo on the cover page of this document indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
– 8 – IEC 62271-214:2024 EXV © IEC 2024
INTRODUCTION
In the preparation of this FDIS draft for the general revision of IEC 62271-1:2007 and
IEC 62271-1:2007/AMD1:2011, the maintenance team was motivated by the following
principles:
– Application of horizontal standards – such application is mandatory for product standards,
(reference IEC Guide 108 [5]). A typical example is the application of IEC 60071 (all parts)
dealing with insulation coordination.
– Application of the "principle of verifiability" – as defined in the Directives, Part 2, 5.5
(2016) “.Only those requirements which can be verified shall be included.”.
– Organizing information in the proper clause, e.g. terms and definitions in Clause 3, rated
values in Clause 5. For example, the values of rated continuous current are specified in
Clause 5 but the conditions of test and acceptance criteria (e.g. temperature rise limits)
are moved to Clause 7.
– Normal service conditions in Clause 4 are unambiguous statements of conditions under
which the switchgear and controlgear is expected to operate. For example: “Solar
radiation does not exceed a level of 1 000 W/m ” rather than “Solar radiation up to a level
of 1 000 W/m should be considered”.
– Ratings in Clause 5 have been limited to reflect the common specifications of the
switchgear and controlgear that are specified by the user and are necessary for operation
on the user‘s network. See the last paragraph of 5.1 for addition clarification.
– Statements or informative NOTES that reflect design guides (not requirements) or
application (not standard requirements) are either removed or moved to Clause 9.
For example, the following former NOTE contains both a design guide and an application
issue, neither of which belongs to normal service conditions:
“Under certain levels of solar radiation, appropriate measures, for example roofing, forced
ventilation, test simulating solar gain, etc., may be necessary, or derating may be used, in
order not to exceed the specified temperature rises and pressure rise limits”.
– Specifications for design and construction in Clause 6 have been limited to requirements
that can be verified by test or inspection.
– References to tests and procedures that relate to transportation, installation,
commissioning and maintenance have been moved to Clause 11.
– Improve wording to minimize the possibility of miss-interpretation or conflicting
interpretations of the specifications, methods or criteria.
– Elimination of hanging paragraphs and actual or potential circular references. Reference
to ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, 22.3.3 (2016).
As a result of the application of these principles or objectives, the FDIS draft includes more
revisions that might otherwise be expected.
INTRODUCTION to IEC 62271-214:2024
IEC 62271-214 has been developed due to the requirement to remove IAC Type C designated
pole-mounted switchgear from IEC 62271-200. IEC 62271-214 is to be considered
independent of IEC 62271-200, however it is still related to other product standards of the
IEC 62271 series.
Only open terminal pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear has been considered within this
document.
This equipment relates to operation in three-phase, two-phase and single-phase systems.

HIGH-VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR AND CONTROLGEAR –

Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed
pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages
above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV

1 Scope
This part of IEC 62271 specifies requirements for internal arc classification of AC metal-
enclosed pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear with rated voltages above 1 kV and up to
and including 52 kV with service frequencies up to and including 60 Hz.
This document is applicable to three-phase, two-phase and single-phase open terminal
equipment for which an internal arc classification is assigned. Enclosures may include fixed
and removable components and may be filled with fluid (liquid or gas) to provide insulation.
NOTE 1 The IAC classification takes into account the installation disposition of the high-voltage switchgear and
controlgear and worker's operating area.
NOTE 2 For the use of this document, high-voltage (IEC 60050-601:1985, 601-01-27) is the rated voltage above
1 000 V. However, medium voltage (IEC 60050-601:1985, 601-01-28) is commonly used for distribution systems
with voltages above 1 kV and generally applied up to and including 52 kV; refer to [1] .
This document does not preclude that other equipment may be included in the same
enclosure. In such a case, any possible influence of that equipment on the switchgear and
controlgear is to be taken into account.
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 60038:2009, IEC standard voltages
IEC 60050-131:2002, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 131: Circuit
theory
IEC 60050-151:2001, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 151: Electrical
and magnetic devices
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD1:2013
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD2:2014
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD3:2019
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD4:2020
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD5:2021
IEC 60050-192:2015, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 192:
Dependability
______________
Numbers in square brackets refer to the Bibliography.

– 10 – IEC 62271-214:2024 EXV © IEC 2024
IEC 60050-351, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 351: Control
technology
IEC 60050-441:1984, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 441: Switchgear,
controlgear and fuses
IEC 60050-441:1984/AMD1:2000
IEC 60050-551, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 551: Power electronics
IEC 60050-581:2008, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 581:
Electromechanical components for electronic equipment
IEC 60050-601, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Chapter 601: Generation,
transmission and distribution of electricity – General
IEC 60050-605, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Chapter 605: Generation,
transmission and distribution of electricity – Substations
IEC 60050-614:2016, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 614: Generation,
transmission and distribution of electricity – Operation
IEC 60050-811, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 811: Electric traction
IEC 60050-826:2004, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 826: Electrical
installations
IEC 60060-1:2010, High-voltage test techniques – Part 1: General definitions and test
requirements
IEC 60068-2-1:2007, Environmental testing – Part 2-1: Tests – Test A: Cold
IEC 60068-2-2:2007, Environmental testing – Part 2-2: Tests – Test B: Dry heat
IEC 60068-2-30:2005, Environmental testing – Part 2-30: Tests – Test Db: Damp heat, cyclic
(12 h + 12 h cycle)
IEC 60071-1:2006, Insulation co-ordination – Part 1: Definitions, principles and rules
IEC 60071-1:2006/AMD1:2010
IEC 60071-2:1996, Insulation co-ordination – Part 2: Application guide
IEC 60085:2007, Electrical insulation – Thermal evaluation and designation
IEC 60255-21-1:1988, Electrical relays – Part 21: Vibration, shock, bump and seismic tests on
measuring relays and protection equipment – Section One: Vibration tests (sinusoidal)
IEC 60270, High-voltage test techniques – Partial discharge measurements
IEC 60296, Fluids for electrotechnical applications – Unused mineral insulating oils for
transformers and switchgear
IEC 60376, Specification of technical grade sulphur hexafluoride (SF ) for use in electrical
equipment
IEC 60480, Guidelines for the checking and treatment of sulphur hexafluoride (SF ) taken
from electrical equipment and specification for its re-use

IEC 60507, Artificial pollution tests on high-voltage ceramic and glass insulators to be used
on a.c. systems
IEC 60512-2-2, Connectors for electronic equipment – Tests and measurements – Part 2-2:
Electrical continuity and contact resistance tests – Test 2b: Contact resistance – Specified
test current method
IEC 60529:1989, Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)
IEC 60529:1989/AMD1:1999
IEC 60529:1989/AMD2:2013
IEC TS 60815-1:2008, Selection and dimensioning of high-voltage insulators intended for use
in polluted conditions – Part 1: Definitions, information and general principles
IEC TS 60815-2:2008, Selection and dimensioning of high-voltage insulators intended for use
in polluted conditions – Part 2: Ceramic and glass insulators for a.c. systems
IEC TS 60815-3:2008, Selection and dimensioning of high-voltage insulators intended for use
in polluted conditions – Part 3: Polymer insulators for a.c. systems
IEC 61000-4-4, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Part 4-4: Testing and measurement
techniques – Electrical fast transient/burst immunity test
IEC 61000-4-11, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Part 4-11: Testing and measurement
techniques – Voltage dips, short interruptions and voltage variations immunity tests
IEC 61000-4-17:2009, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Part 4-17: Testing and
measurement techniques – Ripple on d.c. input power port immunity test
IEC 61000-4-18, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Part 4-18: Testing and measurement
techniques – Damped oscillatory wave immunity test
IEC 61000-4-29, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Part 4-29: Testing and measurement
techniques – Voltage dips, short interruptions and voltage variations on d.c. input power port
immunity tests
IEC 61000-6-2, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Part 6-2: Generic standards –
Immunity for industrial environments
IEC 61000-6-5, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Part 6-5: Generic standards –
Immunity for equipment used in power station and substation environment
IEC 61180, High-voltage test techniques for low-voltage equipment – Definitions, test and
procedure requirements, test equipment
IEC 61810-7:2006, Electromechanical elementary relays – Part 7: Test and measurement
procedures
IEC 62262:2002, Degrees of protection provided by enclosures for electrical equipment
against external mechanical impacts (IK code)
IEC 62271-1:2017, High-voltage switchgear and controlgear – Part 1: Common specifications
for alternating current switchgear and controlgear
IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021
– 12 – IEC 62271-214:2024 EXV © IEC 2024
IEC 62271-4, High-voltage switchgear and controlgear – Part 4: Handling procedures for
sulphur hexafluoride (SF ) and its mixtures
IEC 62271-200:2021, High-voltage switchgear and controlgear – Part 200: AC metal-enclosed
switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV
CISPR 11:2015, Industrial, scientific and medical equipment – Radio-frequency disturbance
characteristics – Limits and methods of measurement
CISPR TR 18-2, Radio interference characteristics of overhead power lines and high-voltage
equipment – Part 2: Methods of measurement and procedure for determining limits
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 62271-1,
IEC 60050-151 and IEC 60050-441, as well as the following apply.
NOTE 1 The classification system for definitions of IEC 62271-1:2017 is not followed. Terms and definitions are
referenced and prioritized in the following order:
– Clause 3 of this document;
– IEC 62271-1:2017;
– IEC 60050-441;
– IEC 60050-151.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.ele
...

IEC 62271-214 ®
Edition 2.0 2024-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
High-voltage switchgear and controlgear –
Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed pole-mounted
switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and
including 52 kV
Appareillage à haute tension –
Partie 214 : Classification arc interne des appareillages sous enveloppe
métallique à courant alternatif de tensions assignées supérieures à 1 kV et
inférieures ou égales à 52 kV montées sur poteau
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.
Droits de reproduction réservés. Sauf indication contraire, aucune partie de cette publication ne peut être reproduite ni
utilisée sous quelque forme que ce soit et par aucun procédé, électronique ou mécanique, y compris la photocopie et
les microfilms, sans l'accord écrit de l'IEC ou du Comité national de l'IEC du pays du demandeur. Si vous avez des
questions sur le copyright de l'IEC ou si vous désirez obtenir des droits supplémentaires sur cette publication, utilisez
les coordonnées ci-après ou contactez le Comité national de l'IEC de votre pays de résidence.
IEC Secretariat Tel.: [phone]
3, rue de Varembé [e-mail]
CH-1211 Geneva 20 www.iec.ch
Switzerland
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 corrigendum or an amendment might have been published.
IEC publications search - webstore.iec.ch/advsearchform IEC Products & Services Portal - products.iec.ch
The advanced search enables to find IEC publications by a Discover our powerful search engine and read freely all the
variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical publications previews, graphical symbols and the glossary.
committee, …). It also gives information on projects, replaced With a subscription you will always have access to up to date
and withdrawn publications. content tailored to your needs.
IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished
Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published
The world's leading online dictionary on electrotechnology,
details all new publications released. Available online and once
containing more than 22 500 terminological entries in English
a month by email.
and French, with equivalent terms in 25 additional languages.
Also known as the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary
IEC Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc
(IEV) online.
If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or need
further assistance, please contact the Customer Service
Centre: [e-mail].
A propos de l'IEC
La Commission Electrotechnique Internationale (IEC) est la première organisation mondiale qui élabore et publie des
Normes internationales pour tout ce qui a trait à l'électricité, à l'électronique et aux technologies apparentées.
A propos des publications IEC
Le contenu technique des publications IEC est constamment revu. Veuillez vous assurer que vous possédez l’édition la
plus récente, un corrigendum ou amendement peut avoir été publié.
Recherche de publications IEC - IEC Products & Services Portal - products.iec.ch
webstore.iec.ch/advsearchform Découvrez notre puissant moteur de recherche et consultez
La recherche avancée permet de trouver des publications IEC gratuitement tous les aperçus des publications, symboles
en utilisant différents critères (numéro de référence, texte, graphiques et le glossaire. Avec un abonnement, vous aurez
comité d’études, …). Elle donne aussi des informations sur les toujours accès à un contenu à jour adapté à vos besoins.
projets et les publications remplacées ou retirées.
Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished
Le premier dictionnaire d'électrotechnologie en ligne au monde,
Restez informé sur les nouvelles publications IEC. Just
avec plus de 22 500 articles terminologiques en anglais et en
Published détaille les nouvelles publications parues.
français, ainsi que les termes équivalents dans 25 langues
Disponible en ligne et une fois par mois par email.
additionnelles. Egalement appelé Vocabulaire
Electrotechnique International (IEV) en ligne.
Service Clients - webstore.iec.ch/csc
Si vous désirez nous donner des commentaires sur cette
publication ou si vous avez des questions contactez-nous:
[e-mail].
IEC 62271-214 ®
Edition 2.0 2024-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
High-voltage switchgear and controlgear –
Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed pole-mounted
switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and
including 52 kV
Appareillage à haute tension –
Partie 214 : Classification arc interne des appareillages sous enveloppe
métallique à courant alternatif de tensions assignées supérieures à 1 kV et
inférieures ou égales à 52 kV montées sur poteau
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 29.130.10 ISBN 978-2-8322-8431-5
– 2 – IEC 62271-214:2024 © IEC 2024
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms and definitions . 8
3.1 General terms and definitions . 8
3.8 Index of definitions . 10
4 Normal and special service conditions . 11
5 Ratings . 11
5.1 General . 11
5.2 Rated voltage (U ) . 11
r
5.2.1 General . 11
5.3 Rated insulation level (U , U , U ) . 11
d p s
5.4 Rated frequency (f ) . 12
r
5.101 Ratings of the internal arc classification (IAC) . 12
5.101.1 General . 12
5.101.2 Rated approach distance (D ) . 12
AP
5.101.3 Rated arc fault currents (I , I ) . 12
A Ae
5.101.4 Rated arc fault duration (t , t ) . 12
A Ae
6 Design and construction . 12
6.11 Nameplate . 12
6.11.2 Application . 12
6.101 Internal arc fault . 13
6.102 Enclosure . 13
7 Type tests . 14
7.1 General . 14
7.1.1 Basics . 14
7.1.2 Information for identification of test object . 15
7.1.3 Information to be included in type-test reports . 15
7.101 Internal arc type test . 16
7.101.1 General . 16
7.101.2 Test conditions . 16
7.101.3 Arrangement of the equipment . 17
7.101.4 Indicators (for assessing the thermal effects of the gases) . 19
7.101.5 Arrangement of indicators . 19
7.101.6 Test parameters . 20
7.101.7 Test procedure . 21
7.101.8 Criteria to pass the test . 26
7.101.9 Transferability of the test results . 26
8 Routine tests . 27
9 Guide to the selection of switchgear and controlgear (informative) . 27
9.1 General . 27
9.101 Internal arc fault . 27
9.101.1 General . 27
9.101.2 Causes and preventive measures . 28

9.101.3 Supplementary protective measures . 28
9.101.4 Considerations for the selection and installation . 29
9.101.5 Internal arc test . 29
9.101.6 IAC designation . 29
10 Information to be given with enquiries, tenders and orders (informative) . 30
10.1 General . 30
11 Transport, storage, installation, operation instruction and maintenance . 30
11.1 General . 30
11.2 Conditions during transport, storage and installation . 31
11.3 Installation . 31
11.3.1 General . 31
11.101 Maintenance . 31
12 Safety . 31
12.1 General . 31
13 Influence of the product on the environment . 31
Annex A (normative) Identification of the test objects . 32
A.1 General . 32
A.2 Data . 32
A.3 Drawings. 32
Bibliography . 33

Figure 1 – Examples of enclosures and compartment(s) in different arrangements . 14
Figure 2 – Test arrangement for pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear . 18
Figure 3 – Horizontal indicator . 19
Figure 4 – Flow-chart for the choice of arc initiation depending on the construction . 24

Table 1 – Nameplate information . 13
Table 2 – Parameters for internal arc fault test according to enclosure and
compartment construction . 23
Table 3 – Locations, causes and examples of measures to decrease the probability of
internal arc faults . 28
Table 4 – Single-phase-to-earth arc fault current depending on the network neutral
earthing . 30

– 4 – IEC 62271-214:2024 © IEC 2024
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
HIGH-VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR AND CONTROLGEAR –

Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed
pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages
above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV

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) IEC draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). IEC takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent rights in
respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, IEC had not received notice of (a) patent(s), which
may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that this may not represent
the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at https://patents.iec.ch. IEC
shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
IEC 62271-214 has been prepared by subcommittee 17C: Assemblies, of IEC technical
committee 17: High voltage switchgear and controlgear. It is an International Standard.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2019. This edition
constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
a) indicators positioning update;
b) neutral earthing connection of the test circuit for three-phase tests;
c) general review for consistency with IEC 62271-200, Ed.3.0:2021.

The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
17C/924/FDIS 17C/931/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.
This standard shall be read in conjunction with IEC 62271-1, second edition, published in 2017,
to which it refers, and which is applicable unless otherwise specified in this standard. In order
to simplify the indication of corresponding requirements, the same numbering of clauses and
subclauses is used as in IEC 62271-1. Amendments to these clauses and subclauses are given
under the same references whilst additional subclauses are numbered from 101. Any clause
with the term "Not applicable" relates to the clause not being relevant to IEC 62271-214, and
does not infer the clause is or is not relevant for its applicable switchgear standard.
A list of all parts of the IEC 62271 series, published under the general title High-voltage
switchgear and controlgear, 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, or
• revised.
– 6 – IEC 62271-214:2024 © IEC 2024
INTRODUCTION
IEC 62271-214 has been developed due to the requirement to remove IAC Type C designated
pole-mounted switchgear from IEC 62271-200. IEC 62271-214 is to be considered independent
of IEC 62271-200, however it is still related to other product standards of the IEC 62271 series.
Only open terminal pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear has been considered within this
document.
This equipment relates to operation in three-phase, two-phase and single-phase systems.

HIGH-VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR AND CONTROLGEAR –

Part 214: Internal arc classification for AC metal-enclosed
pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages
above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV

1 Scope
This part of IEC 62271 specifies requirements for internal arc classification of AC metal-
enclosed pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear with rated voltages above 1 kV and up to
and including 52 kV with service frequencies up to and including 60 Hz.
This document is applicable to three-phase, two-phase and single-phase open terminal
equipment for which an internal arc classification is assigned. Enclosures may include fixed and
removable components and may be filled with fluid (liquid or gas) to provide insulation.
NOTE 1 The IAC classification takes into account the installation disposition of the high-voltage switchgear and
controlgear and worker's operating area.
NOTE 2 For the use of this document, high-voltage (IEC 60050-601:1985, 601-01-27) is the rated voltage above
1 000 V. However, medium voltage (IEC 60050-601:1985, 601-01-28) is commonly used for distribution systems with
voltages above 1 kV and generally applied up to and including 52 kV; refer to [1] .
This document does not preclude that other equipment may be included in the same enclosure.
In such a case, any possible influence of that equipment on the switchgear and controlgear is
to be taken into account.
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 60050-151:2001, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 151: Electrical
and magnetic devices
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD1:2013
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD2:2014
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD3:2019
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD4:2020
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD5:2021
IEC 60050-441:1984, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 441: Switchgear,
controlgear and fuses
IEC 60050-441:1984/AMD1:2000
IEC 62271-1:2017, High-voltage switchgear and controlgear – Part 1: Common specifications
for alternating current switchgear and controlgear
IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021
___________
Numbers in square brackets refer to the Bibliography.

– 8 – IEC 62271-214:2024 © IEC 2024
IEC 62271-200:2021, High-voltage switchgear and controlgear – Part 200: AC metal-enclosed
switchgear and controlgear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 62271-1,
IEC 60050-151 and IEC 60050-441, as well as the following apply.
NOTE 1 The classification system for definitions of IEC 62271-1:2017 is not followed. Terms and definitions are
referenced and prioritized in the following order:
– Clause 3 of this document;
– IEC 62271-1:2017;
– IEC 60050-441;
– IEC 60050-151.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
NOTE 2 Additional definitions are classified so as to be aligned with the classification system used in
IEC 60050-441.
3.1 General terms and definitions
3.1.101
metal-enclosed switchgear and controlgear
switchgear and controlgear assemblies with an external metal enclosure intended to be earthed,
and completely assembled except for external connections
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-441:1984, 441-12-04, modified – "complete" has been replaced by
"completely assembled"; NOTE has been deleted.]
3.1.102
enclosure
part of an assembly providing a specified degree of protection of equipment against external
influences and a specified degree of protection against approach to or contact with live parts
and against contact with moving parts
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-441:1984, 441-13-01, modified – has been deleted.]
3.1.103
high-voltage compartment
compartment of switchgear and controlgear, containing high-voltage conducting parts, enclosed
except for openings necessary for interconnection, control or ventilation, where one segment
of the compartment can be part of the outer earthed metallic enclosure
3.1.104
component
essential part of the high-voltage or earthing circuits of pole-mounted switchgear and
controlgear which serves a specific function (e.g. circuit-breaker, disconnector, switch, fuse,
instrument transformer, bushing, busbar)

3.1.105
main circuit
all the high-voltage conductive parts of pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear included in a
circuit which is intended to carry the rated continuous current
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-441:1984, 441-13-02, modified – "high voltage" has been added,
"assembly" has been substituted by "pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear" and "transmit
electrical energy" has been substituted by "carry the rated continuous current".]
3.1.106
earthing circuit
conductors, connections, and the conducting parts of earthing devices intended to connect the
high-voltage conductive parts to the earthing system of the installation
Note 1 to entry: Parts of metallic enclosures connected to the earthing system can be part of the earthing circuit.
3.1.107
normal operating condition
in service condition with all covers properly closed and secured
Note 1 to entry: The term "in service" implies "under live conditions".
[SOURCE: IEC 62271-200:2021[2], 3.1.106, modified – "" and "doors and"
have been removed and Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.1.108
pressure relief device
device incorporated as part of an enclosure or compartment intended to operate to prevent
excessive pressure in the enclosure or compartment
3.1.109
fluid-filled compartment
high-voltage compartment of pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear filled with a fluid, either
gas, other than ambient air, or liquid, for insulation purposes
3.1.110
pole
vertical single member support in wood, concrete, steel or other material, with one end buried
in the ground, either directly or by means of a foundation
Note 1 to entry: The term pole as defined here is not to be mixed up with the use of the same term as synonymous
for phase as used in other standards.
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-466:1990, 466-07-01[8], modified – Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.1.111
pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear
metal-enclosed switchgear and controlgear, typically connected to overhead lines, installed on
one or more poles or equivalent structures at a defined height, with restricted accessibility by
installation out of reach
– 10 – IEC 62271-214:2024 © IEC 2024
3.1.112
internal arc classification
IAC
metal-enclosed switchgear and controlgear for which prescribed criteria, for protection of
authorized persons and the general public beneath the apparatus, are met in the event of
internal arc for specified installation conditions, as demonstrated by type tests
Note 1 to entry: The internal arc classification is described by the characteristics given from 3.1.114 to 3.1.116.
[SOURCE: IEC 62271-200:2021, 3.6.117, modified – "authorized" and "and general public
beneath the apparatus" have been added, "assembly" has been changed by "metal-enclosed
switchgear and controlgear".]
3.1.113
arc fault current
three-phase and where applicable the single-phase-to-earth RMS value of the internal arc fault
current for which the switchgear and controlgear is designed to protect persons in the event of
an internal arc
[SOURCE: IEC 62271-200:2021, 3.7.101]
3.1.114
arc fault duration
duration of the internal arc fault current for which the switchgear and controlgear is designed to
protect persons in the event of an internal arc
[SOURCE: IEC 62271-200:2021, 3.7.102]
3.1.115
approach distance
distance between the test object and indicators arranged in an IAC test
3.1.116
arc mitigation device
device dedicated to reacting to internal arc fault conditions to decrease the arc energy
[SOURCE: CIGRE TECHNICAL BROCHURE 686:2017][5]
3.8 Index of definitions
A – C
approach distance . 3.1.115
arc fault current . 3.1.113
arc fault duration . 3.1.114
arc mitigation device . 3.1.116
component . 3.1.104
E – F
earthing circuit . 3.1.106
enclosure . 3.1.102
fluid-filled compartment . 3.1.109

H – I
high-voltage compartment . 3.1.103
internal arc classification, IAC . 3.1.112
M – N
main circuit . 3.1.105
metal-enclosed switchgear and controlgear . 3.1.101
normal operating condition . 3.1.107
P
pole . 3.1.110
pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear . 3.1.111
pressure relief device . 3.1.108
4 Normal and special service conditions
Clause 4 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 is not applicable.
5 Ratings
Subclauses of Clause 5 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 not mentioned
below are not applicable for this document.
5.1 General
Subclause 5.1 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 is not applicable and
replaced by following text:
The relevant ratings for the internal arc classification are the following:
a) rated voltage (U );
r
b) rated frequency (f );
r
c) ratings of the internal arc classification (IAC).
5.2 Rated voltage (U )
r
Subclause 5.2 of IEC 62271-1:2017 is applicable with following addition to 5.2.1.
5.2.1 General
The rated voltage is equal to the maximum system voltage for which the equipment is designed.
It indicates the maximum value of the "highest system voltage" of networks for which the
equipment may be used (refer to Clause 9 of IEC 60038:2009 [6]).
NOTE It is possible that components forming part of pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear have differing values
of rated voltage in accordance with their relevant standards.
5.3 Rated insulation level (U , U , U )
d p s
Not applicable.
– 12 – IEC 62271-214:2024 © IEC 2024
5.4 Rated frequency (f )
r
Subclause 5.4 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 is applicable.
5.101 Ratings of the internal arc classification (IAC)
5.101.1 General
An IAC classified pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear shall have the following ratings:
rated approach distance, arc fault currents and arc fault durations.
5.101.2 Rated approach distance (D )
AP
The rated approach distance shall be stated by the manufacturer (refer to Figure 2).
5.101.3 Rated arc fault currents (I , I )
A Ae
The value of rated arc fault currents should be selected from the R 10 series specified in
IEC 60059 [7].
Two ratings of the arc fault currents are recognised:
a) three-phase and phase-to-phase arc fault current (I ), when applicable;
A
b) single-phase-to-earth arc fault current (I ), when applicable.
Ae
When only a three-phase rating is specified, the single-phase rating is by default 87 % of the
three-phase rating, and need not be specified.
NOTE 1 The rationale for this 87 % is the arc fault test with 2-phase ignition; refer to 7.101.7.2.
The manufacturer shall specify the compartments to which the single-phase-to-earth arc fault
current rating applies. Such value is assigned to switchgear and controlgear where its
construction will prevent the arc from becoming multiphase, as demonstrated during the internal
arc test.
In the case where all high-voltage compartments are only designed for single-phase-to-earth
arc faults, instead of I rating, the I rating shall be assigned (refer to 7.101.7.2).
A Ae
NOTE 2 Information about the relationship between type of neutral earthing and the single-phase-to-earth arc fault
current is provided in 9.101.6.
5.101.4 Rated arc fault duration (t , t )
A Ae
Recommended values for the arc fault duration (t , t ) are 0,1 s, 0,5 s and 1 s.
A Ae
NOTE It is in general not possible to calculate the permissible arc duration for a current which differs from that used
in the test.
6 Design and construction
Subclauses of Clause 6 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 not mentioned
below are not applicable for this document.
6.11 Nameplate
6.11.2 Application
Subclause 6.11.2 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 is applicable, except
for Table 9, with the following additions:

Pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear, with a rated internal arc classification shall include
in the nameplate the additional IAC information in accordance with Table 1.
Table 1 – Nameplate information
Abbreviation Unit ** Condition:
Marking only required if
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Internal arc classification IAC X
Rated approach distance D m X
AP
Arc fault current and duration I , t kA, s Y Three-phase test or
A A
phase-to-phase test are
applicable
Single-phase-to-earth arc fault current I , t kA, s Y A single-phase test is
Ae Ae
and duration applicable or I differs
Ae
from 87 % of I
A
Fitted with arc mitigation device  Y Arc mitigation device
fitted and not disabled
during testing
(**)
X : the marking of these values is mandatory
Y : conditions for marking of these values are given in column (5)
NOTE If there is an abbreviation in column (2) it can be used instead of the terms in column (1).

6.101 Internal arc fault
Pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear, in principle, are designed and manufactured, to
prevent the occurrence of internal arc faults.
However, the switchgear and controlgear shall be designed to give a defined level of protection
of persons in the event of an internal arc, when the switchgear and controlgear is in normal
operating condition.
The designation shall be included in the nameplate (refer to 6.11).
Some examples for internal arc classification are given in 7.101.7.2.5.
6.102 Enclosure
The enclosure is designed for withstanding the mechanical, electrical, thermal and
environmental stresses likely to be encountered in normal operating condition and under
conditions of internal arc fault.
Figure 1 shows examples of different arrangements of components in high voltage
compartment(s) within an enclosure.

– 14 – IEC 62271-214:2024 © IEC 2024

a) three-phase
b) single-phase
Figure 1 – Examples of enclosures and compartment(s) in different arrangements
7 Type tests
Subclauses of Clause 7 of IEC 62271-1:2017 and IEC 62271-1:2017/AMD1:2021 not mentioned
below are not applicable for this document.
7.1 General
7.1.1 Basics
The type test is performed to verify the internal arc ratings and characteristics of pole-mounted
switchgear and controlgear.
7.1.2 Information for identification of test object
Subclause 7.1.2 of IEC 62271-1:2017 does not apply for this document and is replaced by
following text.
The manufacturer shall submit to the testing laboratory, drawings and other data containing
sufficient information to unambiguously identify by type the essential details and parts of the
switchgear and controlgear presented for test. A summary list of the drawings and data
schedules shall be supplied by the manufacturer and shall be uniquely referenced and shall
contain a statement to the effect that the manufacturer guarantees that the drawings or data
schedules listed are the correct version and truly represent the switchgear and controlgear to
be tested.
The testing laboratory shall check that drawings and data sheets adequately represent the
essential details and parts of the test object, but is not responsible for the accuracy of the
detailed information.
Particular drawings or data required to be submitted by the manufacturer to the test laboratory
for identification of essential parts of test object are specified in Annex A.
7.1.3 Information to be included in type-test reports
The results shall be recorded in type-test reports containing sufficient data to prove compliance
with the test clauses of this document for the test(s) conducted. Sufficient information shall be
included so that the essential parts of the test object can be identified. In particular, the following
information shall be included:
– manufacturer;
– type designation and unique identifier for the test object;
– rated characteristics of the test object;
– photographs to illustrate the condition of the test object before and after test;
– sufficient outline drawings and data schedules to represent the test object;
– the reference numbers of all drawings including revision number submitted to identify the
essential parts of the test object;
– details of the testing arrangement (including diagram of test circuit);
– statements of the behaviour of the test object during test and its condition after test;
– description of the test object with a drawing showing the main dimensions, details relevant
to the mechanical strength, the arrangement of the pressure relief device(s) and the method
of fixing the test object to the pole(s), including the pole characteristics;
– point and method of initiation of the internal arc fault;
– drawings of test arrangement (test object, source side connection point, and mounting frame
of indicators, pole dimensions) and any other relevant installation conditions; applied
voltage and frequency;
• IAC designation validated by test;
• include use of fuse protection if used;
• include the use of arc mitigation device if used;
– for the prospective and/or test current (refer to 7.101.6.3):
a) RMS value of the AC component during:
• the first three half-cycles;
• the last three half-cycles;
b) highest peak value (actual and/or prospective);
c) average RMS value of the AC component over the actual duration of the test;

– 16 – IEC 62271-214:2024 © IEC 2024
d) duration of arc fault current;
e) prospective RMS value and duration of the test current;
– oscillogram(s) showing currents and voltages;
– optionally, total arc energy, peak arc power;
– optionally, measurement of pressure in compartments;
– assessment of the test results, including a record of the observations in accordance with
7.101.8;
– other relevant remarks.
7.101 Internal arc type test
7.101.1 General
The test is applicable to pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear for which internal arc
classification is assigned, covering the event of an arc fault within the enclosure(s) or within
components having housings which form part of the enclosure in normal operating condition.
The internal arc test makes allowance for effects acting on all parts of the enclosure, such as
internal overpressure, thermal effects of the arc or its roots, and for the effects of ejected hot
gases and glowing particles on the persons situated beneath the apparatus under test.The tests
are not intended to cover e.g.:
– the influences of an internal arc between compartments;
– the effect of an arc on the external connections outside the enclosure;
– the effects caused by an explosion of high-voltage components;
– the presence of gases with potential toxic characteristics, or the hazard of fire propagation
to combustible materials or equipment placed in the proximity of the pole-mounted
switchgear and controlgear.
7.101.2 Test conditions
The test shall be carried out with the switchgear and controlgear in normal operating condition.
This means the position of high-voltage switching devices is set according to 7.101.7.1.4. All
other equipment, for example measuring instruments and monitoring equipment shall be in the
position as it is in normal operating condition.
Pole-mounted switchgear and controlgear which are protected by type-tested current-limiting
fuses, integrated inside the switchgear and controlgear, shall be tested with the fuse type that
causes the highest cut-of
...