IEC 62911:2016

Audio, video and information technology equipment - Routine electrical safety testing in production

IEC 62911:2016 defines routine electrical safety test procedures for use during or after manufacturing of complete equipment, sub-assemblies or components, complying with IEC 60065, IEC 60950-1 or IEC 62368-1 and powered by an a.c. mains supply or d.c. mains supply, to detect manufacturing failures and unacceptable tolerances in manufacturing and materials. All the tests defined in this standard do not necessarily have to be performed at the end product manufacturing location. The optimal location for the routine electrical safety tests can be defined by the equipment manufacturer and reviewed under the conformity assessment scheme. Key words: Audio, Video Electrical Safety Test

Appareils audio, vidéo et matériel de traitement de l'information - Essais individuels de série, en production, pour la vérification de la sécurité électrique

L'IEC 62911:2016 définit des procédures d'essais individuels de série pour la vérification de la sécurité électrique destinées à être utilisées pendant ou après la fabrication d'appareils complets, de sous-ensembles ou de composants, conformes à l'IEC 60065, l'IEC 60950-1 ou l'IEC 62368-1 et alimentés par un réseau d'alimentation en courant continu ou par un réseau d'alimentation en courant alternatif, afin de détecter des défaillances de fabrication et des tolérances inacceptables dans les matériaux et la fabrication. Il n'est pas nécessaire de réaliser tous les essais définis dans la présente norme sur le site de fabrication du produit fini. Le lieu optimal pour réaliser les essais individuels de série pour la vérification de la sécurité électrique peut être déterminé par le fabricant d'appareils et révisé par le système d'évaluation de la conformité. Mots-clés: audio, video, vérification de la sécurité électrique

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 05-Jan-2016
• ICS: 01 - GENERALITIES. TERMINOLOGY. STANDARDIZATION. DOCUMENTATION
• ICS: 33.160.01 - Audio, video and audiovisual systems in general
• ICS: 35.020 - Information technology (IT) in general
• Technical Committee: TC 108 - Safety of electronic equipment within the field of audio/video, information technology and communication technology
• Drafting Committee: WG HBSDT - TC 108/WG HBSDT
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 06-Jan-2016
• Completion Date: 31-Jan-2016

Relations

• Revised: IEC 62911:2025 - Audio, video and information technology equipment - Routine electrical safety testing in production
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Overview

IEC 62911:2016 is an international standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that establishes routine electrical safety test procedures for audio, video, and information technology equipment during production. This standard applies to equipment, sub-assemblies, or components powered by AC or DC mains supply that comply with IEC 60065, IEC 60950-1, or IEC 62368-1. Its primary goal is to detect manufacturing defects and tolerance deviations in materials or assembly to ensure the electrical safety of products before shipment.

The standard outlines protocols for conducting routine electrical safety tests either during or after manufacturing. Importantly, the location for performing these tests can be selected optimally by the manufacturer and reviewed under conformity assessment schemes, providing flexibility in quality control operations.

Key Topics

• Scope and Application
  IEC 62911:2016 is intended for routine electrical safety verification of complete audio, video, and IT equipment as well as their sub-assemblies or components. It targets products powered either by AC or DC mains, ensuring compliance with the broader safety standards IEC 60065, IEC 60950-1, or IEC 62368-1.

• Routine Electrical Safety Tests
  The core tests defined in the standard include:

  • Resistance of Protective Bonding System: Ensures the continuity and integrity of the protective earth connections in Class I equipment. The resistance must not exceed 0.1 ohms, verified using a test current between 10 A and 25 A.
  • Electric Strength Test: Verifies the insulation strength between live circuits and accessible conductive parts by applying specified AC or DC test voltages based on mains voltage ratings. This test identifies insulation faults that may pose safety hazards.

• Test Voltage Specifications
  IEC 62911 specifies minimum test voltages to be applied depending on equipment mains voltage and connection type:

  • For AC mains equipment, different test voltage peak values are outlined for accessible parts connected or not connected to protective earth.
  • For DC mains equipment, DC test voltages correspond to rated voltage categories, with guidelines preventing damage from overstressing insulation.

• Conformance and Documentation
  Equipment must pass all applicable routine electrical safety tests before leaving the manufacturing site. Detailed records of test results must be maintained, supporting conformity assessment and auditing.

Applications

IEC 62911:2016 is crucial in manufacturing environments for:

• Quality Assurance in Production
  Routine verification of electrical safety ensures that audio, video, and IT equipment are free from potentially hazardous electrical defects before shipment, enhancing product reliability and customer safety.

• Compliance with Safety Regulations
  Manufacturers utilize IEC 62911 testing protocols to meet regulatory and market requirements for electrical safety in international markets, facilitating smoother certification and acceptance.

• Testing of Sub-Assemblies and Components
  The standard allows testing of individual components or subassemblies when full equipment testing is impractical before final assembly, aiding modular manufacturing processes.

• Flexible Test Location Options
  Manufacturers can determine the optimal site for routine testing, whether on the production floor, at subcontractor locations, or post-manufacture, enhancing operational efficiency.

Related Standards

IEC 62911:2016 aligns with and complements several key international standards in electrical safety for audio, video, and information technology equipment:

• IEC 60065 – Safety requirements for audio, video, and similar electronic apparatus.
• IEC 60950-1 – Safety of information technology equipment, focusing on general safety requirements.
• IEC 62368-1 – Hazard-based safety standard for audio/video, information, and communication technology equipment.

Together, these standards provide a comprehensive framework for product design, testing, and production safety verification.

---

Keywords: IEC 62911, routine electrical safety testing, audio video equipment safety, information technology equipment, electrical safety test procedures, protective bonding resistance, electric strength test, manufacturing quality assurance, IEC 60065, IEC 60950-1, IEC 62368-1, AC mains safety test, DC mains safety test, conformity assessment.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 62911 ®
Edition 1.0 2016-01
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Audio, video and information technology equipment – Routine electrical safety
testing in production
Appareils audio, vidéo et matériel de traitement de l'information – Essais
individuels de série, en production, pour la vérification de la sécurité électrique
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IEC 62911 ®
Edition 1.0 2016-01
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Audio, video and information technology equipment – Routine electrical safety

testing in production
Appareils audio, vidéo et matériel de traitement de l'information – Essais

individuels de série, en production, pour la vérification de la sécurité électrique

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 33.160, 35.020 ISBN 978-2-8322-3094-7

– 2 – IEC 62911:2016 © IEC 2016
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Conformance . 5
5 Routine electrical safety tests . 6
5.1 Resistance of protective bonding system . 6
5.2 Electric strength test . 6
6 Records of tests . 9

Table 1 – Test voltage for equipment with a.c. mains . 7
Table 2 – Test voltage for equipment with d.c. mains . 7
Table 3 – DC test voltages . 8

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
AUDIO, VIDEO AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT –
ROUTINE ELECTRICAL SAFETY TESTING IN PRODUCTION

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,
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8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 62911 has been prepared by TC108: Safety of electronic
equipment within the field of audio/video, information technology and communication
technology
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
108/616/FDIS 108/635/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
In this standard, the following print types or formats are used:
– requirements proper and normative annexes: in roman type;

– 4 – IEC 62911:2016 © IEC 2016
– compliance statements and test specifications: in italic type;
– notes/explanatory matter: in smaller roman type;
– normative conditions within tables: in smaller roman type;
– terms that are defined in Clause 3: bold.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
AUDIO, VIDEO AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT –
ROUTINE ELECTRICAL SAFETY TESTING IN PRODUCTION

1 Scope
This International Standard defines routine electrical safety test procedures for use during
or after manufacturing of complete equipment, sub-assemblies or components, complying with
IEC 60065, IEC 60950-1 or IEC 62368-1 and powered by an a.c. mains supply or d.c. mains
supply, to detect manufacturing failures and unacceptable tolerances in manufacturing and
materials.
NOTE All the tests defined in this standard do not necessarily have to be performed at the end product
manufacturing location. The optimal location for the routine electrical safety tests can be defined by the
equipment manufacturer and reviewed under the conformity assessment scheme.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 60065, Audio, video and similar electronic apparatus – Safety requirements
IEC 60950-1, Information technology equipment – Safety – Part 1: General requirements
IEC 62368-1, Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment – Part 1:
Safety requirements
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 60065, IEC 60950-1
and IEC 62368-1, as well as the following apply.
3.1
routine electrical safety test
electrical safety test to which each individual equipment is subjected during or at the end of
manufacture
4 Conformance
Equipment shall pass the routine electrical safety tests of Clause 5 where applicable and
the results of these tests shall be recorded according to Clause 6 prior to shipment from the
manufacturing site.
NOTE Practical measures can be used to conduct the test, such as finding an appropriate way to make the
connections necessary to perform the relevant test.

– 6 – IEC 62911:2016 © IEC 2016
5 Routine electrical safety tests
5.1 Resistance of protective bonding system
For class I equipment, the continuity of the protective bonding system shall be checked
between the protective earth contact of the mains plug or appliance inlet, or the protective
earthing terminal in case of a permanently connected equipment, and
– the accessible conductive parts that need to be connected to the protective earthing
terminal for compliance with the requirements of the standard, and
– the protective earth contact of the socket-outlets respectively, if provided to deliver mains
power to other equipment.
NOTE 1 Functional earth is not considered a part of the protective bonding system and as a consequence, it does
not need to be tested.
The minimum test current is 150 % of the rating of the overcurrent device protecting the
protective bonding conductor (the protective current rating), but not less than 10 A and
not more than 25 A (a.c. or d.c.), applied for any duration between 1 s and 4 s. The source
shall have a no-load voltage not exceeding 12 V.
The resistance, calculated from the voltage drop, shall not exceed 0,1 Ω.
It is permitted to include the power cord (if any) in the resistance measurement and, if the
result exceeds 0,1 Ω, to subtract the resistance of the protective earthing conductor of the
power cord.
NOTE 2 Ensure that the contact resistance between the tip of the measuring probe and the conductive part under
test does not influence the test result.
5.2 Electric strength test
Routine tests for electric strength shall be carried out between circuits connected to the
mains (primary circuits) and accessible conductive parts. For accessible circuits not
connected to the mains (secondary circuits), it is permitted to test separately, before final
assembly, subassemblies and components, such as transformers, if the relevant insulation
cannot be tested in the complete equipment, provided that the complete equipment complies
with IEC 60065, IEC 60950-1 or IEC 62368-1 as appropriate.
The insulation of the equipment shall be checked by the following test:
– for equipment supplied by an a.c. mains, an a.c. test voltage of substantially sine-wave
form, having mains frequency, or a d.c. test voltage or a combination of both with a peak
value as specified in Table 1 is applied;
– for equipment supplied by a d.c. mains, a d.c. voltage according to Table 2 is applied;
– for equipment supplied by either an a.c. mains or a d.c. mains, the test can be applied at
either a.c. or d.c., making sure that the test voltage is the equivalent of the highest of the
two required test voltages as given in the above two dashes.
The test voltages given are the minimum test voltages to be applied. Higher voltages are
allowed at the discretion of the manufacturer provided the insulation is not damaged due to
overstress by the voltage applied.
NOTE 1 Applying an electrical strength test voltage that is too high can result in deterioration or partial damage of
the insulation.
The test voltage is applied between the supply terminals connected together and
– terminals regarded as accessible, and
– accessible conductive parts respectively,

that may become hazardous live (ES3) in the event of an insulation fault as a result of
incorrect assembly.
NOTE 2 Terminals regarded as accessible and accessible conductive parts can be connected together during
the electric strength test.
Table 1 – Test voltage for equipment with a.c. mains
Test voltage
V (peak) a.c or d.c.
Application of test voltage
Rated mains voltage Rated mains voltage
≤ 150 > 150
1 130 2 120
Accessible parts connected to protective earth
(800 r.m.s.) (1 500 r.m.s.)
2 120 3 540
Accessible parts not connected to protective earth
(1 500 r.m.s.) (2 500 r.m.s.)
Functional earth is not considered to be protective earth. Accessible parts connected to functional earth have to
be tested as not being connected to protective earth.

Table 2 – Test voltage for equipment with d.c. mains
Test voltage
V d.c.
Application of test voltage
Up to and including Over 60 V up to and
60 V including 10 kV
Accessible parts connected to protective earth No test see V in Table 3

a
Accessible parts not connected to protective earth No test see V in Table 3

b
Functional earth is not considered to be protective earth. Accessible parts connected to functional earth have to
be tested as not being connected to protective earth.

– 8 – IEC 62911:2016 © IEC 2016
Table 3 – DC test voltages
DC mains supply voltage V d.c. V d.c.
a b
> 60 921 1 472
62 935 1 495
64 947 1 517
66 962 1 538
68 976 1 560
70 988 1 581
72 1 001 1 602
74 1 014 1 622
76 1 027 1 643
78 1 039 1 663
80 1 052 1 683
85 1 082 1 731
90 1 110 1 777
95 1 138 1 821
100 1 167 1 865
105 1 193 1 909
110 1 219 1 950
115 1 244 1 991
120 1 268 2 031
125 1 294 2 069
130 1 316 2 107
135 1 340 2 145
140 1 363 2 180
145 1 386 2 217
150 1 407 2 253
152 1 414 2 262
a
155 1 414 2 286
a
160 1 414 2 320
a
165 1 414 2 353
a
170 1 414 2 387
a
175 1 414 2 419
a
180 1 414 2 450
a
184 1 414 2 476
185 1 551 2 482
190 1 571 2 513
200 1 608 2 573
210 1 644 2 631
220 1 681 2 689
230 1 717 2 746
240 1 751 2 800
250 1 783 2 853
260 1 817 2 906
270 1 848 2 958
280 1 881 3 008
290 1 910 3 057
300 1 941 3 105
310 1 971 3 153
320 1 999 3 200
330 2 029 3 247
340 2 057 3 292
350 2 084 3 336
DC mains supply voltage V d.c. V d.c.
a b
360 2 113 3 379
380 2 166 3 466
400 2 219 3 549
420 2 269 3 630
440 2 319 3 709
460 2 367 3 787
480 2 414 3 862
500 2 460 3 937
520 2 506 4 009
540 2 549 4 079
560 2 593 4 149
580 2 636 4 217
588 2 651 4 242
600 2 677 4 242
Linear interpolation is permitted between the nearest two points.
a 0,463 8
At these voltages, the values of V are determined by the general curve V = 155,86 U and are not
b b
1,6 V .
a
Before the test voltage is applied, contact shall be made between the equipment and the
connection devices.
The voltage applied to the insulation under test may be gradually raised from zero to the
prescribed voltage and maintained at that value for 1 s to 4 s.
During the test, mains switches and functional switches conductively connected to the mains,
if any, shall be in the on-position and it shall be ensured by suitable means that the test
voltage is effectively connected to the equipment.
No flash-over or breakdown shall occur during the test. The test voltage source shall be
provided with a current sensing (over-current) device which, when activat
...