IEC 60335-2-5 — Standard

About the Standard

Scope title of the IEC 60335 series: safety of household and similar electrical appliancesThis title describes the series as a whole. The scope of a particular part is determined by the part number in your specification.

IEC 60335-2-5 is a standard published by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It publishes international standards for electrical, electronic and related technologies; it is the foundation of the EMC and electrical safety body of work. CISPR publications belong to a special committee within the IEC.

See the other 102 codes from IEC

Coverage areas

Electrical Safety — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that code IEC 60335-2-5 belongs to; it is not the text of the standard or the regime itself. The scope title of the code is given above, and technical requirements are shared at the quotation stage.

Electrical safety testing shows that a device poses no risk of electric shock, fire or injury to the user in normal use and under foreseeable fault conditions. This family is the test group most often requested when a product enters the market; almost every electrically operated product passes through this gate.

The logic of the field rests on a single assumption: FAULTS WILL HAPPEN. Insulation will age, a component will short, a cable will break, the user will misuse the device. Standards therefore test not only normal operation but also single fault conditions. The sentence "the device works correctly" is not evidence in this field; the evidence is that the device stays safe when it fails.

Assessment addresses three layers together. In the constructional layer, insulation distances (creepage and clearance), protective barriers, earthing continuity, enclosure strength and component selection are examined — this layer is largely a matter of inspection and measurement rather than testing. In the electrical layer, dielectric strength, leakage current, insulation resistance and behaviour under fault conditions are measured. In the thermal layer, temperature rise in normal and abnormal operation is monitored; an overheating component is both a fire risk and a risk of insulation breakdown.

Which standard applies is determined by WHAT THE PRODUCT IS, and that decision affects the entire outcome. Household appliances fall under the IEC 60335 series, information technology and audio/video products under IEC 62368-1, measurement and laboratory equipment under IEC 61010-1, and medical devices under IEC 60601-1. A report obtained under the wrong standard is not accepted in the file even if the measurements it contains are correct.

Component conformity is often overlooked in this field. The safety of the device rests on the conformity of the transformer, optocoupler, fuse, switch and power supply it uses. The list of critical components and the certification status of each is part of the technical file; a change of component reopens the safety assessment.

Method groups in this field

Constructional examination
Insulation distances, barriers, earthing arrangement, accessibility and selection of critical components are examined. It comes before testing and many non-conformities are caught here.
Dielectric strength
It is verified that the insulation withstands the defined voltage. It must not be confused with the routine test on the production line; the type test is more severe.
Leakage current and earthing
The current that could reach the user is measured; the continuity and resistance of the protective earthing path are verified.
Heating tests
Temperatures of components, windings and accessible surfaces are measured in normal and abnormal operation.
Fault condition tests
Components are deliberately short-circuited or open-circuited; the appliance is expected not to cause a fire and not to make a hazardous part accessible.
Mechanical and enclosure tests
Impact, drop, strain relief, IP protection and the safety of moving parts are assessed.

Commonly confused in this field

A CB certificate is not a CE declaration. CB is the output of a mutual recognition arrangement that eases national certification; the CE declaration is made by the manufacturer under its own responsibility.
A part of IEC 60335 is not sufficient on its own; it is applied together with Part 1.
IEC 60950-1 and IEC 60065 have been withdrawn. Old certificates based on these codes cannot be used in a current file.
Separate certification of the adapter does not cover the conformity of the device; the device is assessed as the system it forms together with its power supply.
A change of critical component (transformer, fuse, optocoupler supplier) is not a silent change; it requires the safety file to be reviewed.

Which decisions these results support

CE declaration under the Low Voltage Directive
IECEE CB certificate and entry into national certification schemes
Assessing the safety impact of design changes
Establishing and maintaining the critical component list
Responding to market surveillance requests

Structure of the Code

Published by: IEC
Serial number: 60335
Part: 2-5

The last "2-5" is the section number of the standard. Chapters organize different coverages of the same series; The requirements of whichever section is written in the specification are applied.

Codes in the library without release year is kept. The current version changes over time; If the year is specified in your specification, that version is taken as basis, if not specified, the most current version is applied.

Scope

Electrical Safety

Related Tests and Services

A separate test page based on this code has not yet been released. The code falls within the scope of the following test families.

Electrical Safety

Technical Requirements

Standard texts are copyright of the relevant organization; test condition, sample and acceptance criteria cannot be fitted here.

Technical requirements specific to your product, once we clarify the scope At offer stage shared in writing.

Relevant Product Groups and Legislation

This code is included in the standard tag of the product pages below.

These product pages carry notes for the following markets: European Union, United Kingdom, USA, Saudi Arabia. Whether the standard is mandatory in the relevant market varies depending on the product group and the applicable legislation.

Regulations published with this code on the same product pages:

2014/35/EULVDThe Low Voltage Directive. Governs the electrical safety of equipment operating in the 50–1000 V AC range; the manufacturer makes the declaration, with no notified body involvement.
2014/30/EUEMCThe Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive. Covers both the interference a device emits into its environment (emission) and its resistance to interference from outside (immunity).
(AB) 666/2013EcodesignEcodesign requirements for vacuum cleaners. Sets minimum thresholds for annual energy consumption, dust pick-up and emission.
(AB) 665/2013Energy LabelEnergy labelling for vacuum cleaners. The label class is based on measurement and is one of the first points examined in market surveillance.
2011/65/EURoHSRestriction of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment; an integral part of the CE declaration.
2012/19/ABWEEEWaste electrical and electronic equipment. Requires product marking and registration with the collection system.
(EC) 1907/2006REACHRegistration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals. Creates a notification obligation for SVHC substances in the product's content.
(AB) 206/2012EcodesignEcodesign requirements for air conditioners and comfort fans. Sets minimum thresholds and a declaration obligation for seasonal efficiency and sound power level.
(AB) 626/2011Energy LabelEnergy labelling for air conditioners. The class on the label is based on measurement and is one of the first points examined in market surveillance.
(EU) 2024/573F-GasThe Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulation. The refrigerant type and its GWP value directly affect the product's placement on the market and labelling obligation.
2000/14/ATOutdoor NoiseNoise emitted into the environment by outdoor equipment. Whether the outdoor unit falls within scope is assessed according to product type.
(AB) 2019/2019EcodesignEcodesign requirements for refrigerating appliances. Sets conditions for energy efficiency, climate class and spare-parts availability.
(AB) 2019/2016Energy LabelEnergy labelling for refrigerating appliances. An A–G scale class and EPREL registration are mandatory.
(AB) 2019/2023EcodesignEcodesign requirements for washing machines and washer-dryers. Sets thresholds for energy and water consumption and washing/rinsing effectiveness.
(AB) 2019/2014Energy LabelEnergy labelling for washing machines. Class, water consumption and programme duration are declared on the label; EPREL registration is mandatory.

Other Parts of the Same Series

IEC 60335 series is also present in the library with the following parts.

Related Standards

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this standard mandatory for my product?

Whether it is mandatory depends on the product group, the target market and the applicable legislation. Once you tell us your product and market, we clarify in writing whether this standard is required.

How long does the test process take?

Duration depends on the scope of the standard, the number of specimens and current capacity. The exact duration is shared, together with the specimen and scope details, at the quote stage.

Do you issue certification against this standard?

Which activity is carried out under which accreditation scope is separately confirmed at the application stage. Up-to-date scope information is published on our corporate page.

What happens if the standard I need is not here?

The library is based on a continuously growing inventory. If you cannot find the code you are looking for, you can send it through the quote form; we will assess the relevant scope and get back to you.