Cyclic Humidity – IEC 60068-2-30

What Is Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30?

The cyclic humidity test is one in which high humidity is applied during rising and falling temperature cycles to create condensation on the sample surface. It is defined as method Db in IEC 60068-2-30 and reveals moisture ingress through the breathing effect.

Purpose of Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30

The purpose is to assess moisture ingress into the enclosure, condensation-induced corrosion, and insulation degradation.

Which Products Is Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30 Applied To?

Outdoor electronic enclosures
Automotive control units
Lighting fixtures
Connectors
Coated metal parts

In Which Sectors Is Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30 Used?

ElectronicsElectricalAutomotiveDefenceAerospace

Standards Related to Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30

IEC 60068-2-30cyclic moist heat testing test

Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30 Conditions

Temperature cycle: Defined in the specification; 25 °C to 40 or 55 °C in IEC 60068-2-30
Relative humidity: Above 95% for most of the cycle
Cycle duration: Usually 24 hour cycles
Number of cycles: Defined in specification (e.g. 2, 6, 21 cycles)

Equipment for Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30

Programmable temperature-humidity chamber
Humidity and temperature logging
Insulation resistance measuring instrument
Function-monitoring rig

Sample Requirements for Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30

The sample must be tested with the actual enclosure and sealing
Initial insulation resistance and function must be measured
Condensation must be allowed to form on the sample surface
The number of specimens is set out in the specification

Duration of Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30

Depends on the number of cycles; a 21-cycle programme takes about three weeks.

Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30 Procedure

1Initial measurements are taken.
2The specimen is placed in the chamber.
3The temperature-humidity cycle profile is loaded.
4The defined number of cycles is run.
5Measurements are taken within the time defined in the standard at the end of the cycle.
6The enclosure is opened to assess moisture ingress and corrosion.

Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30 Acceptance Criteria

The acceptance criterion is defined in the product standard: moisture ingress not disrupting function, insulation resistance not falling below the limit, and no corrosion.

Evaluation of Results

The amount and location of condensation inside the enclosure are assessed. Moisture entering via the breathing effect is usually seen at gasket and cable-entry regions.

Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30 Report

Standard and method applied
Cycle profile and count
Insulation resistance and function results
Moisture ingress observations and photographs

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

Automotive and outdoor equipment specifications

Environmental and Climatic Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Cyclic Humidity test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Environmental testing shows whether a product withstands ambient factors such as temperature, humidity, pressure, solar radiation, dust, water and corrosive atmospheres. The aim is not to break the product but to bring forward, in ACCELERATED form, the conditions it will meet over its life.

Test profiles are derived from the product's real exposure, and that derivation is the actual engineering work of the field. A device operating in an enclosed office and one mounted on a pole are not tested with the same profile. The IEC 60068 series defines general methods, MIL-STD-810 military profiles, RTCA DO-160 aviation profiles and the ISO 16750 series location-based automotive profiles. A test applied without a profile selection produces both unnecessary cost and false confidence.

Temperature tests simulate three separate phenomena and all three produce different failure modes. Steady high/low temperature tests whether the material can operate at that temperature. Temperature CYCLING creates fatigue at joints between materials with different expansion coefficients — solder cracks appear here. Thermal SHOCK intensifies this effect through an abrupt transition.

There is a distinction in humidity testing too. Steady damp heat shows the diffusion of moisture into the material and its effect on insulation properties. Cyclic damp heat creates condensation: water droplets form on the cooling surface, and this is far more aggressive than dry humidity. Water ingress into enclosures, increased leakage current and corrosion usually appear in the cyclic test.

Dust and water protection is a separate body of work and is expressed by the IP code. The point to note here is that an IP test is not a DURABILITY test: it shows that protection is provided under defined and short-duration conditions, not resistance to long-term immersion or pressure washing.

The most common mistake in this family is translating a test result directly into a LIFE PREDICTION. Accelerated tests are designed for comparison and design verification; a reliable conversion between hours in a chamber and years in the field can only be established with a material-specific acceleration model calibrated against field data.

Functional monitoring determines the value of the test. Keeping a product in a temperature chamber and then switching it on does not show what happened DURING the test. In critical applications the product is operated throughout the test and its parameters are monitored; intermittent faults that appear and disappear can only be caught this way.

Method groups in this field

Temperature
Dry heat, cold, change of temperature and thermal shock; steady and cyclic profiles.
Humidity
Steady damp heat and cyclic damp heat; cycles with condensation are more aggressive.
Water and dust
IP protection tests: dripping, spraying, jets, immersion and dust tightness.
Radiation and ageing
Accelerated ageing by xenon arc and fluorescent UV, solar radiation simulation.
Pressure and altitude
Low pressure (altitude) and rapid pressure change tests.
Corrosive atmosphere
Salt spray, mixed flowing gas corrosion (simulating industrial atmospheres), mould and fungus tests.

Commonly confused in this field

Test duration cannot be converted into field life; a conversion made without an acceleration model is misleading.
Temperature cycling and steady temperature produce different failure modes; neither replaces the other.
If the product is not operated during the test, intermittent faults remain invisible; functional monitoring determines the value of the test.
IP protection is not evidence of durability; it shows protection under defined and short-duration conditions.
A test applied without profile selection both increases cost and gives false confidence.
The mounting and orientation arrangement affects the result; the report must document it.

Which decisions these results support

Design verification and qualification
Declaration of the protection class and operating temperature range
Reproducing field failures in the laboratory and root cause analysis
Supplier component approval
Decisions on warranty period and storage conditions

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Cyclic Humidity — IEC 60068-2-30

According to which standard is Cyclic Humidity made?

Cyclic Humidity is executed in scope IEC 60068-2-30, IEC 60068-2-38, ISO 6270-2 and MIL-STD-810 Method 507. The limit values and acceptance criteria to be applied are defined in the product standard; The version valid for your product is confirmed in writing at the offer stage.

Which products does Cyclic Humidity apply to?

Mainly applied to Outdoor electronic enclosures, Automotive control units, Lighting fixtures, Connectors and Coated metal parts. Whether your product is included in the scope is determined by examining its technical specifications and intended use.

Under what conditions is Cyclic Humidity done?

The determining parameters are: Temperature cycle — Defined in the specification; 25 °C to 40 or 55 °C in IEC 60068-2-30, Relative humidity — Above 95% for most of the cycle and Cycle duration — Usually 24 hour cycles. The full terms are in the "Test Conditions" section on the page and vary depending on the product standard.

What kind of sample is needed for Cyclic Humidity?

The sample must be tested with the actual enclosure and sealing, Initial insulation resistance and function must be measured and Condensation must be allowed to form on the sample surface. The number of samples is determined according to the product standard and the scope to be reported.

How long does Cyclic Humidity take?

Depends on the number of cycles; a 21-cycle programme takes about three weeks. This duration belongs to the experiment itself; sample preparation, queuing and reporting are also evaluated. A realistic schedule for your product is given in the offer.

What is the Cyclic Humidity result called "appropriate"?

The acceptance criterion is defined in the product standard: moisture ingress not disrupting function, insulation resistance not falling below the limit, and no corrosion.