IEC 61230:2008 PDF Download

IEC 61230:2008 is a standard that applies to portable equipment used for temporary earthing or earthing and short-circuiting of electrically isolated or de-energized AC and DC installations. This includes distribution and transmission networks, whether they are overhead or underground, and regardless of the voltage level. The standard covers equipment that consists of an earthing or short-circuiting device along with an insulating component.

The performance of the equipment is determined by its ability to withstand the electro-dynamic and electro-thermal effects that occur during a short-circuit. This is expressed through the equipment's rated values of current, time, and peak factor. While no specific rated voltage is provided, the dimensions of the equipment are related to the voltage of the installation.

The second edition of this standard, published in 2008, replaced the first edition from 1993 and underwent several revisions. The scope was extended to include the use of equipment on DC installations, and the use of aluminum for all conductive parts of the device was allowed. It also introduced the possibility of using the standard for separate components of the equipment.

The standard underwent general revisions of requirements and tests, along with a revision of existing annexes. Additionally, a new informative Annex D was included to provide guidelines for determining the equivalent root mean square (RMS) value of a short-circuit current, and a new normative Annex F was added to provide a classification of defects.