ir window - certification guidebook

7/26/2019 IR Window - Certification Guidebook

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CopyrightCorDEXInstrumentsLtd.www.irwindows.com [email protected]

IRWINDOW

CERTIFICATION

GUIDEBOOK

4016RevA


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Content1. General............................................................. Page3

2. Introduction.....................................................Page4

3. ULUnderwritersLaboratories.......................Page67

4. ULBasicRequirementsforTesting...................Page7

5.

UL

Certificate

of

Compliance

(CoC)

..................

Page

8

6. ULRequiredMarkings...................................... Page910

7. AdditionalMarkings......................................... Page11

INGRESSPROTECTION(IP)VSNEMARATINGS

ENVIRONMENTALTESTING

8. IngressProtection(IP)VSNEMARatings

EnvironmentalTestingBackground..............Page13

9. EnclosureTypeRatingvs.IPRating .................Page1410. CrossReference(Approx)

NEMA,UL,CSAvsIP......................................... Page15

11. DustandWaterTestingExamplesEN60529.....Page16

12. HumidityTestingExamplesEN60068230 ......Page17

13. VibrationTestingExamplesEN6006826.........Page18

14. TheBasicsTerminology.................................Page20

15. SwitchgearTypesArcResistant.....................Page21

16. SwitchgearTypesNonArcResistant..............Page22

17. ArcTestingIRWindows....................................Page23

18. SelectingIRWindowsBasedonTesting...........Page24

19. BuyerBeware...................................................Page25

20. Recap................................................................ Page26


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IR Windows are installed into electrical equipment to enable

thermographers to view inside without removing the panels. IR

Windowsare installed intohostelectricalequipmentwhich is then

certified as a combined whole. IR Windows are a part of an

electrical system and certification represents their status as a

componentasopposedtoanassembly

General


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Howcertificationaffects installationandresponsibility

Answercommonquestionsincluding:

Underwriters Laboratories

(UL)

Environmental Testing

(NEMAVsIP)

Humidity and Vibration

withstand

ArcResistance

Thisguidebookwill:

Introduce thermographers

to the certification

requirements

as

applied

to

IRWindows

Introduction


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Lets

get

started

CERTIFICATIONREQUIREMENTS


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For an IRWindow to be deemed acceptable to OSHA, itmust beapproved by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL).

There aremanyNRTLs including;UL, FM,CSAand Intertek toname

just four. Certification fromanyNRTLwouldsatisfyOSHA.However,

theUSmarketingeneral,demandsULCertification.

It is not possible to

achieve 100% transmiss ion:

wheredoes the restof theIRenergygo?

ULUnderwriters

Laboratories

How does an IR Window obtain UL

Recognition?

Decideonstandards.AllIRWindows

requirecertifying

the

UL50V

but

dependinguponenvironmentaland

otherrequirements,additional

standardsmayapply

Submitproductfortesting

IfsuccessfulaULRecognizedmark

willbeissuedfortheproductrange

successfullytested

Simpleright....?


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Indoor

Product

Certification

The basic requirements to comply to UL for indoor product

certification is; (1)metallic parts have to be noncorroding, and (2)

polymerpartshavetobeflameretardant. Finally,(3)thecovermust

remain inplaceforthedurationofthetesting ifthatcover isusedto

passparticulartests.

OutdoorProductCertification

Asdetailedaboveforindoorproductcertification,thefirstthreebasic

requirements to comply toUL for outdoor product certification are

exactlythesamenamely (1)metallicpartshavetobenoncorroding,

(2)polymerpartshavetobe flame retardantand (3) thecovermust

remaininplaceforthedurationofthetestingifitisrequiredtopassa

particulartypetest.

Inadditiontothe indoorrequirements,thegasket/sealmaterial itself

hastobetested for itsabilitytowithstandtheeffectsofaccelerated

ageing and depending upon the level of testing required by themanufacturer additional requirements such as oil resistance and

reboundtestingmustalsobeundertaken.

Also, the IRWindow has to be subjected to environmental testing

usingpreagedgaskets. Thisgasketmaterialisselectedbythedesired

Type

Designation

and

subsequent

ageing

programme

prior

to

environmentaltesting.

ULBasicRequirements

forTesting


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A

Typical

Certificate

of

Compliance (also known as

CoC), as issued by UL, is

shown opposite. This

documentisissuedwithallUL

Recognized Components,

showing product part

numbers and the standardstested to. In this CoC,

productsIW2000,IW3000and

IW4000 IR Windows, are

shown to have been certified

to UL50V IR Viewport

(Window) Standard, UL50E

ElectricalEquipmentEnclosure

Standard and UL1558 Metal

Enclosed LV Switchgear

Standard.

ULCoCdoesnotalwaysshow theenvironmentalTypedesignation

towhichan IRWindow iscertifiedto. It isuptothemanufacturerto

inform the customer of

thisinformation.

Typedesignation iscontained in theULReportwhich is typicallynot

madeavailabletoendusers.Anextractofthisisshownabove.

ULCertificateof

ComplianceCoC

NOTEInstallinganIRWindowcertifiedbyULforindooruse

(Type 1) into outdoor equipment, derates the entire

equipmenttoType1


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ULRequiredMarkings

A

common

misconception

is

to

assume

that

a

UL

Recognized

IR

Window is UL Listed. This is a

common mistake, primarily made

because the host equipment is UL

Listed. Therefore, i t i s

understandable that a question

oftenasked isIstheIRWindowUL

Listed?. The answer lies in the

marking shown on the IRWindow.

Sincean IRWindow is installed into

another piece of equipment, it is

deemedbyULasacomponentand

isrecognizedassuch. Inthepicture

opposite, theULRecognizedComponentmark resemblesa reversed

UR.InthisinstancethemarkhasaCandaUSmarkoneithersideof

theURmeaningitisULRecognizedforCanadaandtheU.S.

So, themarking shows that the IRWindow isUL Recognized rather

thanULListed.ThisiscorrectbecausetheIRWindowisacomponent

thatformspartofanassemblywhichisULListedasawhole.

Additional ULmarkings include the six digit UL File number, or E

Number. The manufacturer has the option to include either the

manufacturersnameand/ortheENumber.


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ULRequiredMarkings

TheIRWindowshownheredisplaysthe

ENumberwhich engineers can use to

access further information on the

specific IRWindow from theULOnline

Certification Directory, http://

database.ul.com/cgibin/XYV/template/

LISEXT/1FRAME/index.htm

Theremayalsobeadditionalmarkings

such aswarnings to replace the cover

after use, as shown in this example

below.

It is normal for an IR

Window to have these

warnings. Generally for

crystal IR Windows the

warning appears as the

cover protects the crystal from impact,

which is acceptable toUL, as long as the cover is closedwhen the

Windowisnotinuse.

IRWindowswhichdonot includeacrystaloptic,buthold the same

warning,maydo so for a varietyof reasons.This couldbe anything

from requiring thecover tomaintain theirenvironmental integrity to

theflameretardantnatureoftheoptic.Thisvariesacrossthespecific

productdesignandmakeupoftheIRWindow.


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Additional markings are generally at the discretion of themanufacturer. As previously discussed, the UL Type designation

which instructs the end user as to the environmental withstand

capabilities of the IRWindow are not a requiredmarking of UL.

Unfortunately, thisdoesnothelpenduserswhowish tounderstand

whetherornotthe IRWindowmaybe installedoutdoorsor indoors.

This leaves the issue of environmental integrity somewhat open to

abuse.ReputablemanufacturerswillstateontheIRWindowtheTypedesignationrequirements,asshownhere.

Any IRWindow which holds Canadian Standards Association (CSA)

Certification, must display the Type designation on the IRWindow

itself.

Markingssuchas theelectricshockhazard,orwarning triangle,may

be implementedon the IRWindowasper themanufacturerspolicy,

butarenotarequirementofanyparticularIRWindowstandard.

AdditionalMarkings


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Ingress

Protection

(IP)

Vs

NEMARatings

ENVIRONMENTAL

TESTING


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There are two types of environmental integrity testing which are

commonlyinusetoday. TheseareIngressProtection(IP)Ratingbased

onIEC60529,andTypeRatingbasedonNEMA250/UL50.

Thesestandardsarenotharmonized,thereforemeaningthatthere is

no direct translation from IP to NEMA as the NEMA Type rating

requirementsaremuchmorestringentthanthoseofIEC60529.

Background


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IRWindowsareratedbytypeNEMA250/UL50,and/orIPratedIEC

60529. The rating is based upon the degree of water and dust

protectionprovidedbytheIRWindow.

TyperatingsandIPratingshaveonlythreethingsincommon;

1. They have a degree of protection for persons from hazardous

componentsinsidetheenclosure

2. They have a degree of protection for equipment inside the

enclosurefromingressofsolidforeignobjects,includingdust

3. They have a degree of protection for equipment inside the

enclosurefromingressofwater

NEMA250andUL50Typeratingdocumentationdefinesanyadditional

requirements thata typeratedenclosuremustmeetoverandabove

simple water and dust protection. These can include mechanical

impact on enclosure walls, gasket aging and oil resistance and

corrosionresistance.

EnclosureTypeRatingvs.

IPRating


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This tablecannotbeused toconvert IECClassifications toNEMA

TypeNumbers,

IEC60529hasnoequivalent toNEMAenclosureType7,8,9,10

and11,

indicatescompliance,

CrossReference(Approx)

NEMA,UL,CSAvs.IP

Enclosure

RatingIP20 IP22 IP55 IP64 IP65 IP66 IP67

Type1

Type3

Type3R

Type3S

Type4

Type4X

Type6

Type12

Type13


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Dust

Water

DustandWaterTesting

ExamplesEN60529

EN60529 requires no accelerated aging of gaskets or seals in

ordertocomplywithtestingunlikeNEMA250/UL50.

Therefore,itispossibletotranslatefromNEMA250/UL50toIP

but it is not possible to translate in reverseie from IP to

NEMA250/UL50.


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HumidityTestingExamples

EN60068230

Humidity testing confirms

no degradation of device

due to increased levels of

relativehumidity.

Humidity testing confirms

the requirement for

shipping and marine

approvals.

Testinformation

22C/r.H.55%/98kPa

Tmax+55C

Tmin+20C


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VibrationTestingExamples

EN6006826

Vibration testing

confirms the device

does

not

disintegrate

during severe ongoing

vibrations as found in

marineenginerooms.

Indicator for seismic

withstand important

fornuclearindustry.


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The

Topic

of

the

Hour

ARCRESISTANCE


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Therearetwotypesoffaultswhenitcomestoelectricalequipment.

There is a bolted fault,

which is shown by a low

impedanceshortcircuit,a

high current and no

explosion.

Then there is an arcing

fault. This isshownbya

High impedance short

circuit, a Low current

and a powerful

explosion.

TheBasics Terminology


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Therearetwotypesofswitchgeararcresistantandnonarcresistant.

Firstly,arcresistant.Therearethreemainkeyfeaturesofarcresistant

switchgear. Arc resistant switchgear is designed to channel energy

upwards,awayfrompersonnel,itincludesblastventsandplenumsto

limit internal pressure and it is also type tested in a specific

configurationtoaspecificfaultlevel;50kAat

15kV

for

30

cycles

@

60

Hz

SwitchgearTypes

ArcResistant


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Non arcresistant equipment is far more common. Most older

equipment is not arcresistant and secondary equipment such as

motorterminalboxesandtransformersarealmostneverarcresistant.

Non arcresistant is not designed to resist an electric arc andwill

catastrophicallyfailunderanarcfaultcondition.

SwitchgearTypes

NonArcResistant


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ArcTestingIRWindows

When it comes to arc testing IR Windows, there are several

engineering aspects to be taken into consideration. There is no

standardforIRWindowarctesting.TheIRWindowmustbetestedon

ArcResistant(AR)equipmentandthearctestingonlyappliestotheAR

equipmentitwastestedon.

This therefore means that if the host equipment is not AR, an IR

windowthathasbeensubjectedtoanelectricalarc isnobetterthan

one thathasnot.Why is this the case?Because the switchgearwill

ultimatelyfailregardlessofhowstrongtheIRWindowis.

Also, If the host equipment is AR then the equipment OEMmust

approvetheinstallationofanIRWindowthathasbeentestedonthat

specificpaneltype.InstallinganyotherIRWindowevenonethathas

passedanarctestonadifferentpanelmayinvalidatethatARrating.

ArcTestingofIRWindowsisextremelyvaluablewheninstallinginto

AR equipment. However, since it is impossible to test on every

configurationof

AR

switchgear

built,

then

the

real

practical

value

is

limited


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CopyrightCorDEXInstrumentsLtd.www.irwindows.comtraining@cordex.com

Selecti

Ba


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BuyerBeware

Flameproof isa termusedwhendefiningprotectionconcepts forexplosive

area(Class1DivI)equipment.No industrialgradeIRWindowisflameproof.

Polymers used in UL recognized componentsmust be flame retardant to

UL94.

IP65 as we have already seen is a European standard and cannot be

translatedintoNorthAmericanNEMA250classification.ForNorthAmerican

installations, the UL50 Type certification is required to determine what

environmentallocationtheIRWindowiscertifiedforinstallationinto.

This

quote

is

misleading

the

user

into

thinking

that

the

IR

Window

is

UL

recognizedType4(outdoor)wheninfactitmaynotbe.

OurIR

Windows

are

flameproof

because

they

areULtestedtoUL945VA

OurIRWindowsareIP65/NEMA4


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Recap

Selecting IR Windows depends largely on where they will be

installed

StandardsdoexistforIRWindowdesignandcertification(UL)but

theyarecomplextonavigateandnotwellunderstood

No IRWindowARstandardexists, IRWindowsmustbetestedon

eachswitchgearconfigurationfortotalconfidence

Always ask for third party certification to backupmanufacturers

claims, terms such as in house testing or equivalent to

generallymeannotestinghastakenplace


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QUESTIONS?

WWW.IRWINDOWS.COM

EMAIL:[email protected]

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