What is Low Voltage or Low Voltage?
Voltage means voltage as a word. Voltage is the force that moves electrons against the electrostatic field force under which they are influenced. In a sense, electricity is the potential difference. That is, the voltage is the potential difference between the two ends of a conductor. A force must be present for the electric current to pass through an electrical circuit. Without this force, it is not possible for free electrons to take action. In this way, the force that moves free electrons and causes current to pass through the electrical circuit is called voltage.
The effective voltage of the alternating current used in households is 220 volts. As this voltage increases, the safety of people who will be affected by this risk is compromised. It is not possible to isolate the high voltage. Therefore, the practical usable voltage is low voltage. All electrical and electronic devices require voltage between 110-380 volts for operation.
The voltage value is increased to transport and distribute electrical energy over long distances. 380 thousand volts are present in high voltage lines.
What are the relevant regulations?
One of the directives issued by the European Union within the framework of the New Approach Directives is the Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2006 / 95 / AT. Based on this directive, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued a Regulation on Electrical Equipment (2006 / 95 / AT) designed to be used within certain voltage limits.
This regulation describes the requirements for the availability of devices manufactured in accordance with safety requirements and conformity assessment processes. Therefore, the devices entering the regulation cascade are:
- Vehicles designed to operate with alternating current between 50 volts and 1000 volts
- Vehicles designed to operate with direct current between 75 volts and 1500 volts
Electrical and electronic devices that comply with these specifications must meet the basic safety requirements stated in the annex.
The European Union directive was amended in 2014. This directive covers the risks arising from the use of electrical devices. These risks include not only electrical risks, but also mechanical, chemical and other risks. The main objective is to ensure that electrical and electronic equipment is safe, which does not pose a danger to the user. In parallel with this amendment, the Regulation on Electrical Equipment (2016 / 2014 / EU) designed by the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology for Specific Voltage Limits was published in 35 and the previous regulation was canceled.
In the annex of the said regulation, the equipments and conditions which are out of the scope of the regulation are listed (Annex 2). Accordingly, the following equipment is excluded:
- Electrical equipment for use in explosive atmospheres
- Electrical equipment for medical and radiological purposes
- Electrical parts used in freight and human lifts
- Electricity meters
- Plugs and sockets used in homes
- Electric fence controls
- Radio-electric interference (mixture of sounds)
- Special electrical equipment used in ships, airplanes or railways in accordance with the safety principles issued by international organizations in which the European Union countries participate
- Specially designed evaluation kits for use by research and development facilities only by qualified personnel
What is LVD Low Voltage Tests?
Whether the electrical and electronic vehicles are manufactured within the framework of the above-mentioned legal regulations and whether they are safe or not is determined by testing and measurement studies carried out by authorized testing and inspection institutions. These organizations carry out their activities on the basis of the authority they have obtained from domestic and foreign accreditation institutions. Measurements and tests and reports issued by accredited organizations are accepted all over the world.
In the meantime, within the framework of the New Approach Directives, products with CE marking are entitled to free movement in the European Union countries. Producers may affix the CE marking on their electrical equipment if they meet the requirements of the regulation. To do this, the manufacturer must draw up a declaration of conformity with the product and retain this document for ten years from the date the product is placed on the market. This declaration describes the purpose of the product.
In order to be able to place the CE mark on the product, an entity producing an electrical or electronic product must perform LVD low voltage tests. During this test, accredited organizations must comply with legal regulations and standards issued by domestic and foreign organizations.
This regulation assumes that products that comply with the harmonized standards published in the European Union countries, or the corresponding harmonized Turkish standards, or the relevant parts of these standards, comply with the basic requirements described in the annex to the regulation (Annex 1).
If there is no harmonized standard for the product, it assumes that the international standard issued and published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) complies with the safety provisions and the basic requirements described in the annex to the regulation (Annex 1).
If there is no such standard, then the products are expected to provide security equal to the level of security sought in our country.
Here are a few standards considered during the LVD Low Voltage Directive tests:
- TS EN 61439-1 Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear panels - Part 1: General rules
- TS EN 61439-2 ... Section 2: Power switching and control mechanisms
- TS EN 61439-3 ... Section 3: Distribution boards intended for ordinary persons (DBO)
- TS EN 61439-4 ... Section 4: Particular requirements for ACS for construction sites (IEC 61439-4: 2012)
- TS EN 61439-5 ... Section 5: Switchboards for power distribution in public networks
- TS EN 61439-6 ... Section 6: Equipment for power distribution in public networks
- TS EN 50363-0 Cables - Insulation, jacket and covering materials - For low voltage power cables - Part 0: General information
- TS EN 50363-1 ... Section -1: Cross-linked elastomeric sealing compounds
- TS EN 50363-3 ... Section 3: PVC insulation compounds
- TS EN 50363-5 ... Part 5: Halogen-free, cross-linked insulation compounds
