What standard is IEC61008-1?
In the field of electrical safety, standards act as invisible barriers to protect lives and property. IEC61008-1 stands as a highly important standard for electrical systems in household and similar applications. Its full name is Residual Current Operated Protective Devices for Household and Similar Uses (RCCBs) – Part 1: General Requirements. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) develops this standard. It provides unified global technical guidelines for the design, production, testing and application of residual current operated protective devices (RCCBs, commonly known as “leakage protectors”). It also serves as a key basis for ensuring end-user electrical safety.
The core goal of IEC61008-1 is to ensure that RCCBs used in household and similar scenarios can reliably detect “residual current” — the current difference between the live wire and neutral wire in a circuit. When this difference exceeds the safety threshold, the RCCB must cut off the power supply in a very short time. This action prevents casualties from electric shock or electrical fire accidents.
What test items does the IEC61008-1 standard cover?
IEC61008-1 sets extremely detailed technical requirements for RCCBs. These requirements focus on a core question: “Can the RCD operate reliably in dangerous situations?” They mainly cover four key areas: residual current operating value and operating time, mechanical and electrical durability, anti-interference performance, and temperature rise and overload protection. To meet the testing needs of these areas, some testing equipment from PEGO can exactly satisfy the testing requirements of RCCBs. The detailed list is as follows.
| IEC61008-1:2013 Clauses and figures | Corresponding Testing Equipment from Pego |
| 9.4 Test of reliability of screws, current carrying parts and connections | Test screwdriver Torque spanner |
| 9.5 Tests of reliability of screw-type terminals for external copper conductors | Cord Anchorage Pull Force and Torque Tester |
| 9.6 Verification of protection against electric shock | Standard test finger Electrical indicator 75N Straight unjointed test finger |
| 9.7 Test of dielectric properties | |
| 9.7.1 Resistance to humidity | Temperature and humidity test chamber |
| 9.7.2 Insulation resistance of the main circuit | Insulationg resistance tester |
| 9.7.3 Dielectric strength of the main circuit | Withstand voltage tester |
| 9.7.7 Verification of impulse withstand voltage | 1.2/50μs Impulse voltage generator (500Ω) |
| 9.7.7.3 Verification of leakage currents across open contacts | leakge current tester |
| 9.8 Test of temperature rise | Multiplex Temperature meter Draught-proof enclosure |
| 9.12 Verification of resistance to mechanical shock and impact | |
| 9.12.2 Mechanical impact | Mechanical Impact test apparatus |
| 9.13 Test of resistance to heat | Heating cabinet Standard test finger with 5N thruster Ball pressure test apparatus |
| 9.14 Test of resistance to abnormal heat and to fire | Glow wire tester |
| 9.19 Verification of behaviour of RCCBs in case of current surges caused by impulse voltage | |
| 9.19.1 Current surge test for all RCCBs (0.5μs/100kHz ring wave test) | Ring wave generator |
| Verification of behaviour at surge curents up to 3000A (8/20μs surge current test) | 8/20μs Surge current impulse generator |
| Figure 3 Standard test finger | Standard test finger |
| Figure 15 Mechanical impact test apparatus | low energy pendulum impact test apparatus |
| Figure 21 ball pressure test apparatus | Ball pressure test apparatus |
| Figure 23 Current ring wave 0.5μs/100kHz | Ring wave generator |
| Figure 28 Surge current impulse 8/20μs | 8/20μs Surge current impulse generator |
