Low Voltage Directive

The European Union Directive on Electrical Safety (Low Voltage Directive)

Ganymede Test & Measurement

Introduction

This document describes the requirements imposed by European Union Directive No. 73/23/EEC (the Low Voltage Directive) in respect of products used in the cable TV industry.

The document explains how the directive has been incorporated into UK Law.

The requirements for product marking and Declarations of Conformity are considered.

The standards which apply to different classes of equipment are discussed.

The information in this document is based on the requirements in the in the Electrical Equipment Safety Regulations 1994. At the time of writing the regulations are mandatory for all new equipment designs placed on the market. They will be mandatory for existing equipment from 1st January 1997.

The Low Voltage Directive itself (73/23/EEC) pre-dated the new Approach directives and consequently it did not include a requirement to CE mark. It has now been modified by the CE Marking Directive (93/68/EEC) to include the CE marking requirement. The UK regulations reflect this change.

LVD Requirements

The Low Voltage Directive applies to all electrical products which operate in the voltage range of 50 to 1000 Volts AC and 75 to 1500 Volts DC.

The directive lays down the general principle that such electrical products must not jeopardise the safety of people, domestic animals or property.

Before a product can be placed on the market the following three tasks must be performed:

A Declaration of Conformity must be drawn up stating which safety standards have been applied and that the product is compliant with those standards.
A 'CE' mark must be affixed.
A Technical File must be drawn up which contains the evidence demonstrating that the product is compliant with the standards declared.

The requirements for the contents of the Technical file are shown in Table 1.

For products manufactured in the EEA, the manufacturer is responsible for conducting these three tasks. For products imported into the EEA, the tasks are shared between the manufacturer and importer as shown in Table 2 below.

Table 1. Technical Documentation Requirements
Contents of a Technical File
1.	General Description of Equipment
2.	Conceptual Design and Manufacturing Drawings
3.	Circuit Description
4.	The list of standards which have been applied
5.	Results of relevant design calculations, examinations etc.
6.	Test Reports
7.	A copy of the EC Declaration of Conformity

Requirements for Imported Equipment

In the case of equipment manufactured outside the EEA, the regulations lay down responsibilities on the manufacturer and importer as shown in Table 2.

As with locally manufactured equipment, the manufacturer is still responsible for drawing up the technical file but he can delegate some other tasks to an Authorised Representative within the EEA. The importer (the first point of supply in the EEA) must have available for inspection:

a copy of the Technical File
a copy of the Declaration of Conformity

Table 2 Allowable Tasks for the Manufacturer and Importer
Task	Manufacturer	Importer (Authorised Representative	Importer (not Authorised Representative)
Draw up Tech File	Yes	No	No
Draw up Declaration of Conformity	Yes	Yes	No
Affix CE Mark	Yes	Yes	No
Hold Tech File	No	Yes	Yes
Hold Declaration of Conformity	No	Yes	Yes

Notified Harmonised Standards Applicable to Cable TV Products

CENELEC and ETSI standards are notified to the European Commission when they are internationally agreed. Lists of such standards are published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

Table 3 lists the harmonised standards which have been notified under the Low Voltage Directive for different classes of Cable TV apparatus. In some cases the notified standard does not detail the safety requirements but refers instead to further standards for test methods and performance limits. Table 3 also indicates the trail of standards which are called up in this way.

The requirements for Laboratory and Field Test Equipment have not been fully investigated for this memorandum. All the other classes of product are ultimately required to meet the requirements contained in EN 60065.

Table 3 - Notified Harmonised Standards
Product Group	Notified Standard	Title	Standards invoked by Notified Standard
Line powered CATV equipment operating at 60 volt AC	EN 50083-3	Cabled distribution systems for TV and sound signals; Active coaxial wideband distribution equipment.	EN 50083-1 HD 195 EN 60065
Mains powered PSU's supplying 60 volt AC for line powering	EN 600065	Safety requirements for mains operated electronic and related apparatus for household and similar general use.
Mains powered Headend Equipment	EN 50083-5	Cabled distribution systems for TV and sound signals; Headend equipment.	EN 50083-1 HD 195 EN 60065

EN 60065 Requirements

As indicated in Table 3, most Cable TV products can be declared compliant by meeting the performance standards specified in EN 60065. This section summarises the main provisions of the standard.

Product marking requirements - including makers name and model number, supply voltage, marking of earth terminals, etc.
Limits on ionising (and laser) radiation.
Protection against overheating and fire hazard.
Limits to shock hazard (covers both accessible and inaccessible parts).
Class I and Class II requirements (this is based on the notion of having two levels of protection:
Class I: insulation and earth bonding.
Class II: two layers of insulation.
Limits on creepage and clearance distances.
Insulation requirements (resistance and dielectric strength).
Requirements for safety critical circuit components, including transformers, switches etc.
Requirements for terminals and flexible cords.
Requirements for protection of outdoor equipment against water splashing.

Derek Higgins

Ganymede Test & Measurement
8 Hillman Close
Uxbridge
UB8 1QA

Tel/Fax =+44 (0)1895 251897

August 1997

Back to Home Page