Automatic electrical controls - Part 2-23: Particular requirements for electrical sensors and sensing elements

Note: This NOI (originally published on October 4, 2023) was reissued by the responsible SDO on September 10, 2024. 

This part of IEC 60730 applies to the safety of electrical, electro-mechanical and electronic sensors including sensing elements and any conditioning circuitry. Sensors covered under the scope of this document serve only to transform an activating quantity into a usable output and do not perform a control operation as defined in the part 1.

This document applies to sensors in so far as defining the reliability and accuracy of its inherent operating characteristics and corresponding response under normal and abnormal conditions within the sensor. Sensors, as defined herein, are used in conjunction within the scope of automatic electrical controls or as independent devices used in connection with controls and control systems.

The use of this document for other applications in which sensors are used is possible provided that the appropriate safety is maintained as defined by the end product standard. This document applies to discrete sensors constructed of, but not limited to, conductor, semi-conductor, or substrate, for thedetection of activating quantities such as voltage, current, temperature, pressure, humidity, light (e.g. optical), gasoline vapours, and the like.

Note: Future consideration will be given to other sensors technologies constructed of other materials such as, chemical, mechanical and Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS), along with other activating quantities like mass flow, liquid, movement, weight, vibration, or other as needed.

This document applies to sensing element(s) as well as any electronic hardware, software, or other conditioning circuits that are inherent to the sensor and relied upon to reliably transform the input signal into a useable response signal (output) for functional safety purposes. Conditioning circuits that are inseparable from the control for which the sensing element relies upon to perform its desired function are evaluated by the requirements of the relevant control Part 2 standard and/or the Part 1, IEC 60730-1.

Note 1: Additional requirements may be also applied by the application standard in which the sensor is used.

Throughout this document, whenever it is indicated that the Part 1 requirements are applicable, the term “control(s)”, is replaced by the term “sensor(s)”, and the term “equipment” is replaced by the term “control”, as they are used in the Part 1, respectively, unless otherwise specified herein 

This document does not apply to sensors explicitly described in another relevant part 2 of the IEC 60730 series.

Note 2: For example, a flame sensor as described in 60730-2-5.