Switches for appliances - Part 1: General requirements

1.1 This International Standard applies to switches (mechanical or electronic) for appliances actuated by hand, by foot or by other human activity, to operate or control electrical appliances and other equipment for household or similar purposes with a RATED VOLTAGE not exceeding 480 V and a RATED CURRENT not exceeding 63 A.

These switches are intended to be operated by a person, via an ACTUATING MEMBER or by actuating a SENSING UNIT. The ACTUATING MEMBER or SENSING UNIT can be integral with or arranged separately, either physically or electrically, from the switch and may involve transmission of a signal, for example electrical, optical, acoustic or thermal, between the ACTUATING MEMBER or SENSING UNIT and the switch.

Switches which incorporate additional control functions governed by the switch function are within the scope of this standard. This standard also covers the INDIRECT ACTUATION of the switch when the operation of the actuating member or SENSING UNIT is provided by a remote control or a part of an appliance or equipment such as a door.

NOTE 1 Electronic switches may be combined with mechanical switches giving FULL DISCONNECTION or MICRODISCONNECTION.

NOTE 2 Electronic switches without a mechanical switch in the supply circuit provide only ELECTRONIC DISCONNECTION. Therefore, the circuit on the load side is always considered to be live.

NOTE 3 For switches used in tropical climates, additional requirements may be necessary.

NOTE 4 Attention is drawn to the fact that the standards for appliances may contain additional or alternative requirements for switches.

NOTE 5 Throughout this standard, the word ²appliance² means ²appliance or equipment².

NOTE 6 This part of IEC 61058 is applicable when testing incorporated switches. When other types of switches for appliances are tested, this part is applicable together with the relevant Part 2 of IEC 61058.

This part of IEC 61058 may, however, be applied for other types of switches which are not mentioned in a relevant Part 2 of IEC 61058, provided that the electrical safety is not disregarded.