AS/NZS 61439 Electrical Enclosure Compliance
AS/NZS 61439 was released in 2016 and superceded AS/NZS 3439 in 2021. The scope applies to low voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies not exceeding 1000V ac. or 1500 V dc. It applies to all assemblies whether they are designed, manufactured and verified on a one-off basis or fully standardised and manufactured in quantity. The standard does not apply to individual components that comply to relevant individual product standards.
AS/NZS 61439 is a copy of IEC 61439 with additional notes for Australia and New Zealand. Products certified to IEC 61439 do not require re-certification for AS/NZS 61439. Original Manufacturer’s test documents to IEC/EN 61439 may be used to support the assembly manufacturer’s verification assessment of the design to AS/NZS 61439. IEC 61439 has been in use in Europe since 2014 therefore IP Enclosures electrical cabinets have been compliant to IEC/EN 61439 for a decade.
If an assembly is rated equal to or less than 125Amps and is short circuit fault rated equal to or less than 10kA then compliance to AS/NZS 61439 is not required. (Assemblies that are not required to comply to AS/NZS 61439 must still comply with AS/NZS 3000. It is the responsibility of the contractor to be aware of and meet requirements). This is the only exclusion. All other assemblies must comply to AS/NZS 61439.
AS/NZS 61439 & IEC62208
AS/NZS 61439 Cl 10.2.1 states that where an empty enclosure in accordance with IEC 62208 is used and not modified, no repetition of the enclosure testing to 10.2 is required. IP Enclosures empty electrical enclosures have been tested and certified to IEC/EN 62208 ‘Empty enclosures for low voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies’ by an independent accredited test laboratory. A certificate of conformity to IEC/EN 62208 assists switchboard builders throughout design verification and routine verification processes outlined in AS/NZS 61439.
IP Enclosures Supports Switchboard Builders
AS/NZS 61439 ‘Low voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies’ is the standard for ‘assemblies’ and responsibilities are outlined in section 3, Terms and Definitions. The ‘Original Manufacturer’ is the organisation that has carried out the original design and verification of an assembly (Clause 3.10.1) while the ‘Assembly Manufacturer’ is the organisation taking responsibility for the completed assembly. IP Enclosures is an empty enclosure supplier as per IEC/EN 62208. We support organisations defined as Original Manufacturers and Assembly Manufacturers throughout design verification and routine verification processes required by AS/NZS 61439 by complying with IEC/EN 62208, relevant sections of AS/NZS 61439, and providing necessary documentation and certificates including IEC/EN 61439 test certificates.
IP Enclosures Wall-Mounted Electrical Enclosures
IEC/EN 61439 Certified Test Ratings:
Rated Voltage: 400 V AC
Rated Insulation Voltage: 690 V
Rated Impulse Withstand Voltage: 6 kV
Rated Current: 630A
Rated Peak Withstand Current: 40kA
Rated Short-Time Withstand Current: 20kA (Busbar)
Rated Conditional Short Circuit Current: 20kA
Rated Frequency: 50Hz
IEC/EN 61439-1, 61439-2 Low voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies: Certificate AB-0341-T, 23-297-R1-N1-1 & AB-0341-T, 23-314-R1-N1-1.
IP Enclosures Floor Standing Electrical Cabinets
IEC/EN 61439 Certified Test Ratings:
Rated Voltage: 400 V AC
Rated Insulation Voltage: 690 V
Rated Impulse Withstand Voltage: 8 kV
Rated Current: 630A |1600A | 4000A
Main Circuit Short-Time Current Withstand: 30kA/1sec | 40kA/1sec | 60kA/1sec
Distribution Circuit Short-Time Current Withstand: 25kA/1sec | 36kA/1sec | 50kA/1sec
Auxilliary Circuit Short-Time Current Withstand: – | 30kA | 40kA/1sec | 36kA/1sec
Neutral Circuit Short-Time Current Withstand: – | 25kA/1sec | 36kA/1sec
Protection Circuit Short-Time Current Withstand: 18kA/1sec | 25kA/1sec | 36kA/1sec
Rated Conditional Short Circuit Current: 36kA/630A, 30kA/400A | 45kA/1600A, 36kA/1250A, 36kA/1000A | 65kA/4000A, 55kA/3200A, 45kA/2500A, 40kA/2000A
Rated Frequency: 50Hz
IEC/EN 61439-1, 61439-2 Low Voltage Switchgear and Controlgear Assemblies: Certificate 0406176-TSE-02/01
IEC/EN 60529, IEC/EN 62208 and IEC/EN 61439 certificates of conformity are available for IP Enclosures wall-mounted electrical enclosures and floor-standing electrical cabinets.
Design Verification and Routine Verification
AS/NZS 61439 requires final assemblies to meet or exceed requirements. Annex D, design verification Table D1 (shown below), lists 13 design verifications to be performed. Three methods of verification can be used to verify the characteristics in Table D1 and the Table outlines which method of verification can be used to verify each characteristic.
- Test: Test made on a sample of an assembly or on parts of assemblies to verify that the design meets the requirements of the relevant assembly standard.
- Comparison: Structured comparison of a proposed design for an assembly, or parts of an assembly, with a reference design verified by test.
- Assessment: Design verification of strict design rules or calculations applied to a sample of an assembly or
to parts of assemblies to show that the design meets the requirements of the relevant assembly standard.
IP Enclosures’ empty electrical enclosures have been tested in accordance with IEC/EN 62208 and documentation is made available for design verification in accordance with AS/NZS 61439.
Refer below for Annex D – Design Verification, Table D.1 – List of design verifications to be performed including method of verification.
| No. | No. Characteristic to be verified | Clauses or subclauses | Verification options available | Comment | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testing | Comparison | Assessment | ||||
| 1 | Strength of material and parts: | 10.2 | ||||
| Resistance to corrosion. | 10.2.2 | YES | NO | NO | Compliant. Salt Spray test certificates available up to 1500hrs. | |
| Properties of insulating materials: | 10.2.3 | |||||
| Thermal stability. | 10.2.3.1 | YES | NO | NO | Not Applicable for Metallic Enclosures. | |
| Resistance to abnormal heat and fire due to internal electric effects. | 10.2.3.2 | YES | NO | YES | Compliant. | |
| Resistance to ultra-violet (UV) radiation. | 10.2.4 | YES | NO | YES | Compliant. Powder Coating Materials are certified UV stabilised. | |
| Lifting. | 10.2.5 | YES | NO | NO | Compliant. | |
| Mechanical impact. | 10.2.6 | YES | NO | NO | Compliant. Certificates available up to IK10. | |
| Marking. | 10.2.7 | YES | NO | NO | Compliant. | |
| 2 | Degree of protection of enclosures. | 10.3 | YES | NO | YES | Compliant. Certificates available up to IK66. |
| 3 | Clearances. | 10.4 | YES | NO | NO | Compliant. However Assembler must also ensure compliance. |
| 4 | Creepage distances. | 10.4 | YES | NO | NO | Compliant. However Assembler must also ensure compliance. |
| 5 | Protection against electric shock and integrity of protective circuits: | 10.5 | ||||
| Effective continuity between the exposed conductive parts of the ASSEMBLY and the protective circuit. | 10.5.2 | YES | NO | NO | Compliant. However Assembler must also ensure compliance. | |
| Short-circuit withstand strength of the protective circuit. | 10.5.3 | YES | YES | NO | Compliant. However Assembler must also ensure compliance. Verification may be by test or comparison. | |
| 6 | Incorporation of switching devices and components. | 10.6 | NO | NO | YES | Assembler must ensure compliance. |
| 7 | Internal electrical circuits and connections. | 10.7 | NO | NO | YES | Assembler must ensure compliance. |
| 8 | Terminals for external conductors. | 10.8 | NO | NO | YES | Assembler must ensure compliance. |
| 9 | Dielectric properties: | 10.9 | ||||
| Power-frequency withstand voltage. | 10.9.2 | YES | NO | NO | Compliant. However Assembler must also ensure compliance. | |
| Impulse withstand voltage. | 10.9.3 | YES | NO | YES | Compliant. However Assembler must also ensure compliance. | |
| 10 | Temperature-rise limits. | 10.10 | YES | YES | YES | Compliant. However Assembler must also ensure compliance. Can be determined by test, comparison or calculation. (AS.NZS 60890 may be used for switchboards not exceeding 1600A, or single compartment assembly not exceeding 630A. |
| 11 | Short-circuit withstand strength. | 10.11 | YES | YES | NO | Compliant. However Assembler must also ensure compliance. Can be determined by test or by comparison. Refer to relevant product information for certified ratings. |
| 12 | Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). | 10.12 | YES | NO | YES | Assembler must ensure compliance. |
| 13 | Mechanical operation. | 10.13 | YES | NO | NO | Compliant. Verification testing is not required on type tested devices unless mechanical operation has been modified. |
Arc Fault Containment
Arc fault containment is not a mandatory requirement for compliance to AS/NZS 61439. Arc fault containment is covered in Appendix ZC and the application of the Appendix is subject to agreement between purchaser and manufacturer. The Standard does not define requirements for arc flash protection.
For more information
*The information provided is a guide only. Refer to SAI Global for more relevant standards.