EMC for consumer electronics / household goods
White goods are covered by the standards EN55014-1 (EMC emissions) and EN55014-2 (EMC immunity). These EMC standards are applicable to the majority of household appliances in addition, also to products that are similar or motor operated and are not covered by another specific standard.
Throughout EN55014-1 various operating conditions are set out for different types of equipment, for example vacuum cleaners are tested without any tubing in place and with an empty dust bag in place. Power nozzles are however left connected if available to the user. Most products that are covered by these standards will fall into an operating requirement within EN55014-1. Other examples of products covered are Floor polishers, Coffee grinders, food mixers, hair-dryers, refrigerators, washing machines and paper shredders.
In EN55014-2, products are divided up in to categories I, II, III and IV. Dependant upon the category of product, different immunity tests are required to be carried out.
-
Category I: apparatus containing no electronic control circuitry. Electronic circuits consisting of passive components (such as radio interference suppression capacitors or inductors, mains transformers and mains frequency rectifiers) are not considered to be electronic control circuitry.
-
Category II: mains powered motor operated appliances, tools, heating appliances and similar electronic apparatus containing electronic control circuitry with no internal clock frequency or oscillator frequency higher than 15MHz
-
Category III: battery powered apparatus (with build-in batteries or external batteries), which in normal use is not connected to the mains, containing an electronic control circuitry with no internal clock frequency or oscillator frequency higher than 15MHz
-
Category IV: all other apparatus covered by the scope of EN55014-2
The test requirements of these standards include conducted RF emissions, radiated immunity tests, conducted immunity tests (on power and signal cables), ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) and power cable RF radiation tests in lieu of radiated emissions for most of the applicable equipment (for toys, radiated emissions tests are required).
