Low Voltage Directive (2014/35/EU)

If you want to export electrical and similar products in European Market then your product must complies the Low Voltage Directive. The Directive applies within certain voltage limit. The latest Low Voltage Directive (LVD) (2014/35/EU) adopted and applicable from April 20, 2016 and it ensures that electrical equipment within certain voltage limits provides a high level of protection of health and safety of persons and the end users and also benefits fully from the Single Market.

Low Voltage Directive (2014/35/EU) Scope:

The Low Voltage Directive apply to electrical equipment designed for use with a voltage rating of between:

• 50 and 1000 V for alternating current (AC)
• 75 and 1500 V for direct current (DC)

LVD is for the safety objective

One major point about LVD is that this directive is only limited to the expression of safety objectives. And in order to facilities conformity assessment with those objectives, it is necessary to provide for a presumption of conformity for electrical equipment which is in conformity with harmonised standards and if harmonised standards do not exist then conformity assessment can be achieved by complying the respective applicable international standards laid down by the International Electrotechnical Commission or by applying national standards.

It applies to a wide range of electrical equipment for both consumer and professional usage, such as:

• household appliances
• power supply units
• laser equipment
• Luminaire 
• certain components, e.g. relays, fuses
• Appliance couplers
• Switches
• Voltage detectors.
• adapters

The Directive applicable to standalone electrical equipment or electrical equipment’s incorporation into other equipment, within defined certain voltage limit. LVD is also applicable to the products with other Directive. For a Machinery, Low voltage directive is applicable with other Machinery Directive and Electromagnetic Directive.

It must be noted that certain electrical products are not covered under LVD directive such as

• Electrical equipment for use in an explosive atmosphere
• Electrical equipment for radiology and medical purposes
• Electrical parts for goods and passenger lifts
• Electricity meters
• Plugs and socket-outlets for domestic use
• Electric fence controllers
• Radio-electrical interference
• Specialised electrical equipment, for use on ships, aircraft or railways
• Custom built evaluation kits destined for professionals to be used solely at research and development facilities for such purposes.

It must be noted that other consumer goods with a voltage below 50 V for alternating current, or below 75 V for direct current, cover under General Product Safety Directive. The purpose of this directive is only to ensure that safe consumer products are sold in the EU market.

Principle elements of safety objectives:

There are some principle elements within LVD which are safety objective for the electrical equipment designed within certain voltage limits. These principle directly affects the design and development of the products. By taking care and understanding of these rules one can easily complies the requirements of this directive. We are discussing these condition one by one:

General Condition:

1. recognition and observance shall be marked on the electrical equipment to ensure that electrical equipment will be used safely and in applications for which it was made,.
2. electrical equipment should be properly assembled and connected, together with its component parts and made in such a way as to ensure that it can be safely used
3. electrical equipment should designed and manufactured to comply the requirements set out in next two section is assured.

Protection against hazards arising from the electrical equipment

1. persons and domestic animals are adequately protected by direct or indirect contact against the danger of physical injury or other harm which might be caused;
2. adequate protection against high temperatures, arcs or radiation which would cause a danger in normal use.
3. adequately protection against non-electrical dangers caused by the electrical equipment which are revealed by experience;
4. the insulation is suitable for foreseeable conditions.

Protection against hazards which may be caused by external influences

Technical measures in order to ensure that the electrical equipment:

1. meets the expected mechanical requirements
2. is resistant to non-mechanical influences in expected environmental conditions
3. does not endanger persons, domestic animals and property in the conditions of overload.

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