19 August 2021
The industry standard to test resistance to UV radiation has been carried out for a selection of applicable Dulux powder technologies in accordance with the Australian and New Zealand low-voltage switchgear and control gear assemblies standard. This is to determine their resistance to UV radiation on powder-coated components intended to be installed outdoors.
What is the standard for main switchboards?
AS/NZS 61439.1 is a series of standards for low voltage switchgear and control gear assemblies that replaced AS/NZS 3439 series from May 2021. It is a copy of the IEC 61439-1 series with ‘in-country notes’ specific to Australia and New Zealand. The IEC 61439-1 series is the current IEC series for low voltage switchgear and control gear assemblies and has been fully adopted in Europe since 2014.
Why is the standard changing?
The old standard AS/NZS 3439 was first introduced in 1998. There have since been many changes and improvements to electrical switchgear, design, manufacture and safety processes. Due to some areas of common misunderstanding in the old standard the new standard aims to clarify legal and financial responsibilities in specification, testing, design and build between user and the assembly manufacturer.
Requirements for coatings suppliers
The standard sets out a test method for the assessment of synthetic materials/coatings used to coat low-voltage switchgear and controlgear metal components intended to be installed outdoors. It measures their behaviour to the UV radiation to ensure they do not show cracks or deterioration visible to normal or corrected vision without additional magnification. Suppliers of switchboards are required to have a valid certificate demonstrating the coatings meet the requirements.
Product ranges
The following Dulux powder coating product ranges have been tested and approved in accordance with the requirements for usage on low-voltage switchgear and control gear assemblies:
New Dulux Specification Solutions Brochure now available
For full details download the new Dulux Specification Solutions brochure for Powder Coating compliance for low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies – Resistance to UV radiation, available below or from the brochure download page here