We are starting to feel some effects of the upcoming replacement of EN 60950-1 by EN 62368-1. This is causing some confusion in the compliance world as well and we wanted to share a recent example that we were contacted about.
The customer builds equipment that is a combination of three subassemblies that are themselves independently operational and must themselves carry a CE marking. These devices, when combined, create a new device which itself must carry its own CE marking.
This customer engaged F2 Labs after working with another lab. He contacted us because the other lab refused to accept that one of the assemblies was tested to EN 60950-1. The lab indicated that the assembly must be tested to EN 62368-1 to be acceptable because EN 60950-1 is expired.
Upon reading the email from our customer I next opened the link to the Official Journal of the EU’s list of harmonized EN standards for the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, here. Next, I searched for EN 60950-1 and it appeared in the chart next to EN 62368-1. See below.
We have written about this topic before, here. And there is another article on our blog that goes into this topic in much greater detail, here. EN 60950-1 is formally expiring on December 20, 2020 and at that time you will no longer be able to send equipment to Europe if it has only been tested to that standard. You will need to have the equipment tested to EN 62368-1 so that you have a technical report from an accredited lab in your Technical File.
It’s also helpful to read the “Note 2.1” that is in the bottom of the grid square that lists EN 60950-1. See below.
Our advice is that if you have a product to send now and it was tested to the current version of EN 60950-1 then you can do it… but be wary of the date. You might get questioned about it (by your EU customer or maybe even in customs) and it is probably a good idea to schedule testing to EN 62368-1, soon, if you are making and selling your product to the EU over and over. We expect a lot of last minute EN 62368-1 projects in Q3 and Q4 of 2020.
Have a question or a comment? We can be contacted via this link. We can be reached by phone at 877-405-1580 and are here to help you.
Don’t stress about any of this… call F2 Labs!
