IEC 60335-2-21:2022 deals with the safety of electric storage water heaters for household and similar purposes and intended for heating water below boiling temperature, their rated voltage being not more than 250 V for single-phase appliances and 480 V for other appliances including direct current (DC) supplied appliances and battery-operated appliances.
This standard also deals with:
– appliances not intended for normal household use, but which nevertheless possibly pose a source of danger to the public, such as appliances intended to be used by laymen in shops and on farms;
– immersion heater units intended to be retrofitted in a heat exchange closed water heater having provision for retrofitting. Additional requirements are given in Annex AA.
As far as is practicable, this standard deals with the common hazards presented by appliances that are encountered by all persons in and around the home. However, in general, it does not take into account
– persons (including children) whose physical, sensory or mental capabilities, or lack of experience and knowledge prevents them from using the appliance safely without supervision or instruction;
– children playing with the appliance.
Attention is drawn to the fact that
– for appliances intended to be used in vehicles or on board ships or aircraft, additional requirements can be necessary;
– in many countries, additional requirements are specified by the national health authorities, the national authorities responsible for the protection of labour and similar authorities;
– in many countries regulations exist for the installation of equipment connected to the water mains.
This standard does not apply to
– appliances for boiling water (IEC 60335-2-15);
– instantaneous water heaters (IEC 60335-2-35);
– commercial dispensing appliances and vending machines (IEC 60335-2-75);
– appliances intended exclusively for industrial purposes;
– appliances intended to be used in locations where special conditions prevail, such as the presence of a corrosive or explosive atmosphere (dust, vapour or gas).
This seventh edition cancels and replaces the sixth edition published in 2012 and Amendment 1:2018. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) the text has been aligned with IEC 60335-1:2020;
b) some notes have been converted to normative text (Clause 1, 5.2, 15.3, 19.1, 19.2, 19.3, 19.4, 22.47, 22.104, 22.110, Annex AA introduction);
c) updated requirement restricting use of appliance inlets (25.1).
This part 2 is to be used in conjunction with the latest edition of IEC 60335-1 and its amendments unless that edition precludes it; in that case, the latest edition that does not preclude it is used. It was established on the basis of the sixth edition (2020) of that standard.