International Electrotechnical Commission
Glossary

Terms defined in IEC 60947-1


2.1.1switchgear and controlgear
2.1.2switchgear
2.1.3controlgear
2.1.4over-current
2.1.5short circuit
2.1.6short-circuit current
2.1.7overload
2.1.8overload current
2.1.9ambient air temperature
2.1.10conductive part
2.1.11exposed conductive part
2.1.12extraneous conductive part
2.1.13live part
2.1.14protective conductor (symbol PE)
2.1.15neutral conductor (symbol N)
2.1.16enclosure
2.1.17integral enclosure
2.1.18utilization category (for a switching device or a fuse)
2.1.19isolation (isolating function)
2.1.20electric shock
2.1.21manufacturer
2.1.22solid insulation
2.1.23insulation coordination barrier
2.2.1switching device
2.2.2mechanical switching device
2.2.3semiconductor switching device
2.2.4fuse
2.2.5fuse-link
2.2.6fuse-element
2.2.7fuse-combination unit
2.2.8disconnector
2.2.9switch (mechanical)
2.2.10switch-disconnector
2.2.11circuit-breaker
2.2.12contactor (mechanical)
2.2.13semiconductor contactor (solid-state contactor)
2.2.14contactor relay
2.2.15starter
2.2.16control circuit device
2.2.17control switch (for control and auxiliary circuits)
2.2.18pilot switch
2.2.19push-button
2.2.20terminal block
2.2.21short-circuit protective device (SCPD)
2.2.22surge arrester
2.2.23individual enclosure
2.3.1pole of a switching device
2.3.2main circuit (of a switching device)
2.3.3control circuit (of a switching device)
2.3.4auxiliary circuit (of a switching device)
2.3.5contact (of a mechanical switching device)
2.3.6contact piece
2.3.7main contact
2.3.8arcing contact
2.3.9control contact
2.3.10auxiliary contact
2.3.11auxiliary switch (of a mechanical switching device)
2.3.12"a" contact – make contact
2.3.13"b" contact – break contact
2.3.14relay (electrical)
2.3.15release (of a mechanical switching device)
2.3.16actuating system (of a mechanical switching device)
2.3.17actuator
2.3.18position indicating device
2.3.19indicator light
2.3.20anti-pumping device
2.3.21interlocking device
2.3.22connecting device
2.3.23terminal
2.3.24screw-type terminal
2.3.25screwless-type terminal
2.3.25.1universal terminal
2.3.25.2non-universal terminal
2.3.25.3push-wire terminal
2.3.26clamping unit
2.3.26.1universal clamping unit
2.3.26.2non-universal clamping unit
2.3.27unprepared conductor
2.3.28prepared conductor
2.3.29multiple tip contact system
2.3.29solid conductor
2.3.30minimum cross-section
2.3.30stranded conductor
2.3.31maximum cross-section
2.3.31rigid conductor
2.3.32electronically controlled electromagnet
2.3.32flexible conductor
2.4.1operation (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.2operating cycle (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.3operating sequence (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.4manual control
2.4.5automatic control
2.4.6local control
2.4.7remote control
2.4.8closing operation (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.9opening operation (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.10positive opening operation (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.11positively driven operation
2.4.12dependent manual operation (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.13dependent power operation (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.14stored energy operation (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.15independent manual operation (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.16independent power operation (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.17actuating force (moment)
2.4.18restoring force (moment)
2.4.19travel (of a mechanical switching device or a part thereof)
2.4.20closed position (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.21open position (of a mechanical switching device)
2.4.22tripping (operation)
2.4.23trip-free mechanical switching device
2.4.24instantaneous relay or release
2.4.25over-current relay or release
2.4.26definite time-delay over-current relay or release
2.4.27inverse time-delay over-current relay or release
2.4.28direct over-current relay or release
2.4.29indirect over-current relay or release
2.4.30overload relay or release
2.4.31thermal overload relay or release
2.4.32magnetic overload relay or release
2.4.33shunt release
2.4.34under-voltage relay or release
2.4.35reverse current relay or release (d.c. only)
2.4.36operating current (of an over-current relay or release)
2.4.37current-setting (of an over-current or overload relay or release)
2.4.38current setting range (of an over-current or overload relay or release)
2.5.1nominal value
2.5.2limiting value
2.5.3rated value
2.5.4rating
2.5.5prospective current (of a circuit and with respect to a switching device or a fuse)
2.5.6prospective peak current
2.5.7prospective symmetrical current (of an a.c. circuit)
2.5.8maximum prospective peak current (of an a.c. circuit)
2.5.9prospective making current (for a pole of a switching device)
2.5.10prospective breaking current (for a pole of a switching device or a fuse)
2.5.11breaking current (of a switching device or a fuse)
2.5.12breaking capacity (of a switching device or a fuse)
2.5.13making capacity (of a switching device)
2.5.14short-circuit breaking capacity
2.5.15short-circuit making capacity
2.5.16critical load current
2.5.17critical short-circuit current
2.5.18Joule integral (I2t)
2.5.19cut-off current – let-through current
2.5.20time-current characteristic
2.5.21cut-off (current) characteristic – let-through (current) characteristic
2.5.22over-current protective co-ordination of over-current protective devices
2.5.23over-current selectivity
2.5.24back-up protection
2.5.25take-over current
2.5.26short-time delay
2.5.27short-time withstand current
2.5.28peak withstand current
2.5.29conditional short-circuit current (of a circuit or a switching device)
2.5.30conventional non-tripping current (of an over-current relay or release)
2.5.31conventional tripping current (of an over-current relay or release)
2.5.32applied voltage (for a switching device)
2.5.33recovery voltage
2.5.34transient recovery voltage (abbreviation TRV)
2.5.35power-frequency recovery voltage
2.5.36d.c. steady-state recovery voltage
2.5.37prospective transient recovery voltage (of a circuit)
2.5.38peak arc voltage (of a mechanical switching device)
2.5.39opening time (of a mechanical switching device)
2.5.40arcing time (of a pole or a fuse)
2.5.41arcing time (of a multipole switching device)
2.5.42break time
2.5.43make time
2.5.44closing time
2.5.45make-break time
2.5.46clearance
2.5.47clearance between poles
2.5.48clearance to earth
2.5.49clearance between open contacts (gap)
2.5.50isolating distance (of a pole of a mechanical switching device)
2.5.51creepage distance
2.5.52working voltage
2.5.53temporary overvoltage
2.5.54.1switching overvoltage (transient overvoltage)
2.5.54.2lightning overvoltage (transient overvoltage)
2.5.54.3functional overvoltage (transient overvoltage)
2.5.55impulse withstand voltage
2.5.56power-frequency withstand voltage
2.5.57pollution
2.5.58pollution degree (of environmental conditions)
2.5.59micro-environment (of a clearance or creepage distance)
2.5.60overvoltage category (of a circuit or within an electrical system)
2.5.61co-ordination of insulation
2.5.62homogeneous (uniform) field
2.5.63inhomogeneous (non-uniform) field
2.5.64tracking
2.5.65comparative tracking index (CTI)
2.5.66rated control circuit voltage, (Uc)
2.5.67rated control circuit supply voltage, (Us)
2.6.1type test
2.6.2routine test
2.6.3sampling test
2.6.4special test
2.7.1port
2.7.2enclosure port
2.7.3cable port
2.7.4functional earth port
2.7.5signal port
2.7.6power port (control supply port)
2.7.7main port
K.2.1.1reliability (performance)
K.2.1.2useful life
K.2.1.3constant failure rate period
K.2.1.4overall lifetime
K.2.1.5censoring
K.2.1.6suspension
K.2.1.7no-make-break-current utilization
K.2.1.8time to failure
O.3.1design and development
O.3.2environment
O.3.3environmental aspect
O.3.4environmental impact
O.3.5environmental parameter
O.3.6environmentally-conscious design, ECD
O.3.7environmentally conscious design tool
O.3.8life cycle
O.3.9life cycle assessment, LCA
O.3.10life cycle stage
O.3.11life cycle thinking, LCT
O.3.12organization
O.3.13process
O.3.14product
O.3.15product category
O.3.16stakeholder
O.3.17recycling
O.3.18recyclability
O.3.19end of life, EOL
O.3.20energy recovery
U.1.1external control device
V.3.1energy management
V.3.2energy management system, EnMS
V.3.3electrical energy efficiency
V.3.4energy efficiency
V.3.5load
V.3.6peak shaving
V.3.7load shedding
W.4.1declarable substance
W.4.2declarable substance group
W.4.3homogeneous material
W.4.4material class
W.4.5material declaration