Explosion Proof Certification for Luminaries

Standards won't change to accommodate a specific product, therefore the product must change to conform to specific standards.

Simple!

I have a nasty suspicion that our mutual Mildred doesn't understand the protection methods for eleçtrical equipment in hazardous areas. I meañ, if the luminaire had no lamp in it at all, it would still need to be certified.

GA by the way.

Actually... standards are constantly being update to incorporate new technologies. The addition of LED based lighting technology is one area where standards are being updated.

A fair amount of the current standards, this is especially true in standards dealing with equipment rated for hazardous locations, are in the revision process as we speak.

Agreed, but it is the standards authority that dictate the criteria the product must attain.

That said, the manufacturers are quite good at swaying the standards authorities.

All standards development activities are based on a balanced matrix of interested parties... the manufacturers are one of the sectors on the panels.

Again agreed but there have been instances of the manufacturers perverting the outcome to their own ends.

The manufacturers have written the testing procedures using misleading data to get their products in to codes and or regulations.

Again agreed but there have been instances of the manufacturers perverting the outcome to their own ends.

In the Ex industry this is common place where manufacturers represent and involve themselves in the standards committees where amendments to standards or even new standards are decided, all to get ahead of the competition by trying to bias the standards around their own product.

Although we cannot really fault the other manufacturers for doing this, this can (and has) lead to some seriously flawed standards amendments and revisions where quality and even safety takes a back seat so one manufacturer doesn't have to (extensively) modify their product which wouldn't comply otherwise.

Mentioning no manufacturer names however.

"Mentioning no manufacturer names however."

I was hoping you didn't ask for instances probably for the same reason you didn't mention them.
My conscience would be clear but the pockets aren't deep enough to uphold my conscience.

Oh no, we're the good guys trying to keep the Aussies and local representatives of large European and American Ex equipment manufacturers opposing proposed safety changes honest.

_{Doesn't always work however, but that's life.}

Standards may be written with manufacturer in mind, however, all standards are adapted by each country to meet criteria within that country. i.e. an IEC standard for S Africa is not he same as used in the UK, but a product meeting the S African standard can be used for the UK, Europe Au and NZ.

Just as standards for Europe, (France,Belgium, Germany etc) will have different requirements for Nordic countries. The test methods and compliance tests can vary a lot to meet local requirements. GOST-R, (Russian standards), are based on IEC standards with the exception that additional flame retardant/proofing testing is required on most products.

Just as in Au and NZ, the standards are slightly different that need to be met for all products. Hence, AU/NZ, (Australia/New Zealand, IEC SABS. South Africa and most of Africa, HD, harmonized document for Nordic countries), they have commonality but not all the test requirements or results are the same. Just the USA is different and this is done to protect their markets within the USA.

Correct.

You can write your own private standard, incorporating EX requirements and compliances and have it tested and certified......to your own Private Standard. Other wise you need to comply with regular BS, ASTM, IEC, CIGRE standards that may be appropriate.

Get the appropriate standards, read them and see what is applicable to your application.

Can you advise me if any of these systems (ATEX, IECEx or others like FM) have now amended the standards to include LEDs ?

Yes both ATEX and IECEx, and likely others.

Check the hazardous area light suppliers directly for LED product ranges that now comply with these.

More and more LED light products are being designed, certified and incorporated into hazardous area supplier product ranges.

_{Jack - IECEx / ATEX Hazardous area LED light supplier}

Hello,

To my knowledge the standards have not been revised to include any specific additional requirement (or) to cover the LED type of fixtures. In as much as this being the case, it is not recommended to go for fixtures for such hazardous zoned areas without ATEX or equivalent approvals. As many of the experts have opined in this forum, one of the important parameters in zoned application is the the temperature classification. The LED drivers by default are solid state switching devices and requires considerable heat sink source, which is achieved mostly by finned enclosures. It is strongly advised against using non-certified products, be of of any popular make / brand.