IEC 60335-2-102: What Are the Special Requirements for Gas Appliances?

What Is IEC 60335-2-102?

The IEC 60335 series is the international family of safety standards for household and similar electrical appliances. Part 1 (IEC 60335-1) contains the general requirements; each Part 2 document adds the particular requirements for a specific product. IEC 60335-2-102 is the Part 2 for gas, oil and solid-fuel burning appliances that include electrical connections — for example gas-fired heating and cooking appliances fitted with electric ignition, electronic controls, fans, pumps or powered flue systems.

In Europe the standard is adopted as EN 60335-2-102, and it is commonly applied alongside the dedicated gas standards such as the EN 30 series for cookers and the boiler standards for heating appliances.

How the Standard Is Built: Part 1 + Part 2

A Part 2 standard does not stand alone. Each clause states whether it adds to, replaces or modifies the corresponding clause of Part 1. Where Part 2 is silent, Part 1 applies. This is why a compliant test routine always begins with the Part 1 sequence and then applies the Part 2-102 particular requirements.

Scope: What It Covers

The standard addresses appliances that burn gas, oil or solid fuel for household and similar purposes and that incorporate electrical components — including appliances not intended for normal household use but still presenting a risk to the public, such as appliances intended for use in shops, light industry and on farms. It covers the safety of the appliance as a whole, including the interaction between its combustion system and its electrical equipment.

• In scope: electric ignition and flame supervision, electronic or powered controls, fans and pumps, motorised valves, and the electrical safety of a fuel-burning appliance;
• Also considered: normal operation and reasonably foreseeable abnormal operation;
• Not covered here: appliances designed exclusively for industrial process use, and requirements handled entirely by separate dedicated standards — always check the scope clause of the current edition for your product.

If your appliance is a pure gas cooker without the electrical features addressed here, the dedicated gas standard (EN 30) is usually the primary route. Where it combines gas and electrical systems, Part 2-102 and the gas standard are applied together.

Key Requirements at a Glance

A Walkthrough of the Particular Requirements

1. Electrical safety carried over from Part 1

The appliance must satisfy the general electrical requirements of IEC 60335-1: protection against access to live parts, sound insulation and earthing, adequate clearances and creepage distances, and safe wiring and terminals. These are proven with the standard electrical test sequence — dielectric strength (hipot), insulation resistance, protective earth continuity and touch/leakage current.

2. Ignition and flame supervision

Because ignition is the point where gas and electricity meet, Part 2-102 pays close attention to it. The fitted ignition device must light the burner reliably and repeatably, and the flame supervision must close the gas supply if the flame is extinguished, including during the ignition phase so that unlit gas cannot accumulate. The bench cycles ignition and times shut-off objectively rather than relying on operator judgement.

3. Electronic controls under fault conditions

Appliances with electronic control boards must remain safe when a component or circuit fails. The standard applies abnormal-operation and electronic-fault tests — simulating open/short conditions and checking the control either shuts down safely or continues to control safely. This is a frequent source of failures for appliances with sophisticated control logic.

4. Motors, fans, pumps and powered components

Fans, pumps and motorised valves must start and run correctly and must not create a hazard if stalled or operated abnormally. Tests include normal running and abnormal conditions such as locked rotors, with temperatures monitored to confirm no fire or electric-shock risk develops.

5. Overheating and abnormal operation

The appliance is operated in normal and foreseeable abnormal configurations while temperatures are recorded. Surfaces, wiring and components must stay within safe limits, and any thermal protection must act correctly. For a fuel-burning appliance this also covers the interaction of combustion heat with nearby electrical parts.

6. Construction, wiring and markings

Internal wiring must be routed and protected so it cannot contact hot, moving or sharp parts; terminals and connections must be secure. The rating plate and instructions must carry the electrical ratings, fuel/gas data and the warnings required for safe installation and servicing.

IEC 60335-2-102 vs EN 30: Which Applies?

How a Wanhe Bench Supports the Tests

Wanhe benches combine gas-side and electrical-side measurement in one traceable routine: regulated gas supply and 0.5-class instruments for tightness, heat input, combustion and flame-failure timing, together with the electrical test sequence and multi-channel temperature acquisition. Reports are stored against the appliance serial number so both the gas and electrical evidence is available for type examination and factory audits.

Common Reasons Appliances Fail

• Electronic control not safe under a simulated fault — the most common issue for control-board appliances;
• Ignition or flame-supervision timing marginal at limit conditions;
• Wiring routed too close to hot surfaces, or inadequate earthing/clearance;
• Fan/pump abnormal-operation temperatures above limits;
• Missing or incorrect markings and instructions for the combined gas/electrical appliance.