CSA Preface

This is the first edition of CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60691, Thermal-links - Requirements and application guide, which is an adoption, with Canadian deviations, of the identically titled IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) Standard 60691 (edition 3:2002 consolidated with Amendment 1:2006 and Amendment 2:2010). It replaces CAN/CSA-E60691:08, Thermal-links - Requirements and application guide, and CSA C22.2 No. 209-M1985, Thermal Cut-Offs. It is one in a series of Standards issued by CSA Group under Part II of the Canadian Electrical Code.

For brevity, this Standard will be referred to as "CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60691" throughout.

Scope and object

This International Standard is applicable to thermal-links intended for incorporation in electrical appliances, electronic equipment and component parts thereof, normally intended for use indoors, in order to protect them against excessive temperatures under abnormal conditions.

NOTE 1 The equipment need not be designed to generate heat.

NOTE 2 The effectiveness of the protection against excessive temperatures logically depends upon the position and method of mounting of the thermal-link, as well as upon the current which it is carrying.

NOTE 3 Attention is drawn to the fact that the external creepage distances and clearances specified in Table 3 may in some cases be smaller than those required by certain appliance or equipment standards. In such cases, additional means should be provided when a thermal-link is mounted in the equipment in order to adjust the creepage distances and clearances to the values required by the relevant equipment standard.

This standard may be applicable to thermal-links for use under conditions other than indoors, provided that the climatic and other circumstances in the immediate surroundings of such thermal-links are comparable with those in this standard.

This standard may be applicable to thermal-links in their simplest forms (e.g. melting strips or wires), provided that molten materials expelled during function cannot adversely interfere with the safe use of the equipment, especially in the case of hand-held or portable equipment, irrespective of its position.

This standard is applicable to thermal-links with a rated voltage not exceeding 690 V a.c. or d.c. and a rated current not exceeding 63 A.

The object of this standard is

a) to establish uniform requirements for thermal-links,

b) to define methods of test,

c) to provide useful information for the application of thermal-links in equipment.

This standard is not applicable to thermal-links used under extreme conditions such as corrosive or explosive atmospheres.

This standard is not applicable to thermal-links to be used in circuits on a.c. with a frequency lower than 45 Hz or higher than 62 Hz.