Expanded application of tracking
test as countermeasure against
tracking of Attachment plugs
2015-01-16
Translation of document related to Electrical Appliances and Materials Safety Act (Revised requirements for attachment plugs)presented by Product Safety Division of Commerce, Distribution and Industrial Safety Policy Group/METI(Translated by JET)**Please note that this translation is unofficial and only the original Japanese texts have effect.
The translation is to be used solely as reference materials to aid in the understanding of the Japanese texts

What is Tracking Phenomena
Moisture

Tracking

Cotton dustIgnition
Sparkdischarge○Tracking oｆ attachment plugs is the phenomenon in which thesurface of insulation materials between plug pins ignites, being
carbonized due to repeated spark discharge caused by the current
flow through matter such as moist cotton dust stacked on thesurface of the plugs.
1How this item has been handled○Attachment plugs of Electric refrigerators・freezers are required to be tested on
the tracking resistance （Amendment of technical requirements: 2009‐09‐11）・They are specified since the conditions of their installation are liable to cause
tracking of them・Horizontal application must be considered as preventive action
It was difficult to specify other appliances
liable to cause tracking phenomena○ Tracking test must be applied to attachment plugs regardless of type of appliances（Amendment of technical requirements: 2014-09-18）
・More severe requirements are applied to attachment plugs themselves（limited to standard type and except those of rubber）
・It must be applied also to others with integrated plug pins (Multiple socketoutlets, Residual current operated circuit breakers(RCDs), Appliances）○Tracking test must be applied to all appliances with attachment plugs（Amendment of technical requirement: 2015‐01‐16）
・Extended application of the test to all appliances for household use2

Scope of Application○Pole configuration of Attachment plugs(Standard type) is as shown in the
Following table (Specified in Appendix 4*)

All appliances including attachment
plugs for household use (Specified inAppendix 8*)* See also the end of this presentation

Pole configuration（Former scope）
Electrical refrigeratorsand freezers(Specified in Appendix 8*)

Attachment plugs (Standard type)(Specified in Appendix 4*)

Pins integrated-in○The attachment plugs except for
listed above and those made ofrubber wholly (see below) are notapplicable（Face）

Multiplesocket-outlets（Back）

RCDs(Appendix 4*)

Appliances withIntegrated plug pins

(Appendix 8*)(Appendix 4*)
3

New requirement added into current one
Tracking test
The insulation materials of attachment plugs which come into contact
with socket-outlets and directly contact with the plug pins on theirsurface shall have a PTI value, as specified in JIS C 2134(Method for thedetermination of the proof and the comparative tracking indices of solid
insulation materials), not less than 400(Attachment plugs, Multiple socket‐outlets)
250(RCDs)
100(Appliances with integrated plug pins)

Glow-wire flammability test
The insulation materials supporting plug pins between them shall comply
with the requirements when tested as specified in JIS C 60695‐2‐11(2004)
or JIS C 60695‐2‐12(2013) at the test temperature 750℃. It does not apply
provided Glow Wire Ignition Temperature of the materials tested according
to JIS C 60695‐2‐13 is at 775℃ level or more.
※ JIS C 60695‐2‐12/13 (Glowing/hot‐wire based test methods‐GWFI/GWIT test method formaterials)

4Summary of Tracking test
○Set a specimen keeping its top surface horizontal on a support
and apply voltage between electrodes（e.g. 400V for PTI400）○Apply 50 drops of electrolyte. Neither tracking erosion nor
persistent flame can be determined at least for 25 seconds.
※Tracking erosion: Actuating overcurrent relay due to consecutive current flow notless than 0.5A for two seconds or more
Tip of dropping device

Platinum electrodeSpecimenSpecimen support5

Summary of Glow-wire flammability test
○When applying glow-wire heated at 750℃ to a specimen for 30
seconds, the following requirements shall be met;
・No ignition or ignition goes out within 30 s after removal of theglow-wire and the specimen does not burn out completely.
・No ignition of the tissue paper placed below the test specimen, if
it is melted.

6Details of Parts to be tested ①○ As for attachment plugs in which more than one material are used around the pins, the applicable parts to betested are as shown below. Actual test is conducted with the test specimen made of the same materials as theattachment plugs. For appliances with pins directly plugged into socket outlets are also tested in the same manner.
①④③

②⑤⑥

⑦ Protection PlateEnclosure・If the plate isL

removable without
tools, test is applied tothe material
supporting pins

Internal
Molding unit
Insulated sleeve

LL
Parts: Tracking test to
be applied・If the distance L is under the specified value,

・Insulated sleeves are nottest shall be applied also to the enclosure

regarded as electrical insulation

・If the internal molding unit supports plug pins,
the test shall be applied to the unit.

due to insufficient thickness

Parts: Glow-wire test to
be applied

Details of Parts to be tested ②○ Appearances of attachment plugs in which more than one material are used around thepins are as shown below. The specified values for the plugs ②, ③ and ④ in the previous
page are also shown.
①②

Internal③Enclosure

molding unit
Internal molding unit

Enclosure

LL

・L: Size of Internal molding unit
L: 1.5mm (125 V rating)
L: 2 mm (250 V rating)④⑤
Insulated sleeve

Insulated sleeves・ Thickness of insulation is notPlugs with a rotating pins unit

less than 0.8 mm8Transition period○Attachment plugs, Multiple socket-outlets, RCDs and Appliances with integrated plug pins
（Revision: 2014-09-18）
・Conformity to the revised requirements must be ensured for those produced or imported
on or after 2015-09-18.
・This revision is not applicable to the attachment plugs assembled into appliances ofAppendix 8*.（The revised requirements described below are to be applied）○Attachment plugs assembled into appliances of Appendix 8(Revision: 2015-01-16)
・Conformity to the revised requirements must be ensured for those produced or imported
on or after 2016-03-18
・According to the revision, all the household appliances shall comply with the tracking
requirements
6 months
2014‐09‐18

2015‐09‐17

Attachment plugs
Appliances
2015‐01‐16

2016‐03‐17*In general, most of electrical appliances which are wholly assembled and housed such as household appliances, appliances for commercial use, IT
equipment, etc. are included in the Appendix (Supplemented by JET)

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)
Q： Is it necessary to get a certificate of conformity again for the product newly
covered by the requirements according to the expanded application of tracking test
even if we have already the valid certificate of conformity for it?
A： It is not necessary to get the certificate again as far as the existing one isstill valid. However, self-confirmation test by notifying suppliers must be
carried out in order to ensure conformity of the product to the technicalrequirements

Certificate of Conformity

Q： Is it necessary to carry out testing according to the revised requirements
additionally if the safety of attachment plugs are evaluated according to thetechnical requirements for appliances in Appendix 12(Japanese standardsharmonized to IEC)?
A： It is not necessary if the technical requirements in Appendix 12 are applied, since
the requirements equivalent to the revised ones are already included in therequirements adopted as harmonized standards such as JIS.
As for the updated information, please see the following home page.
（Electrical Appliances and Materials Safety Act）
http://www.meti.go.jp/policy/consumer/seian/denan/index.htm
10Supplementary explanation“Appendix”by JET
Technical requirements , “Interpretation of Technical requirements for the regulated
electrical products”based on the “Electrical Appliances and Materials Safety Act”andtheir related information are specified in 12 Appendices as follows.
Appendix 1: Electric Wires and Electric floor heating wires.
Appendix 2: Conduits, floor ducts and raceways including their accessories.
Appendix 3: Fuses.
Appendix 4: Wiring devices.
Appendix 5: Current limiters. Continued to the next page
Appendix 6: Single‐phase small power transformers and electric‐discharge lamp ballasts.
Appendix 7: Small AC motors
Appendix 8: AC Electric/Mechanical Appliances and Portable power generators
Appendix 9: Secondary lithium ion batteries.
Appendix 10: Electro Magnetic Interference.
Appendix 11: Maximum limit of the temperatures used of the Insulations used in theElectrical Appliance and Materials.
Appendix 12: Standards harmonized with the international standards or the equivalent.