Standards Development

Scope

This document specifies the standard sheets and gauges for direct current (DC) plugs and socket-outlets.

This document applies to plugs and socket-outlets for DC only, with a rated voltage not exceeding 400 V and a rated current not exceeding 16 A, intended for household and similar purposes, either indoors or outdoors.

Purpose

DC plugs and socket-outlets for household and similar purposes are used in DC buildings to achieve power transmission between the building's DC microgrid and DC electrical loads. Due to the different working principles of DC and AC electricity, DC plugs and socket -outlets shall not be interchangeable with existing AC plugs and socket-outlets worldwide. At present, there are various configurations of household DC plugs and socket-outlets on the market, such as round, flat or rectangular in pin shapes, single pin, two pin or three pin in pin construction , 48V, 110V, 220V, 375V, 400V, 440V in rated voltage, and 10A, 16A, 25A, 32A in rated current. It causes DC plugs and socket -outlets produced by different manufacturers to be unable to be plugged into each other.

IEC TR 60083 summarizes the standardized household plug and socket -outlet types used in IEC member countries. This report only includes AC plug and socket-outlet types with a rated voltage greater than 50V but not exceeding 440V and a rated current not exc eeding 32 A. IEC TS 62735 provides the types and dimensions of plugs and fixed socket-outlets with rated power of 2.6 kW and 5.2 kW, and rated voltage range from 294V to 400V DC, which are only applicable to class I equipment and supply power to DC information and communication technology equipment. IEC 62196 provides the types and standard sheets for plugs and socket-outlets with rated operating voltage not exceeding 690V AC, 50 -60Hz, rated current not exceeding 250A, and rated operating voltage not exceed ing 1500V DC, rated current not exceeding 800A used in conductive charging for electric vehicles. However, for household DC plugs and socket - outlets, the product ratings, types and dimensions specified in this document are too high and too large, and are not suitable for household conditions. At present, there is no specific international standardizing document for the standard sheets and gauges of household DC plugs and socket -outlets.

This document aims at developing a technical specification to standardize the standard sheets and gauges of household DC plugs and socket-outlets, and this document shall be used in conjunction with IEC TS XXXX-1, so as to solve the problems mentioned abov e and making international technical requirements reach an agreement.