{"id":3413,"date":"2022-03-30T12:25:58","date_gmt":"2022-03-30T10:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mi.addevmaterials.com\/?p=3413"},"modified":"2025-07-24T13:18:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T13:18:57","slug":"choosing-the-right-electrical-insulation-for-the-thermal-class-of-your-equipment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/addevmaterials.com\/converting\/choosing-the-right-electrical-insulation-for-the-thermal-class-of-your-equipment\/","title":{"rendered":"Choosing the right electrical insulation for the thermal class of your equipment"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
In addition\u00a0to\u00a0ensuring a dielectric function\u00a0, an insulating material must also have a temperature resistance corresponding to the conditions of use of the equipment to be protected.\u00a0This ability is characterized by the thermal class and must be specified in the specifications.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t The thermal class determines the maximum temperature for which an electrical insulator will maintain a certain thermal stability with respect to ageing.\u00a0It is therefore in a way the\u00a0<\/span>maximum temperature of use<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0recommended for an optimal lifespan of the insulation.<\/span><\/p> The thermal class of an insulator is defined by a letter, according to standard IEC 60085:<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Warning<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>: the temperature displayed on the thermal class corresponds to the<\/span>\u00a0actual temperature at the level of the insulation<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0.\u00a0It must not be confused with the maximum ambient temperature or with the temperature rise, in the case of a transformer.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Apart from the IEC 60085 standard, there are other standards for the classification of insulating materials which can be issued by certification bodies.\u00a0In this field, UL certification is one of the most prestigious marks of product conformity and a globally recognized safety mark, issued by Underwriters Laboratories\u00ae.\u00a0Thus, a UL-certified electrical insulator is assigned a\u00a0<\/span>\u00ab\u00a0UL card\u00a0\u00bb which is in a way the insulator’s conformity passport<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0.<\/span><\/p> Regarding the thermal properties of the material, the UL card gives several indications:<\/span><\/p>What is the thermal class of electrotechnical equipment according to IEC 60085?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
UL certification of insulating materials\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t