® ®

www.lemo.com

⎮

1White paper - How to Specify High Voltage Connectors

HOW TO MOST EFFECTIVELY SPECIFY HIGH VOLTAGE CONNECTORS

FOR YOUR APPLICATION

Experienced insights for superior results

Specifying the right connector can have an enormous impact on the ultimate quality of your pro-

duct or research equipment, both in the ecacy and longevity of its performance as well as the

ongoing safety of its operation. This is true, of course, with any connectors, but with high voltage

connectors the necessity is more urgent still. Indeed, the carrying of higher voltages and/or the

tendency for more sensitive operations can not only bring with it increased safety concerns for

operators, patients, technicians, manufacturers, surrounding communities and other stakehol-

ders, but also often presupposes the increasing threat of generating arcs or coronas, which can

lead to reduced reliability and premature failure of the equipment.

While most equipment manufacturers understand that the engineering capabilities, advanced

materials knowledge and other experience needed to develop eective high voltage connectors

is far more extensive than that needed for their lower voltage cousins, and thus seek out proven

expertise accordingly, many do not realize the value of forming an informational alliance with

their selected high voltage connector partners. Indeed, optimum selection can involve much

more than merely selecting a part number; there can be numerous other aspects to understand,

consider and discuss in order to benet from optimum results for the long term. These might

include dening the impact of operating conditions, appreciating the various voltage levels that

may be involved, selection of safety mechanisms to be built in, and more.

If application specic information is not provided, it is incumbent upon the equipment manufac-

turer to at least determine and communicate the appropriate technical regulations and standards

that will impact the application. This will provide the experienced high voltage connector supplier

with valuable information for appropriate design specications. Providing this information is a

vital rst step, and you and your supplier can work together to communicate additional details

from there.

Regulations we often see, for example, originate from the International Electrotechnical Com-

mission (IEC) and can include 60601-1, 60664-1 and 61010-1. Industry specic standards from

automotive or medical organizations or specialized research institutes often impact operation

and salability or legal usability and should also be identied and communicated. If the nal pro-

duct needs to meet Underwriters’ Laboratory (UL), Canadian Standardization Association (CSA)

or International Organization for Standardization (ISO) testing requirements, this would be useful

information to impart as well.

Figure 1

IEC building based in Geneva

Switzerland