IEC 62368-3-2017 PDF

Full title and description

St IEC 62368-3-2017 — Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment - Part 3: Safety aspects for DC power transfer through communication cables and ports. This part of the IEC 62368 family specifies particular safety requirements for circuits designed to transfer DC power from a power sourcing equipment (PSE) to a powered device (PD) over communication cables and ports (examples include USB charging and Power over Ethernet).

Abstract

IEC 62368-3:2017 is a group safety publication that complements IEC 62368-1 by addressing the hazards and safeguards specifically related to DC power transfer via communication cables and standardized connectors. It classifies applicable energy levels (ES1, ES2 and, in limited cases, ES3), gives requirements for safe power transfer and protective measures against electric shock and fire, and is intended both as a product safety standard and as a normative reference for other technical committees.

General information

• Status: Published — group safety publication (in force; stability date indicated as 2026).
• Publication date: 7 December 2017 (2017-12-07).
• Publisher: International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
• ICS / categories: 33.160.01, 35.020 (Audio/video and Information technology).
• Edition / version: Edition 1.0 (Ed. 1.0 b:2017).
• Number of pages: 51 pages.

Scope

Applies to equipment intended to supply and receive operating DC power through communication cables or ports. The standard covers circuits designed to transfer DC power from a PSE to a PD using voltages at ES1 or ES2 and, in specific cases, ES3. Any cable fitted with a connector defined by an industry standard that permits DC power transfer (even where no data communications occur) is treated as a communication cable for the purposes of this standard. The document is to be used in conjunction with IEC 62368-1 and is intended to reduce risks of electric shock and fire under foreseeable conditions of use.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and roles: clear definitions of Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) and Powered Device (PD), and test conditions for evaluating PSE/PD interactions.
• Energy-source classification: treatment of DC power transfer at ES1, ES2 and limited ES3 levels and the related hazard assessment and safeguards.
• Requirements for detection/handshake, limited power delivery, and disconnection behavior to prevent hazardous exposure when cables/connectors are connected or unplugged.
• Protective measures addressing electric shock, overheating and fire (material, spacing, insulation, current limiting and fault conditions).
• Normative linkage to IEC 62368-1: where subclauses of IEC 62368-1 apply, cross-references and specific adaptations are given to ensure coherent application across the series.

Typical use and users

Used by product designers and manufacturers of consumer electronics, IT and telecom equipment (for example USB-charging devices, PoE equipment, IP phones, routers), test laboratories and conformity assessment bodies, standards committees drafting product-specific standards, and regulators assessing safety compliance. The standard is applied where DC power is delivered over cables/ports defined by industry connector standards.

Related standards

Closely linked to and intended to be used with IEC 62368-1 (safety requirements for AV, IT and communication equipment). It carries forward and consolidates safety aspects that were previously addressed in IEC/EN 60950-21 (Remote power feeding) and aligns with work on regional adoptions (for example the EN adoption process and accompanying prAA drafts). Users should also consider relevant connector and cable industry standards (USB, IEEE 802.3 for PoE, telecom line-powering standards) when applying IEC 62368-3.

Keywords

DC power transfer, communication cables, PSE, PD, ES1, ES2, ES3, USB charging, Power over Ethernet (PoE), group safety publication, IEC 62368, electric shock, fire prevention, connector standards.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: IEC 62368-3:2017 is Part 3 of the IEC 62368 series that provides safety requirements specifically for DC power transfer through communication cables and ports — defining hazards, classifications and safeguards for PSE–PD power delivery.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the safety aspects of supplying and receiving DC operating power over communication cables/ports (including energy-source classification ES1/ES2 and limited ES3), requirements for detection/handshake and protection against electric shock and fire, and how relevant clauses of IEC 62368-1 apply in this context.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Product designers and manufacturers of devices that deliver or receive power over communication cables (e.g., USB chargers, PoE PSEs and PDs), test labs, conformity assessors, standards committees and regulatory bodies.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: IEC 62368-3:2017 was published on 7 December 2017 and is published as a group safety publication; IEC lists a stability date of 2026 for this edition. Users should verify national adoptions or later amendments in their markets, but the 2017 text remains the published edition.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is Part 3 of the IEC 62368 series. It is intended to be used together with IEC 62368-1 (Part 1: Safety requirements) and complements other parts and legacy documents that addressed remote power feeding.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: DC power transfer, communication cables, PSE, PD, ES1, ES2, ES3, PoE, USB, safety, group safety publication, IEC 62368.