Directive 2014/35/EU Low Voltage

The Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2014/35/EU refers to electrical equipment designed with a nominal voltage between 50 V and 1000 V for alternating current and between 75 V and 1500 V for direct current. These values refer to the voltage of the electrical input or output, not the voltage that appears inside the equipment.

Electrical equipment must be designed and manufactured in a way that does not threaten the health and safety of people, pets, or property. It applies to a wide range of electrical equipment for both consumer and professional usage, such as:

• lightening equipment;
• household appliances
• electrical cables;
• power supply units;
• laser equipment
• curtain components, such as fuses, adapters, transformers, voltage detectors, etc.

The equipment that is not in this scope is listed in Annex II of the Directive. Examples of this are electricity meters, electric fence controllers, and radio interference.

The Directive does not regulate the participation of a Notified Body in carrying out the conformity assessment procedure. This makes it possible to contact OTC as a competent authority, recognized at the European level. The team of experts at OTC has the necessary competence to perform the conformity assessment of the essential requirements according to LVD and issue a Certificate. This Certificate will provide manufacturers/importers with assurance that they will install and market safety equipment.

In this way, they create more confidence in their products and have a more successful competitive advantage in the market.

The conformity assessment procedure, which must be applied according to the LVD, is an Internal Production Control. According to it, the manufacturer must draw up technical documentation of the equipment, namely:

a) a general description of the electrical equipment;

b) construction and production drawings and diagrams of the components, the assembled units, electrical circuits, etc.;

c) descriptions and explanations, necessary to understand these drawings and diagrams as well as for the operation of electrical equipment;

d) A list of the fully or partially applied harmonized standards;

e) results from the performed design calculations, the research conducted, etc.;

f) test reports.

The manufacturer must take all necessary measures in the production process and its monitoring to ensure compliance of the manufactured electrical equipment with the technical documentation and safety objectives of the Directive.