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IEC 60974-13
Edition 2.0 2021-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
Arc welding equipment –
Part 13: Welding current return clamp
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IEC 60974-13
Edition 2.0 2021-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
Arc welding equipment –
Part 13: Welding current return clamp
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 25.160.30 ISBN 978-2-8322-9694-3
– 2 – IEC 60974-13:2021 © IEC 2021
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Environmental conditions . 6
5 Tests . 6
5.1 Test conditions . 6
5.2 Measuring instruments . 6
5.3 Test sequence . 6
6 Designation . 7
7 Protection against electric shock – Voltage drop . 7
8 Thermal rating . 8
8.1 Temperature rise . 8
8.2 Resistance to hot objects . 8
9 Mechanical requirements . 9
9.1 RETAINING MEANS . 9
9.2 Welding cable entry . 9
9.3 Welding cable connection . 9
9.4 Drop withstand . 10
10 Marking . 10
11 Instructions for use . 10
Bibliography . 11
Figure 1 – Device for testing the resistance to hot objects . 8
Table 1 – Relation between WELDING CURRENT RETURN CLAMP test current and welding
cables cross-sectional area . 7
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
ARC WELDING EQUIPMENT –
Part 13: Welding current return clamp
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote international
co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To this end and
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Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by agreement between the two organizations.
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3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
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8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of patent
rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 60974-13 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 26:
Electric welding.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition, published in 2011, and constitutes a
technical revision.
The significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition are the following:
• Modified the title from "Welding clamp" to "Welding current return clamp" and updated the
term through the document.
• Updated all values of test current in Table 1 corrected to 40 °C.
• Updated the reference to EN 50565-1:2014, Electric cables – Guide to use for cables with
a rated voltage not exceeding 450/750 V (U0/U) – Part 1: General guidance
This part of IEC 60974 is to be used in conjunction with IEC 60974-1.
– 4 – IEC 60974-13:2021 © IEC 2021
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
26/717/FDIS 26/722/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this International Standard can be found in the
report on voting indicated in the above table.
This document has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
In this standard, the following print types are used:
– conformity statements: in italic type.
– terms defined in Clause 3: in SMALL ROMAN CAPITALS.
A list of all parts of the IEC 60974 series, published under the general title Arc welding
equipment, can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data related to
the specific document. At this date, the document will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
ARC WELDING EQUIPMENT –
Part 13: Welding current return clamp
1 Scope
This part of IEC 60974 is applicable to WELDING CURRENT RETURN CLAMPS for arc welding
processes, designed to make an electrical connection to the workpiece without using tools.
This document is not applicable to WELDING CURRENT RETURN CLAMPS for underwater welding
and plasma cutting.
This document specifies safety and performance requirements of WELDING CURRENT RETURN
CLAMPS.
This document does not specify requirements for welding cables.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies.
For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 60050-151:2001, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 151: Electrical and
magnetic devices
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD1:2013
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD2:2014
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD3:2019
IEC 60050-151:2001/AMD4:2020
IEC 60974-1:2017, Arc welding equipment – Part 1: Welding power sources
IEC 60974-1:2017/AMD1:2019
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 60050-151,
IEC 60974-1, as well as the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
WELDING CURRENT RETURN CLAMP
WORK CLAMP, US
RETURN CURRENT CLAMP, UK
clamp that is attached to, or in contact with, the workpiece, to connect the welding return cable
to the workpiece
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-851:2008, 851-14-36]
– 6 – IEC 60974-13:2021 © IEC 2021
3.2
RATED CURRENT
current assigned by the manufacturer that the WELDING CURRENT RETURN CLAMP can accept at
60 % duty cycle without exceeding the permitted temperature rise
3.3
RETAINING MEANS
mechanical arrangement that holds the WELDING CURRENT RETURN CLAMP in position and
prevents an unintentional withdrawal, when properly attached to the workpiece
4 Environmental conditions
The WELDING CURRENT RETURN CLAMP shall be capable of operation when the following
environmental conditions prevail:
a) range of ambient air temperature:
during operation: −10 °C to +40 °C;
b) relative humidity of the air: up to 50 % at 40 °C;
up to 90 % at 20 °C.
WELDING CURRENT RETURN CLAMP shall withstand storage and transport at an ambient air
The
temperature of
– 20 °C to + 55 °C without any damage to function and performance.
5 Tests
5.1 Test conditions
All type tests shall be carried out on the same new and completely assembled WELDING CURRENT
RETURN CLAMP.
All type tests shall be carried out at an ambient air temperature between 10 °C and 40 °C.
5.2 Measuring instruments
As specified in 5.2 of IEC 60974-1:2017.
5.3 Test sequence
The type tests given below shall be carried out in the following sequence:
a) general visual inspection;
b) temperature rise, see 8.1;
...