DIN EN 60079-26:2015-05

This part of DIN EN 60079 (VDE 0170) specifies alternative requirements for construction, test and marking for electrical equipment that provides Equipment Protection Level (EPL) GA when single standardised Types of Protection (for example Ex "ia", Ex "ma" and Ex "da") cannot be applied. This standard also applies to equipment mounted across a boundary where different Equipment Protection Levels may be required. This is for example equipment installed in the wall of a storage vessel containing Zone 0 (requiring EPL "Ga") inside an area defined as Zone 1 (requiring EPL "Gb"). This electrical equipment, within the operational parameters specified by the manufacturer, ensures a very high Level of Protection that includes rare malfunctions related to the equipment or two malfunctions occurring independently of each other. Such malfunctions can result from a failure of the component parts of the electrical equipment or from anticipated externally applied influences. Two independent malfunctions which may occur more frequently and which, separately, wound not create an ignition hazard but which, in combination, could create a potential ignition hazard, are regarded as occurring together to form a rare malfunction. This standard supplements and modifies the general requirements in DIN EN 60079-0 (VDE 0170-1). Where the requirement of this standard conflict with the requirements of DIN EN 60079-0 (VDE 0170-1), the requirements of this standard shall take precedence. The responsible committee is DKE/K 241 "Schlagwetter- und explosionsgeschützte elektrische Betriebsmittel" ("Electrical apparatus for potentially explosive atmospheres") of the DKE (German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies) at DIN and VDE.