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Leakage Current Testing Services

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Leakage Current Testing Services

Compatible Electronics performs comprehensive leakage current testing — including touch current, enclosure current, patient leakage current, and protective conductor current — as part of NVLAP-accredited safety evaluations at our laboratory (Lab Code 200527-0) across three California locations.

NVLAP Lab Code 200527-0 ISO/IEC 17025:2017 IEC 60601-1 Patient Leakage IEC 62368-1 · IEC 60335-1 Lake Forest · Brea · Newbury Park

What is Leakage Current Testing?

Leakage current is the current that flows through or across the surface of insulation between live parts and accessible conductive surfaces, or between live parts and earth, under normal operating conditions. Excessive leakage current is a shock hazard — particularly for medical equipment where patients may have reduced skin resistance or direct internal connections. Every major IEC safety standard defines maximum permissible leakage current limits and the measurement circuit to use.

Leakage current testing is always performed in conjunction with dielectric strength testing and ground continuity testing as part of a complete electrical safety evaluation. For medical devices, patient leakage current testing per IEC 60601-1 is among the most critical safety tests — Type B, BF, and CF applied part classifications each have different limits.

💡 IEC 60601-1 Patient Leakage: Under IEC 60601-1, patient leakage current limits are: Type B — 100 µA (normal), 500 µA (single fault); Type BF — 100 µA / 500 µA; Type CF — 10 µA / 50 µA. CF limits are the strictest because CF applied parts may connect directly to the heart.

Types of Leakage Current We Measure

  • Touch current (IEC 62368-1) — current accessible to users via touchable surfaces
  • Enclosure leakage current (IEC 60335-1) — current from accessible conductive parts to earth
  • Patient leakage current (IEC 60601-1) — current through patient applied parts: Type B, BF, CF
  • Patient auxiliary current (IEC 60601-1) — current between applied parts during patient connection
  • Protective conductor current — current flowing through the protective earth conductor
  • Mains on applied parts current (IEC 60601-1) — single fault: mains voltage on applied parts
  • Earth leakage current (IEC 61010-1) — total earth leakage from measurement equipment
  • Normal and single-fault conditions — open neutral, open earth, reversed polarity

Standards Requiring Leakage Current Testing

  • IEC 60601-1 — Clause 8.7: Patient, enclosure and earth leakage
  • IEC 62368-1 — Clause 5.7: Touch current and protective conductor current
  • IEC 60335-1 — Clause 13: Leakage current and electric strength
  • IEC 61010-1 — Clause 6.7: Leakage current

Related Safety Tests

Dielectric Strength / Hi-Pot Testing Ground Continuity Testing Temperature Rise Testing IEC 60601-1 Medical Safety IEC 60601-1-2 EMC Medical Device Safety Testing IEC 62368-1 Testing All Safety Testing Services

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