Glow-Wire Compliance Requirements in Unattended White-Goods Applications

With the widespread adoption of smart home technology, white goods such as refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners operate for long periods in unattended conditions. The flame-retardant and heat-resistant performance of their internal electrical connection points is directly linked to household electrical safety. For white goods with a rated current exceeding 0.2 A, IEC 60335-1 Household and Similar Electrical Appliances — Safety — Part 1: General Requirements and its Chinese counterpart GB 4706.1 explicitly require that insulating materials supporting current-carrying components pass the Glow-Wire Test (IEC 60695-2-11/12) to verify flame resistance under abnormal overheating conditions.

The core conclusion for selection is that there are two parallel compliance paths for glow-wire requirements in white-goods terminals: material-level safety and component-level safety. Designers should make an explicit choice between the two based on product structural complexity, certification timeline pressure and cost targets, rather than issuing a vague requirement for "flame-retardant terminals." DEGSON offers DC white-goods connectors in corresponding material grades for both paths, allowing direct alignment with safety standards and a streamlined selection and certification process.

Judgment Criteria for the Two Compliance Paths

Path 1: Material-Level Safety

The material-level safety path is judged by the Glow-Wire Ignition Temperature (GWIT) of the housing material itself. The core requirement is that the housing material achieves GWIT ≥ 775 °C and that any flame extinguishes completely within 5 seconds during testing. Materials meeting this criterion may, under the relevant clauses of IEC 60335-1 Clause 30, be exempted from separate glow-wire testing on finished components.

The advantage of this path lies in simplified certification: because the material grade already covers component-level requirements, appliance manufacturers do not need to prepare separate component-level test samples and reports for each terminal structure, effectively shortening R&D cycles and reducing certification costs. It is best suited for appliances with high material flame-retardancy requirements and a need for rapid safety certification, particularly models with relatively simple structures and larger exposed housing areas.

Path 2: Component-Level Safety

The component-level safety path is judged by the glow-wire test result of the finished component, with a relatively relaxed requirement on the material's own GWIT. The core standard has two tiers: first, the product component must achieve GWIT ≥ 750 °C with flame extinguishing within 2 seconds; second, if the flame persists beyond 2 seconds, compliance can still be established if any one of the following supplementary conditions is met:

1. Adjacent materials surrounding the terminal achieve a UL 94 V0 or V1 flammability rating;

2. Adjacent materials surrounding the terminal pass the Needle-Flame Test (IEC 60695-11-5);

3. Adjacent materials surrounding the terminal incorporate built-in connection protection designs, such as metal shields or flame-retardant isolation baffles.

The advantage of this path is greater structural design flexibility: designers can retain more room for product aesthetics and internal structure optimization while ensuring overall safety. It is particularly suitable for high-power white goods with complex structures and multi-component coordination, such as multi-door refrigerators, variable-frequency outdoor air-conditioning units, and washer-dryer combos.

Glow-Wire Test

DC White-Goods Connector Selection and Full-Pitch Product Matrix

To match the power ratings, installation space and wiring requirements of different white goods, DEGSON offers a DC white-goods connector product matrix covering the full pitch range from 3.5 mm to 10.16 mm. Below are some core models and their typical application scenarios:

All of the above models are available in both material-level and component-level safety material versions, directly corresponding to the two compliance paths described above, enabling one-step selection and certification. During selection, designers should first determine the target compliance path, then filter specific models based on rated current, wire gauge, mounting style (straight / right-angle / THR) and pitch space requirements.

Application Scenarios and Selection Recommendations for DEGSON Solutions

DEGSON's white-goods connection solutions deliver value to appliance manufacturers in four dimensions:

• Standards alignment: Products follow the glow-wire applicability requirements of IEC 60335-1 / GB 4706.1 for white-goods terminals. The two material versions align with the material-level and component-level compliance paths respectively, supporting domestic and international safety certification.

• Solution flexibility: The dual-path approach (material-level / component-level) balances cost and performance. Models prioritizing certification speed may prefer the material-level version; for high-power models with complex structures requiring design freedom, the component-level version combined with flame-retardant design of surrounding materials is more economical.

• Complete product line: Full pitch coverage from 3.5 mm to 10.16 mm meets the internal connection needs of refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, dishwashers and other white goods, reducing multi-supplier management cost.

• Traceable quality: DEGSON provides complete material datasheets, test reports and certification documents for the selected models, giving appliance makers traceable evidence for the certification file.

FAQ

Q1: Which path has lower certification cost — material-level or component-level safety?

Generally, the material-level path has lower certification cost because materials meeting GWIT ≥ 775 °C are exempt from component-level glow-wire testing, reducing sample and report fees. However, if the appliance has already conducted V0/V1 or needle-flame testing on surrounding plastics, the component-level path can reuse existing test results, potentially lowering the overall cost. This should be evaluated on a project-by-project basis.

Q2: Can the two paths be mixed at different connection points within the same appliance?

Yes. IEC 60335-1 evaluates each insulating material supporting current-carrying components independently. Manufacturers may use material-level terminals at space-constrained locations such as main control boards, and component-level terminals combined with surrounding flame-retardant design at high-power, structurally complex locations such as compressor circuits, to achieve an optimal balance.

References

• IEC 60335-1 — Household and Similar Electrical Appliances — Safety — Part 1: General Requirements. IEC webstore.

• IEC 60695-2-11 / -2-12 — Glow-wire test methods.

• IEC 60695-11-5 — Needle-flame test method.

• UL 94 — Tests for Flammability of Plastic Materials.

• GB 4706.1 — Safety of Household and Similar Electrical Appliances, General Requirements.

Take the Next Step

Confirm your appliance's rated current and target compliance path, then browse the DEGSON DC white-goods connector series on www.degson.com to shortlist a model by pitch, current, wire gauge and mounting style — and request the material datasheet and glow-wire test report for the exact model to include in your safety certification package.