Effective November 30, 2016

Standard Information
Standard Number:
UL 962A
Standard Name:
Furniture Power Distribution Units
Standard Edition and Issue Date:
3rd Edition Dated September 29, 2014
Date of Revisions:
September 8, 2015
Date of Previous Revisions to Standard:
3rd Edition Dated September 29, 2014
 
Effective Date of New/Revised Requirements

Effective Date (see Schedule below): November 30, 2016

 
Impact, Overview, Fees and Action Required

Impact Statement: A review of all Listing Reports is necessary to determine which products comply with new/revised requirements and which products will require re-evaluation. NOTE: Effective immediately, this revised standard will be exclusively used for evaluation of new products unless the Applicant requests in writing that current requirements be used along with their understanding that their listings will be withdrawn on Effective Date noted above, unless the product is found to comply with new/revised requirements.

Overview of Changes (Specific details of new/revised requirements are found in table below):

  • Luminaires and wireless charging pads incorporated with furniture power distribution units.
  • FPDUs with batteries and low voltage circuits.
  • Clarification of requirements for receptacle outlets.
  • Addition of requirements for splicing wire connectors.
  • Correction of requirement in paragraph 46.1.
If the applicable requirements noted in the table are not described in your report(s), these requirements will need to be confirmed as met and added to your report(s) such as markings, instructions, test results, etc. (as required).

Schedule: So that production of products bearing Listing Marks will not be interrupted, the following schedule of approximate dates has been established to ensure Listing Reports are found compliant by Effective Date:

  • March 30, 2016 = 8 Month Report Review – Intertek will review all Reports. Update if compliance is verified or issue Findings Letter/Quote for any re-evaluations needed
  • May 31, 2016 = 6 Month Quote Cut-off – Quotes returned for necessary re-evaluations
  • October 31, 2016 = 30 Day Warning – Client advised of all non-compliant Reports to be Suspended
  • November 30, 2016 = Effective Date – ATM Suspended for all non-compliant Reports

Fees: An initial review of Listing Report (s) will be covered by a direct billing project and will be invoiced at not more than $1000 per report.

Client Action Required:

Information – To assist our Engineer with review of your Listing Reports, please submit technical information in response to the new/revised paragraphs noted in the attached or explain why these new/revised requirements do not apply to your product (s).

Current Listings Not Active? – Please immediately identify any current Listing Reports or products that are no longer active and should be removed from our records. We will do this at no charge as long as Intertek is notified in writing prior to the review of your reports.

 
Description of New/Revised Technical Requirements
ClauseVerdictComment
----Luminaires and wireless charging pads incorporated with furniture power distribution units.
1InfoScope
1.1.1 New clause added;

A cord and plug connected product as described in 1.1 with less than three receptacle outlets and provided with a Luminaire is covered under the Standard for Portable Electric Luminaires, UL 153.
1.8 New clause added;

A product that has a battery backup feature or other uninterruptible power supply equipment located in the Primary Circuit shall comply with the applicable requirements in the Standard for Uninterruptible Power Supply Equipment, UL 1778.
2.1InfoComponents
2.1.5 New clause added;

A FPDU that incorporates a LED Luminaire and LED components and subassemblies shall comply with the applicable requirements of the Standard for Light Emitting Diode (LED) Equipment for Use in Lighting Products, UL 8750.
12InfoPower-Supply Cord
Table 12.1 Guide to construction and performance requirements for furniture power distribution units

A FPDU incorporating an LED Luminaire shall be provided with supplementary OCP as shown in the column “Maximum Supplementary OCP ratinga,d (A)”. The FPDU shall also be provided with instructions as indicated in 48.1.
14InfoSupplementary Protection
14.11InfoNew clause added (requirements previously described under table 12.1);

A FPDU incorporating LED Luminaires or wireless charging circuits shall be provided with supplementary overcurrent protection. See Table 12.1.
48InfoDetails (Instructions)
48.1InfoNew clause added (requirements previously described under table 12.1);

As required in Table 12.1 footnote (i), the instructions shall include the following information or equivalent "A Furniture Power Distribution Unit provided with auxiliary lighting features is not for permanent installation. Do not remove the plug for permanent connection to the electrical system".
----FPDUs with batteries and low voltage circuits
18InfoSpacings
18.4 New clause added;

All uninsulated live parts connected to different circuits shall be spaced from one another as though they were parts of opposite polarity, in accordance with the requirement in 18.6, and shall be investigated on the basis of the highest voltage involved.
18.5 New clause added;

An electrically energized screw head or nut on the underside of an insulating base shall be prevented from loosening.
18.6 New clause added;

In multicomponent equipment, the spacings from one component to another, from any component to the enclosure, or to other uninsulated dead metal parts excluding the component mounting surface, are based on the maximum voltage rating of the complete equipment and not on the individual component ratings. The inherent spacings within an individual component are investigated on the basis of the voltage used and controlled by the individual component. Spacings between metal oxide varistors, capacitors, and other components shall comply with the minimum spacing requirements in Table 18.1.
18.7 New clause added;

Spacings at a fuse and fuseholder are to be measured with a fuse in place that has the maximum standard dimensions for the rating, and such spacings are to not be less than those specified in Table 18.1.
18AInfoNew section added;

Clearance and Creepage Distances – Isolated Secondary Circuits

18A is an alternative approach to meeting the spacing requirements described in section 18.1
20InfoSeparation of Circuits
20.1 Additions to existing requirements are underlined and deletions are shown lined out below.

Electrical wiring of a FPDU and wiring of communication circuits shall be separated by a permanent barrier or a 2 in (50.8 mm) spacing including lead dress. A FPDU employing connection to telephone communication, data communication or incorporating isolated secondary circuits, shall be provided with a barrier, physically secured by means other than friction, that separates the ac power circuit conductors from the conductors of the other circuits. Bonding of the equipment grounding conductor and the referenced conductors of the telecommunication circuits is permissible.

Exception No. 1: A barrier is not required between conductors that are separated by a minimum spacing of 2 inches (50.8 mm), including lead dress.

Exception No. 2: Conductors that are suitably insulated for the maximum AC power circuit voltage involved are not required to be separated from the AC power circuit conductors, when breakage or loosening of a conductor at a terminal in either circuit cannot result in contact between uninsulated parts of one circuit and uninsulated or inadequately insulated parts of the other circuit.

Exception No. 3: For conductors other than AWM (traces on a printed-wiring board, terminals mounted on insulating blocks, and the like), the minimum separation between communication circuits and the AC power circuits shall be in accordance with Table 18.1.
21A New section added;

Low Voltage Charging and Isolated Secondary Output Circuits
21A.1 A charging circuit and/or isolated secondary output circuit provided in a FPDU, shall comply with the Standard for Class 2 Power Units, UL 1310 or the Standard for Information Technology Equipment Safety - Part 1: General Requirements, UL 60950-1 for Limited Power Circuits.
21A.2 A FPDU provided with a wireless charging circuit shall comply with the Standard for Induction Power Transmitters and Receivers for Use with Low Energy Products, UL 2738.
Supplement SA New section added;

FURNITURE POWER DISTRIBUTION UNITS INCORPORATING BATTERIES

This new section includes new construction requirements, performance test requirements, markings, and instructions for FPDUs incorporating batteries (see standard for section details).
SA1InfoScope

SA1.1 The requirements of this Supplement address FPDU’s incorporating non-rechargeable (primary) and rechargeable (secondary) batteries not exceeding 60Vdc, 20 Ah.
----Clarification of Requirements for Receptacle Outlets
12.1.9InfoNew clause added;

The cord connectors that are employed in a FPDU shall be molded-on or assembled-on to the flexible cord. The cord connector shall be the grounding type and shall comply with the requirements in the Standard for Attachment Plugs and Receptacles, UL 498or the Standard for Cord Sets and Power Supply Cords, UL 817.
----Addition of requirements for splicing wire connectors
21InfoGrounding
21.1.4InfoAdditions to existing requirements are underlined;

Connections in the equipment-grounding conductor path from the receptacle grounding contact to the equipment-grounding conductor of the power-supply cord shall be welded, bolted, mechanically secured and soldered, or made by equivalent positive means. A quick-connect, or similar friction-fit connector shall not be used in the grounding conductor path.

Exception: A splicing wire connector that complies with the Standard for Splicing Wire Connectors, UL 486C and the Standard for Grounding and Bonding Equipment, UL 467 is acceptable within the ground path when located within the electrical enclosure and used in accordance with its ratings.
21.2InfoBonding
21.2.8InfoAdditions to existing requirements are underlined;

A bonding conductor shall not be spliced.

Exception: A splicing wire connector that complies with the Standard for Splicing Wire Connectors, UL 486C and the Standard for Grounding and Bonding Equipment, UL 467 is acceptable within the bond path when located within the electrical enclosure and used in accordance with its ratings.
----Correction of requirement in paragraph 46.1.
46InfoDetails (Ratings)
46.1InfoA FPDU shall be rated in maximum AC current and AC voltage. The voltage rating shall not be higher than 250 V. The current rating shall not be higher than 16 A 20 A, the ampacity of the power-supply cord, nor the highest rating of the overcurrent protective device that is provided.

CUSTOMERS PLEASE NOTE: This Table and column "Verdict" can be used in determining how your current or future production is or will be in compliance with new/revised requirements.

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