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10.3 Dangers concerning the generator
Local burning, arcing, ignition of explosive gases.
Danger from the resultant EUT supply current caused by a flashover or
breakdown resulting from the superimposed high voltage effects.
Dangers from a disrupted EUT.
Disturbance of other, unrelated electronics, telecommunications,
navigational aids and heart pacemakers through unnoticed radiation of
high frequency energy.
In the test system the interference voltage, corresponding to the level
called for in the relevant test specification, is superimposed on the
EUT’s protective earth conductor. Earth contacts or pins (e.g. as in
German and French mains plugs) as well as the EUT earth itself can be
at an elevated voltage level that would make touching dangerous. In
many power connectors, even the screws are linked to the protective
earth.
10.4 Dangers concerning the EUT
EUTs are often simply functional samples that have not previously been
subjected to any safety tests. It can therefore happen in some cases that
the EUT is quickly damaged by internal overloads caused by the control
electronics being disrupted or it may even start to burn.
As soon as the EUT begins to show signs of being disrupted the test
should be stopped and the power to the EUT switched off.
Internal disruption of the electronics can result in the interference
voltage or the EUT supply voltage being present on the EUT’s outer
casing.
Electrical breakdown or arcing from and in plugged connections that is
overstressed voltage-wise during the test.
Explosion of components with fire or fragmentation as a result of
energy dissipated, e.g. from the resultant supply current or ignition of
vaporized plastics materials.
Faulty behavior by the EUT, e.g. a robot arm strikes out or a temperature
controller fails, etc.