FAQ

ATEX is driven by EU legislation, while IECEx is a voluntary certification scheme. However, both provide an acceptable way to demonstrate compliance with IEC standards. The difference between ATEX and IECEx is initially that ATEX is only valid in the EU and IECEx is accepted worldwide. Look here for more information about ATEX.

There is a lot of information available. Most of the information can be found here.

Here are some more interesting websites as well:

• European Commission
• Euro standard

ATEX refers to danger zones.

The ambient atmosphere and the prevailing conditions at the workplace are decisive for the installation methods of the equipment to be used and the choice of the work equipment to be used. It is therefore a prerequisite that a danger zone classification is carried out of the areas that could be dangerous from the point of view of gas and dust explosion danger.

These potentially hazardous areas are divided into danger zones according to the frequency and duration of occurrence of an explosive atmosphere:

• Zone 0, 1 and 2: in the event of a gas explosion (a mixture of flammable gas, vapour or mist with air).
• Zone 20, 21 and 22: at the risk of a dust explosion (a cloud of combustible dust).

The lowest number indicates the most dangerous zone. The higher the classification of a danger zone, the more demanding are the requirements for the design of the working environment and for the application and use of equipment and protective systems. For more information on ATEX, click here.

ATEX stands for ATmospheres EXplosives, or explosive atmospheres.

An explosive atmosphere is defined as a mixture of flammable substances in the form of gases, fumes, mists and dusts under atmospheric conditions, in which combustion spreads to the entire mixture after ignition.

Since July 2003 ATEX 95 and ATEX 137 have been introduced; directives that were specifically written to focus attention on safety in explosive areas and make the use of explosion-proof products legally binding in such areas.

The guideline applies to all companies in which “a dangerous explosive atmosphere may occur as a result of the use of flammable substances”. For more information on ATEX, click here.

Whether a lamp is ATEX certified or not can be seen on the lamp housing. The certification is printed in it. This consists of a number of codes. These codes and their meanings are listed below:

• CE: This code confirms that the product complies with all EU quality requirements.
• Ex: The specific sign for explosion prevention.
• G, D or GD: Applicable in gas (G), dust (D) or both (GD) atmospheres.
• E Ex: Approved for use in explosive areas in accordance with the latest common European requirements.
• E ib: Level of protection.
• IIA, IIB or IIC: The gas group to which the product belongs. (IIA has the lowest risk of ignition, IIC the highest).
• T1 to T6: Temperature classification of the used light bulb. Classification according to the maximum temperature of the surface, with T1 being the highest and T6 the lowest.

An ATEX certification should be issued by a notified body such as KEMA or DEMKO. If the lamp is evaluated by a non-certified testing institute, the zone in which the certification is granted is maximum 2. This is the lowest protection class. For more information on ATEX, click here.

ATEX stands for ATmospheres EXplosives, or explosive atmospheres. If a lamp is ATEX-certified, this means that it is suitable for use in an explosion-hazardous environment. Whether a lamp is ATEX certified or not can be seen on the lamp housing. The certification is printed in it. Elfa has these ATEX certified lights from a number of leading brands in its range. Look here for more information.

RoHS stands for Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances. In February 2003, the European RoHS directive came into existence. It concerns the use of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB and PBDE. Lead-free soldering is an important part of this guideline. For the complete EU guideline, please click here.

An light bulb consists of a vacuum-drawn or glass-filled glass bulb containing a filament. When current flows through the filament, it starts to glow and emit light. There are different types of bulbs for different applications. This depends on the type of noble gas added to it. In general, we speak of 3 types of light bulbs: the ‘normal’ (krypton) light bulb, the halogen light bulb and the xenon light bulb.

• Krypton light bulb 90 to 95 percent of the electricity used by a light bulb is converted into heat. This means that only 5 to 10 percent of the energy is actually converted into light. So an incandescent light bulb is not very efficient. Light bulbs are the least energy-efficient and have an average burning time of 1,000 hours.
• Halogen light bulb The halogen light bulb is a type of incandescent lamp that produces extra light thanks to the halogen gas. It also lasts longer than a normal light bulb and the consumption for some applications is also 30% lower. Although the halogen lamp is more expensive, it distinguishes itself from other bulbs through its high light output and excellent colour rendering. Moreover, the performance is constant for almost the entire lifetime and halogen lamps are often smaller than ordinary light bulbs.
• In the case of Xenon bulbs and lights, gas is ignited. Due to gas discharge in the xenon lighting, an arc is created that has up to 3x more light output than an ordinary halogen lamp. After approximately 2,500 hours, the light output is still about 70%, which is still more than a good halogen lamp.

There are a large number of possible fittings for the various lights. Here are the most common:

• Screw fittings: The best known are the small (E14) and the large (E27). We also know the Goliath fitting (E40).
• Plug fittings: This means that the bulb has one or more feet, allowing it to be inserted into the socket in one movement. It usually clamps the foot(s) automatically, but sometimes it needs to be screwed. Plug fittings are available from very small to quite large.
• TL fittings: Straight fluorescent tubes have their own fitting systems.
• Bayonet fittings: These fittings are pushed into the lamp so that the pins on the side can get caught behind an opening.

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode, and is seen as the light system of today and the future.

LEDs can be seen as the successors of light bulbs. Light bulbs have the disadvantage that after some time the filament burns out. This is different with LEDs, because they do not use a filament.

LEDs convert the power directly into light. This way, less power is consumed. The wire must glow first with a normal lamp. Another advantage is the much longer lifetime of LEDs. An LED can burn for more than ten years without breaking down.

The advantages of LEDs:

• Energy-efficient: lots of light with a minimum of energy.
• Extremely long lifetime (20,000-100,000 hours)
• LEDs are virtually impossible to break down and are resistant to vibration, as they lack a delicate filament.
• Can handle differences in temperature.
• Lenses can be used to ‘play’ with the light beam from an LED. For example, one can make the beam wider or smaller.

Disadvantages (especially for ‘older’ LEDs):

• The colour of the light tends to blue

NEN stands for National Standardisation Institute. Those who participate in standardization share their knowledge in order to benefit from it together with others. Standardisation strives for efficient, safe, healthy and sustainable products and processes. Several interests are united in a smart way. NEN is the national standardization institute in the Netherlands. They work on economic growth and well-being in a European (CEN, CENELEC and ETSI) and worldwide (ISO, IEC and ITU) context. As the Dutch centre of standardization, NEN helps companies and other organisations to make clear and applicable agreements with each other.

Click here for the website of NEN.