Clearance and Creepage Distance Measurement

Moe Lamothe, P.Eng, M.A. Lamothe & Associates Inc. ?

There are a number of guidelines that must be used when measuring clearances and
creepage distances. The following illustrations are extracted from Annex F of IEC 60950-1
First Edition to illustrate the major points.

Value of X used in illustrations below:

Pollution Degree X (mm)

1 0.25

The Evaluation of 1.0

Spacings in
Electronic Product
Design
M. A. Lamothe

Creepage distance and clearance

requirements are tied to a variety
of electrical and environmental
factors addressed by safety
standards.

Equipment
intended to be
approved to IEC
standards must
be designed
with spacings
between
conductive
parts that are
sufficient to ensure user safety in
the presence of hazardous voltages.
Designers need to be familiar with
the effects of pollution degree,
overvoltage category, and working
voltage on their decisions
regarding spacing distances. The
role of creepage distance and
clearance in the designing of an
electrical product with hazardous
voltages present is often
imperfectly understood, as is the
fact that these influences
represent a three-dimensional
problem.

Clearance is the shortest distance

between two conductive parts, or
between a conductive part and the
bounding surface of the equipment,
measured through air. Components
that are mounted above the printed
circuit board (PCB) must also be
considered in the evaluation of
clearance. Creepage distance is the
shortest path between two
conductive parts, or between a
conductive part and the bounding
surface of the equipment, measured
along the surface of the
insulation. All conductive parts
are considered in evaluating
creepage distance, including the
pads around soldered connections.
The typical solder resist does not
reduce the creepage distance
required on a PCB.

These requirements for spacings

creepage distance and clearance
can best be understood by looking
at the electrical and environmental
factors that affect them. Such
factors are the pollution degree of
the environment that the equipment
will be installed in, the
overvoltage category of the
equipment's power source, the
working voltage, the comparative
tracking index of the substrate
material, and the specified maximum
installation altitude. This article
examines the relationship of these
elements to spacing requirements
and illustrates the practical
application of the concepts. Figure
1 depicts the general influence of
each factor on necessary clearance
and creepage distance. All
dimensions cited come from the
third edition of "Safety of
Information Technology Equipment,"
CSA CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60950-00/UL
60950.1

Pollution Degree

Four levels of pollution degree

signify increasing ambient
influence on the internal equipment
environment and have different
effects on product design.
Definitions are based on IEC 60664.2

Pollution Degree 1 refers to a

condition of no pollution or only
dry, nonconductive pollution.
Likely to be characteristic of
cleanroom equipment, this type of
pollution has no influence. Only
components or subassemblies that
are adequately enclosed by
enveloping or hermetic sealing to
prevent ingress of dirt and
moisture qualify to use Pollution
Degree 1 spacings.

Pollution Degree 2 is nonconductive

pollution of the sort where
occasionally a temporary
conductivity caused by condensation
must be expected. This is the usual
pollution degree used for equipment
being evaluated to 60950 and is
suitable for equipment employed in
an office environment.

Pollution Degree 3 covers

conductive pollution and dry,
nonconductive pollution that
becomes conductive owing to
condensation that can be expected.
The local internal environment of
the equipment is subject to
conductive pollution because the
device is permanently or
temporarily exposed to the
outdoors.

Pollution Degree 4 refers to

pollution that generates persistent
conductivity caused, for instance,
by conductive dust or by rain or
snow. This category is not
applicable to products covered in
60950.

Again, the higher the pollution

degree, the worse the environment.
Greater spacings are required in
response to higher degrees of
pollution in order to prevent
breakdown between parts of the
circuit or equipment (see Figure
1a).

Overvoltage Category

The overvoltage category of the

power source used to run the
equipment also has an effect on
product design. The definitions
presented here are based on IEC
60664.

Overvoltage Category I refers to

the signal level and encompasses
secondary circuits, special
equipment or parts of equipment,
telecommunications devices, and the
like, which experience smaller
transient overvoltages than normal
in Overvoltage Category II.
Category I spacings are usually
employed for battery-powered or
safety extra-low-voltage (SELV)
powered equipment where there are
not likely to be power-source
transients.

Overvoltage Category II is local

level, covering appliances,
portable equipment, etc., with
smaller transient overvoltages than
those characteristic of Overvoltage
Category III. This category applies
from the wall plug to the power-
supply isolation barrier
(transformer). The typical office
and small plant environment is
Overvoltage Category II, so most
equipment evaluated to the
requirements of 60950 are
considered to belong in that
classification.

Overvoltage Category III refers to

the distribution level, that is,
building wiring and fixed
installations. This level
experiences smaller transient
overvoltages than occur in
Overvoltage Category IV. A large
industrial plant would be
considered Overvoltage Category
III. Equipment for use in this
environment must receive special
consideration for both pollution
degree and overvoltage category.
Many standards require that the
environment be specified in the
product manual.

Overvoltage Category IV refers to

the primary supply level: overhead
lines, cable systems, and so on.
This category is not relevant to
most product standards.

Just as higher pollution degree

levels require greater spacing in
product designs, so do higher
overvoltage category levels (see
Figure 1b).

Working Voltage

Working voltage is defined in iec

60664 as the highest rms [root-
mean-square] value of the ac or dc
voltage that may occur locally
across any insulation at rated
supply voltage, transients being
disregarded, in open-circuit
conditions or in normal use. All
voltages must be measured using a
true rms meter or scope. A scope
has to be used to determine
repetitive peak voltages because
the spikes may be very narrow (and
thus have a low rms value) but also
high in voltage, which could
contribute to the occurrence of
breakdown.

All of the following requirements

apply in determining the working
voltages.

The value of the rated voltage or the

upper voltage of the rated voltage range is
used for working voltage between a
primary circuit and ground, and it is taken
into account in determining the working
voltage between a primary circuit and a
secondary circuit.
Ungrounded accessible conductive parts
are assumed to be grounded.
A transformer winding or other part that is
floating (i.e., that is not connected to a
circuit that establishes its potential
relative to earth) is assumed to be
grounded at the point by which the
highest working voltage is obtained.
Where double insulation is used, the
working voltage across the basic
insulation is determined by imagining a
short circuit across the supplementary
insulation, and vice versa. For double
insulation between transformer windings,
the short circuit is assumed to take place
at the point where the highest working
voltage is produced in the other
insulation. (See the section "Types of
Insulation," below, for definitions.)
For insulation between two transformer
windings, the highest voltage between any
two points in the two windings is used,
taking into account external voltages to
which the windings will be connected.
For insulation between a transformer
winding and another part, the highest
voltage between any point on the winding
and the other part is used. For a working
voltage to be used in determining
clearances for primary circuits:
The peak value of any superimposed
ripple is included for dc voltages.
Nonrepetitive transients, such as those
due to atmospheric disturbances, are
 disregarded. (It is assumed that any such
transient in a secondary circuit will not
exceed the transient rating of the primary
circuit.)
The voltage of any extra-low-voltage
(ELV), SELV, or telecommunication-
network-voltage (TNV) circuit is regarded
as zero.
The maximum repetitive peak value is
used for repetitive peak voltages
exceeding the peak values of the mains
supply voltage. For a working voltage to
be used in determining clearances for
secondary circuits:
The peak value of any superimposed
ripple is included for dc voltages.
The peak value is used for nonsinusoidal
waveforms. For a working voltage to be
used in determining creepage distance:
The actual rms or dc value is used.
If the dc value is used, any superimposed
ripple is ignored.

Note that rms voltages are used in

calculating creepage distance and
that peak or dc voltages are
employed to calculate clearances.
The higher the working voltage, the
greater the spacings required (see
Figure 1c). Figure 1d shows the
cumulative effect on product design
of pollution degree, overvoltage
category, and working voltage.

Comparative Tracking Index

The comparative tracking index

(CTI) of the material affects the
creepage distance. The CTI value is
a measure of the resistance to
surface tracking that a particular
material exhibits under specific
test conditions. The lower the CTI
for that material, the greater the
creepage distance required (see
Figure 1e). Materials fall into
four material groups: I (CTI >
600), II (CTI > 400 and < 600),
IIIa (CTI > 175 and < 400), and
IIIb (CTI > 100 and < 175). Most
pcbs have a value of 175.

Installation Altitude

Altitude with reference to sea

level affects the required
clearance. Most standards use 2000
m as the baseline. Higher
installation elevations require the
addition of a correction factor
because the lower atmospheric
pressure at high altitude has less
resistance to breakdown. For
elevations above 2000 m, the
required clearance is increased by
the following factors: to 3000 m,
1.14; from 3000 to 4000 m, 1.29;
and from 4000 to 5000 m, 1.48 (see
Figure 1f).

Types of Insulation

Wherever the operator, under all

normal conditions and under any
single-fault condition, can contact
a part, there must be no hazard. As
a consequence, the product designer
must define the type of insulation
required as a minimum between
various areas of the device. For
example, primary-to-SELV will
require double or reinforced
insulation.

Also, if an accessible conductive

component that is not grounded
could become energized by the
failure of basic insulation of
another component, then
supplementary insulation must be
applied to protect the accessible
ungrounded component. An example
might be a metal handle on a power
switch.

Basic insulation provides basic

protection against electric shock.
This insulation is used between
parts at hazardous voltages and a
grounded conductive part or SELV
part, between primary and the
grounded screen or core of a
primary power transformer, and as
an element of double insulation.

Supplementary insulation is
independent insulation applied in
addition to the basic insulation in
order to reduce the risk of
electric shock in the event of
failure of the latter.
Supplementary insulation is
generally used between an
accessible conductive part and a
part that could become energized if
the basic insulation failed or else
as an element of double insulation.
This insulation is required to
ensure protection of the operator
should basic insulation fail.

Double insulation is composed of

basic and supplementary insulation.
It is used between an ungrounded
conductive part or floating SELV
circuit and a primary circuit.

Reinforced insulation is a single-

insulation system that provides the
same protection against electric
shock as double insulation. Unlike
basic or supplementary insulation
materials, reinforced insulation
may consist of layers of material
that cannot themselves be tested
singly.

Functional insulation is insulation

needed for correct equipment
operation. It does not protect
against electric shock. Functional
insulation would be used between
parts having different potentials
or between ELV or SELV circuits and
grounded conductive parts. This
type of insulation replaces
operational insulation in the third
edition of IEC 60950.

In summary, basic and supplementary

types of insulation each consist of
a single layer, double insulation
involves two layers, and reinforced
insulation is a single layer that
is equivalent to two layers of
insulation. Table I charts the
different types of insulation
required between pairs of device
components.

The Concepts in Application

To determine the required creepage

distance and clearance spacings for
an electronic product, the best
method is to first draw a block
diagram of the design (see Figure
2) from which a table of the
required spacings can be prepared
(see Table II). For example, the
primary section of a power supply
is treated as a block. Spacings are
examined between hot and neutral to
ground and between all primary and
secondary parts. Each circuit
should be regarded as a block.

Figure 2. A block diagram of the

electronic device for which the
spacing requirements in Table II
have been calculated.

It is important to note that the

voltages of each block are not
added together if they are powered
from the same source (i.e., across
a transformer). In the case of a
relay contact where the contacts
are connected to a diferent source,
the two voltages are added together
to determine the working voltage.

Conclusion

The evaluation of electronic device

spacings is essential in the
designing of products that are to
be approved to any of the IEC
product safety standards. The
standard should always be
consulted. The information provided
in this article is intended to be
illustrative and to provide a basic
understanding of the principles
involved, and should not be used in
actual product design in lieu of
 authoritative reference documents.

References

1. Safety of Information Technology

Equipment, IEC 60950 (Geneva:
International Electrotechnical
Commission, 1999).

2. Insulation Coordination for

Equipment within Low-Voltage
Systems, IEC 60664 (Geneva:
International Electrotechnical
Commission, 2000).

3 1.5

Groove width < X ignore groove

Groove width > X ignore groove for clearances, consider for creepage distance.
V-shaped groove ignore groove for clearance, consider as shown for creepage
distance.

Rib follow upper line for clearance, follow contour for creepage distance.

Remember - Clearance is always measured as the shortest straight-line distance. Creepage

distance is measured over the surface.
Uncemented joint ignored for both creepage distance and clearance measurement.
Groove widths are considered for creepage if wider than X but ignored if they are less than X.
Tape layers used to wrap transformer windings are considered uncemented.

For PC boards, the measurement is taken from the edge of the trace or land and all
intermediate traces are subtracted even if they are not used.

Recessed screw head the gap is < X and is ignored. The upper line is used for clearance;
the lower line is the creepage distance.
Recessed screw head the gap is > X and is considered. Creepage distance and clearance
are the same distance.

Note: