This section of IEC 60512 pertains to the electrical overload testing of mated contact pairs in connectors. The aim of this test is to establish a standardized method for evaluating the performance of these mated contact pairs when subjected to an electrical overload current for a specified duration ranging from 100 milliseconds to 20 seconds.
The test procedure involves measuring the temperature rise during the designated time period while the electrical overload is applied to the contacts. The increase in temperature over time is recorded for an electrical overload current, which is defined as an integer multiple of the rated current, and an overload current-over-time graph is created.
NOTE: It has been observed that, for short durations, contacts can safely conduct a multiple of the maximum allowable current without causing damage to the contact area.
