BS EN 60068-2-10:2005

1 Scope
2 Normative references
3 General description
4 Health hazards to operators
5 Description of the test variants
   5.1 Test variant 1
   5.2 Test variant 2
6 Reagents and materials
   6.1 Cultures or spores - Supply and conditions
   6.2 Preparation of spore suspension
       6.2.1 General
       6.2.2 Preparation for test variant 1
       6.2.3 Preparation for test variant 2
   6.3 Control strips
7 Description of test apparatus
   7.1 Inoculation by spraying
   7.2 Incubation of small specimens
   7.3 Incubation of large specimens
8 Severities
9 Initial examinations
10 Pre-conditioning
   10.1 Cleaning
   10.2 Damp heat storage
11 Conditioning
   11.1 Application
        11.1.1 Test variant 1
        11.1.2 Test variant 2
   11.2 Inoculation
   11.3 Incubation
12 Final examinations
   12.1 Visual examination
   12.2 Effect of growth
   12.3 Extent of growth
13 Information to be given in the relevant specification
14 Information to be given in the test report as a minimum
Annex A (informative) Danger to personnel
A.1 General
A.2 Notes for the guidance of medical officers
Annex B (normative) Inoculation methods (see also 11.2)
B.1 General
B.2 Spraying by the aerosol inoculation method (AIM)
    B.2.1 General
    B.2.2 Description of the method
B.3 Inoculation of small specimens by dipping
B.4 Inoculation of large specimens by spraying or painting
Annex C (informative) Recommended safety precautions
Annex D (informative) Decontamination procedures
D.1 Recommended decontamination procedures
    D.1.1 Application of chemical active solutions
    D.1.2 Autoclaving
    D.1.3 Wiping or spraying with ethanol 70 % vol
    D.1.4 Application of volatile disinfectants
D.2 Disposal
Annex E (informative) Information on the test fungi
E.1 List of identical strains
E.2 Recommended nutritive media for maintaining the cultures
Annex F (informative) Guidance
F.1 Mechanisms of infection
F.2 Germination and growth
F.3 Effects of growth
    F.3.1 Primary effects
    F.3.2 Secondary effects
    F.3.3 Effects associated with equipment design
F.4 Prevention of mould growth
F.5 Applicability of the mould growth test
F.6 Basic types of effect
    F.6.1 Extent of growth and attack on the surface after
          28 days of incubation
    F.6.2 Effect on performance while still damp after 28 days
          incubation (variant 2) or after 28 or 56 days of
          incubation (variant 1)
    F.6.3 Effect on performance after a recovery period of 24 h
F.7 Use of fungicides
    F.7.1 Limitation of use
    F.7.2 Performance of fungicidal action
    F.7.3 Duration of protection and testing

Defines a test method for determining the extent to which electrotechnical products support mould growth and how any mould growth may affect the performance and other relevant properties of the product.

IEC 60068-2-10:2005 Provides a test method for determining the extent to which electrotechnical products support mould growth and how any mould growth may affect the performance and other relevant properties of the product. Since mould growth conditions include high relative humidity, the test is applicable to electrotechnical products intended for transportation, storage and use under humid conditions over a period of some days at least. The main changes with respect to the previous edition are listed below:
- Two test fungi replaced by two others
- Concentration of the spores defined for each test fungus
- Spores suspension in mineral salt solution additionally introduced
- Pre-conditioning of the specimens by damp heat storage prescribed
- Supersonic aerosolization of the spores suspension as the preferred inoculation method introduced
- Duration of incubation reduced from 84 days to 56 days
- Extent of mould growth grade 2 split into grade 2a and grade 2b
- Detailed information on methods of inoculation given in Annex B
- Annex E: flow-chart deleted It has the status of a horizontal standard in accordance with IEC Guide 104