BS EN IEC 60704-2-1-2020 PDF

Full title and description

STB BS EN IEC 60704-2-1:2020 — Household and similar electrical appliances — Test code for the determination of airborne acoustical noise — Part 2‑1: Particular requirements for dry vacuum cleaners. This is the British adoption (BS EN IEC) of IEC 60704‑2‑1:2020 and specifies the particular requirements and test arrangements for measuring airborne noise from mains‑operated and cordless dry vacuum cleaners for household or similar use.

Abstract

This part of IEC/EN/BS EN IEC 60704 specifies methods for determining airborne acoustical noise emitted by dry vacuum cleaners used in households or under similar conditions. It supplements and, where applicable, modifies the general test code given in IEC 60704‑1 and addresses measurement environments, instrumentation, pre‑conditioning, the use and aging of test carpets, measurement uncertainty and reporting of sound pressure and sound power levels. The standard excludes vacuum cleaners intended for industrial or professional use.

General information

• Status: Active / Current (British adoption of IEC 60704‑2‑1:2020).
• Publication date: 21 December 2020 (BS adoption published December 2020).
• Publisher: British Standards Institution (BSI) — identical adoption of IEC 60704‑2‑1:2020 (origin: IEC).
• ICS / categories: 17.140.20 (Noise emitted by machines and equipment); 97.080 (Cleaning appliances).
• Edition / version: 2020 edition — identical to IEC 60704‑2‑1:2020 (edition corresponding to the 2020 release of Part 2‑1).
• Number of pages: 26 pages (BS EN IEC published document page count for the BSI adoption).

Scope

This standard applies to mains‑operated and cordless dry vacuum cleaners for household use or under conditions similar to those in households and provides particular requirements to be read in conjunction with IEC 60704‑1 (general test code). It does not apply to vacuum cleaners intended for industrial or professional use; wet‑cleaning functions are covered by other parts (for example IEC 60704‑2‑20 and the IEC/TS 62885 series for performance/test carpet details). The standard covers test set‑up, acoustical environments, instrumentation, operation and location of appliance under test, measurement procedures for sound pressure and calculation of sound power, uncertainty and reporting.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of test environments and measurement positions for airborne sound from vacuum cleaners (carpet and hard‑floor conditions).
• Requirements for instrumentation, calibration and measurement bandwidths (sound level meters, microphones, filters).
• Preparation, equipping and pre‑conditioning of appliances and test accessories (including considerations for test carpet conditioning and ageing).
• Procedures for measuring sound pressure levels and deriving sound power levels, including uncertainty and repeatability statements.
• Information to be recorded and reported (test conditions, instrumentation, measured levels, calculation methods and environmental data).

Typical use and users

Manufacturers of household vacuum cleaners (for product development and declaration of noise levels), independent test laboratories and acoustical measurement facilities (for type testing and conformity assessment), regulatory bodies and certification/market surveillance authorities concerned with product noise labelling and compliance, and standards committees referencing measurement methods. Test engineers and product compliance teams use this standard together with IEC 60704‑1 and relevant EN adoptions for routine noise measurement and reporting.

Related standards

IEC/EN IEC 60704‑1 (general test code for airborne acoustical noise); IEC/TS 62885‑1 and the IEC 62885 series (surface cleaning appliance performance and test carpet specifications); IEC 60704‑2‑17 (dry‑cleaning robots); IEC 60704‑2‑20 (wet/dry vacuum cleaners); other Part 2.x documents in the IEC 60704 series that specify particular requirements for different appliance types.

Keywords

vacuum cleaner, airborne acoustical noise, sound pressure level, sound power, test code, household appliances, measurement uncertainty, test carpet, pre‑conditioning, BS EN IEC 60704‑2‑1.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: It is the British adoption (BS EN IEC) of IEC 60704‑2‑1:2020 — a Part 2‑1 document in the IEC 60704 series that sets particular requirements for measuring the airborne acoustical noise of dry vacuum cleaners for household or similar use.

Q: What does it cover?

A: Test set‑up and procedure for measuring airborne sound (sound pressure and derived sound power) from dry vacuum cleaners, including instrumentation, measurement environments, conditioning of test items and carpets, uncertainty and reporting requirements; to be used with the general provisions of IEC 60704‑1.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Manufacturers, test laboratories, conformity assessment bodies, certification schemes, regulators and standards committees involved in acoustic measurement, product development and market surveillance for household vacuum cleaners.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 2020 edition (BS EN IEC 60704‑2‑1:2020) is current and in active use; national adoptions were published in late 2020 / early 2021. Revision work and future editions are periodically proposed by standards committees, so users should check with their national standards body or BSI for any later amendments or new editions (as of 22 February 2026, the 2020 edition remains the applicable published version, with committee activity recorded for future updates).

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is Part 2‑1 of the IEC 60704 series (test code for the determination of airborne acoustical noise) and is intended to be read together with IEC 60704‑1 (general requirements) and other Part 2.x documents covering other appliance types and particular cases.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Vacuum cleaner, airborne acoustical noise, sound pressure level, sound power level, test code, measurement uncertainty, test carpet, pre‑conditioning, household appliances, BS EN IEC 60704‑2‑1.