IOT DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL SAFETY FACT VS FICTION
- S GOPA KUMAR
- Feb 7
- 14 min read
IOT DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL SAFETY FACT VS FICTION
An illusionary device termed “IoT - based microcontroller device tested and verified by NABL accredited lab" has recently been wrongly portrayed as a panacea for all electrical and fire hazards. Since the orders came from the Government and the implementing machinery who are responsible for the safety of the citizens under Article 21 of the Constitution are themselves aiding such a misconceived idea jeopardising the safety of the citizens, it has become necessary to project the facts and circumstances that can endanger the persons and properties. This article evaluates the technical parameters published by the manufacturer, the test certificate issued by a laboratory, Government Orders, and circulars of Government departments and shows how fallacious product claims with misleading information, create an environment of non-compliant and unsafe electrical installations.
Index
Introduction :
An illusionary device termed “IoT-based warning and fault clearing system” has recently been wrongly portrayed as a panacea for all electrical and fire hazards. Since the orders came from the Government and the implementing machinery who are responsible for the safety of the citizens under Article 21 of the Constitution are themselves aiding such a misconceived idea jeopardising the safety of the citizens, it has become necessary to project the facts and circumstances that can endanger the persons and properties. This article evaluates the technical parameters published by the manufacturer, the test certificate issued by a laboratory, Government Orders, and circulars of Government departments and shows how fallacious product claims with misleading information, such as "tested by NABL accredited lab," create an environment of non-compliant and unsafe electrical installations
Reference :
The following references quoted in this document and available with us are produced as Annex:
I. The Circular MUVINI-2021/Pro. No. 114/Energy-5, dated 27/08/2021 by the Industries, Energy, and Labour Department of Government of Maharashtra (Annex G).
II. Certificate of Accreditation no CEI/TECH/139/2022, dated 31 May 2022 by Chief Electrical Inspector, Industries, Energy, and Labour Department (Annex C).
III. Performance evaluation report by CPRI (Annex I).
IV. Test report no. Test/21-22/TR/ENE/42, dated 30.06.2021 from M/S Nashik Engineering Cluster, referred to as test report by NABL Accredited testing and calibration laboratory (Annex A).
V. Mumbai Fire Brigade daily circular no 66, dated 14.10.2022 regarding the installation of IoT-based security devices for electrical systems in all high-rise buildings and other non-residential buildings within Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation limits (Annex E).
VI. CEI/1/9/2020/263-294, dated 03.05.2021 (Page no. P-1 to 3) (not available).
VII. MGC/F/7433, dated 26.08.2022 (not available).
VIII. CEI/TECH/277, dated 27.09.2022 (not available).
IX. CEI/Tech/36/2024, dated 24/09/2024 Advisory for installation of IoT (Internet of Things) devices in high-rise buildings by the Chief Electrical Inspector, Industries, Energy & Labour Department (Annex D).
X. IS732: Code of Practice for Electrical Wiring (can be downloaded from BIS website).
XI. IEC 61010: Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement and control (can be purchased from IEC website).
XII. CEA Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply Regulations 2023 (CEA regulation) (can be downloaded from CEA website).
XIII. Confirmation from NABL about the test report mentioned in item IV as a wrong claim, misleading, and action taken against the laboratory (Annex B).
XIV. Government Circular No: MCO-2024/Pro.No.349/Navi-14, dated 29 November 2024 by Maharashtra Government Urban Development Department (Annex H).
XV. Extract from BMC/Mumbai Fire Brigade demanding IoT-based devices for fire NOC (Annex F).
Safety Provisions and Verification test :
Observance of the healthiness of an electrical installation involves an initial physical verification test followed by periodical verification, which is a prerequisite.
The Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety in Electric Supply) Regulations, 2023, and the Bureau of Indian Standards prescribing provisions applicable for the safety of electrical installations are outlined below:
i. Regulation 14(3) insists that the materials and apparatus used shall conform to the relevant standards. The IoT-based microcontroller, the subject of this document, is not in compliance with any standards. Any practice involving materials and apparatus without specific standards is a violation of Regulation 14(3).
ii. Regulation 33(2) stipulates that testing and verifications shall be carried out as per relevant standards.
iii. The relevant standards prescribing verification tests for electrical installations are governed by the following clauses of IS 732-2019: Code of Practice for Electrical Wiring Installations:
a) Continuity of conductors (Cl. 6.4.3.2)
b) Insulation resistance (Cl. 6.4.3.3)
c) Insulation resistance testing to confirm the effectiveness of protection by SELV, PELV, or electrical separation (Cl. 6.4.3.4)
d) Insulation resistance testing to confirm the effectiveness of floor and wall resistance/impedance (Cl. 6.4.3.5)
e) Polarity test (Cl. 6.4.3.6)
f) Testing to confirm effectiveness of automatic disconnection of supply (Cl. 6.4.3.7)
g) Testing to confirm the effectiveness of additional protection (Cl. 6.4.3.8)
h) Test of phase sequence (Cl. 6.4.3.9)
i) Functional tests (Cl. 6.4.3.10)
j) Voltage drop (Cl. 6.4.3.11)
The tests mentioned above are physical tests conducted by a skilled person with test instruments as per the standards mentioned in the test requirements. It should be noted that the standards specify that if any test above indicates failure to comply, that test, and any preceding tests whose results may have been influenced by the fault indicated, shall be repeated after the fault has been rectified.
iv. Every circuit needs to be tested once installed and before energization, as per Regulation 45(5). It should be noted that every electrical installation comprises several such circuits.
v. Regulation 32 insists on the periodical inspection of every electrical installation, in addition to an initial verification, to ensure its upkeep over time.
The testing devices used in the initial verifications must be compliant with IEC 61557-1 to meet the required operating uncertainty under various influential quantities (accuracy and performance), over-voltage categories, EMC compatibility, etc. Due to challenging technological issues, manufacturers are marketing such devices internationally in a portable arrangement only, rather than sleek panel-mounted ones. Any sleek panel-mounted monitoring device without a national or international product standard will either be fancy or have a crude, non-standard arrangement, resulting in incorrect monitoring and unnecessary power outages or misinformation on the threshold limits of safety parameters.
The statutory provisions outlined above aim to facilitate accurate diagnosis of sensitive electrical issues to avoid fire and the loss of life and property. Hence, any compromise or lapse in adhering to these provisions will undermine the system's purpose, compromising the safety and reliability of the electrical system.
IoT-based warning and fault-clearing system - a false claim
i. The product, an IoT-based microcontroller system, is contained in a small box of approximately 200x200x100 mm, consisting of one 3-pole, 32-amp MCB with a shunt trip, and a display for various energy parameters. The product, called Smart Electrical Auditor, claims that it:
Identifies 20 unique electrical problems and protects against overcurrent, earth leakage, overvoltage, undervoltage, earth voltage, loose connections, current imbalance, current harmonics, power factor, voltage harmonics, short-term interruptions, voltage variation, voltage imbalance, inrush current, reverse current, etc.
Enables effective correction of complex electrical faults.
Reports the root cause of an accident.
Operates on the principle of IoT (Internet of Things) by collecting data on the cloud in real-time and ensures that the protection system is functioning accordingly by retrieving the said data. The product further claims that it enables preventive measures by collecting and analyzing the related information.
ii. The IoT device can fetch data, monitor it for any abnormalities, and then initiate the required signals to warn or trip the faulty circuit. However, the accuracy of the data from the circuit, setting limits for monitoring by the IoT device, and initiating the required commands for warning or tripping the faulty circuit to avoid supply outages are crucial factors to ensure the safety and reliability of the supply.
iii. Accordingly, the following points must be addressed to declare that the IoT device will safeguard the installation against electrical hazards:
4.1 Discrimination to Ensure Supply Continuity It is understood that the IoT device is essentially a multifunction meter with provisions for initiating commands. It is installed at the incoming point of the electrical installation. Therefore, it must be configured to trip only the faulty circuit to avoid disruption of the entire supply to the installation, which would be detrimental to essential and critical loads. To achieve this, many such meters/devices should be installed at strategic locations to analyze and discriminate between the faulty and healthy circuits of the installation. This will help avoid supply disruption due to a tail-end fault.
4.2 Communication and Tripping Arrangement of Protective Gears
Since the IoT device is fixed at the incoming point of the electrical installation, it must trip only the faulty circuit to avoid disruption of the entire supply to the installation. For this to happen, all the circuit protective gears should incorporate communication facilities with the IoT device, allowing tripping arrangements to be actuated from an external command from the IoT device.
The device programming should consider the limits of various parameters that could cause harm if left unaddressed, so that a command is initiated to either trip or warn, depending on the importance of the circuit. Though tripping by protective gears like MCBs, fuses, breakers, AFDDs, etc., normally occurs due to their inherent characteristics, there should be a provision for overriding the switchgear and tripping the circuit from the IoT device's commands during faults to assure the IoT device's claims and objectives.
4.3 Reliability of Data Fetched by the Device
The accuracy of the measurement of the circuit parameters, which are communicated to the IoT device, is critical. It is the deciding factor in making the IoT device’s objective of ensuring electrical safety meaningful. For instance, the initial verification of earth loop impedance during installation involves portable equipment to measure and provide results with sufficient accuracy in each circuit, as per IEC 61557. After this initial verification, further verifications are conducted periodically to assess the health of the electrical installation.
Since IoT devices are claimed to offer protection on a 24x7 basis, the required data must be fetched from the protective gears of each circuit through permanently installed sensing devices or transducers that are calibrated to function at the declared level of accuracy. Periodic calibration will also be required for such transducers to ensure data reliability for monitoring. Otherwise, the possibility of incorrect warnings or tripping may arise due to errors exceeding the acceptable limits in the data. However, such communication from protective gears like fuses, AFDDs, etc., is not feasible. Additionally, deploying protective devices equipped with communication and tripping elements throughout the entire installation to provide input data to the IoT devices is highly impractical and commercially unavailable.
Due to the deficiencies explained above, the IoT device must be installed with the necessary additional components to support its claim of ensuring the safety of the entire electrical installation. As a result, an optimal design cannot be assured by a single IoT device installed at the incoming point of the installation, and the installation design would become economically prohibitive.
Wrong certifications supporting the false claim of the IoT device
i. The product manufacturer provides a certificate for the device Power Easy SMART OPTIMISER and Power Easy Smart DB with OPTIMISER, issued by a laboratory named Nashik Engineering Cluster, Nashik, as referenced in "Reference 2 iv" (see Annex A), to substantiate exaggerated claims by portraying the product as a solution to all electrical hazards.
ii. However, upon verification with the national-level body established for this purpose, it has been found that the certificate is incorrect. Ironically, the laboratory is not accredited for the safety parameters mentioned in the certificate, as confirmed by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), as referenced in "Reference 2 xiii" (see Annex B).
iii. The parameters stated in the test report neither address the operation of the protective devices nor the data transfer between the circuit protective device and the IoT device. The report only describes the functioning of the IoT device to receive and send signals to a processor, but not to the protective device itself. Additionally, it does not consider any electrical fault events in the circuit to demonstrate the intended purpose of the product.
Wrong interpretations and misconceptions
i. The Industries, Energy, and Labour Department of the Government of Maharashtra is responsible for issuing circulars containing instructions for implementing electrical and fire safety measures through the relevant implementing departments. The Chief Electrical Inspector, Government of Maharashtra, issued a CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION in letter no. CEI/TECH/139/2022 dated 31 May 2022 to Power Easy SMART OPTIMISER after verifying the test report (as per para 2, Reference ii & Annex C). This certificate of accreditation erroneously claims that the device is a real-time data recorder that measures, detects, reports, and takes corrective actions on different types of electrical mishaps, in compliance with IS732:2019. The authenticity of NABL accreditation for the scope of parameters and the norms prescribed by IS 732 was not verified before issuing the certificate of accreditation. Clause 6.2.3.1 of IS 732 prescribes ten parameters for the verification protocol to ensure electrical safety in an installation (as per para 3, Safety Provisions and Verification Tests, Cl. 3 ii to iv). Ironically, none of the safety parameters referred to in the certificate were tested by the laboratory, as confirmed by NABL. Therefore, the certificate issued by the Chief Electrical Inspector should be regarded as a marketing brochure designed to promote the manufacturer's exaggerated claims, portraying the device as a panacea for electrical hazards, without considering the safety measures prescribed by the Standards and Regulations of our country. This certificate was given validity for a period of two years.
ii. Subsequently, an Advisory for the installation of IoT devices in high-rise buildings was issued by the Chief Electrical Inspector, Industries, Energy & Labour Department in CEI/Tech/36/2024, with an annexure of verification and checklist for the IoT-based Microcontroller device, identifying and reporting all faults as per GR No: 2021/114/urja5 (as per para 2, Reference Cl. 2 ix and as per Annex D).
Both of the above documents create misconceptions, and the fact is that no such product approval is available in any of the National or International Standards to claim that it can offer protection against all electrical hazards.
iii. The Mumbai Fire Brigade (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) issued Routine Circular No. 66 dated 14.10.2022 (refer V and Annex D), stipulating the following compliances when issuing the No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the construction proposal, effective from 15.10.2022 (refer Annex D):
a) The IoT-based Microcontroller Devices shall be provided in the electrical installation of the building as per the requirements stipulated in Government Circular No. Muvini-2021/Pro.No.114/Energy-5.
b) The IoT-based Microcontroller Devices shall be tested and verified by an NABL-accredited testing agency/laboratory in accordance with the recognized IS:732-2019 Code of Practice for Electrical Wiring Installations.
c) The complete installation of IoT-based Microcontroller Devices shall be checked and certified by the Chief Electrical Inspector, Government of Maharashtra, and a certificate to that effect shall be issued upon compliance.
d) The data and alerts generated by IoT-based Microcontroller Devices shall be monitored by the Building Management System, and the necessary corrective measures shall be taken by the Owner or Occupier immediately.
e) The data generated by IoT-based Microcontroller Devices shall be made available to the Fire Brigade Department as and when required to investigate the cause of a fire.
It is worth noting that the provisions outlined above fall under the statutory powers vested in officials under the Chief Electrical Inspector. However, it remains unclear how these provisions can be effectively exercised by the Fire Department. In particular, items 3(d) and 3(e) raise a critical question: In the event of a fault, such as an electrical shock or fire, how can data alerts provide timely protection when the situation demands immediate action, often within a matter of milliseconds?
Government circulars
Reference: (MUVINI-2021/Pro.No. 114/Energy-5), dated 27/08/2021(Annex G) and Government Circular No: MCO-2024/Pro.No.349/Navi-14 dt 29 November 2024 by Maharashtra Government Urban Development Department (Annex H).
In the above orders, the Government of Maharashtra, explains that safety as per IS732 and Regulations is mandatory, and it is necessary to monitor the electrical parameters (para 3 iii, Safety Provisions and verification tests). Various departments are instructed to insist installation of a specific product, namely, IOT BASED MICRO CONTROLLER DEVICE which is tested and certified by NABL accredited lab and it provides multiple safety measures as per IS 732 (as per para 2 “Reference” Cl.2 v and annex G and annex H). Since IS 732, IS 17512, and the CEA regulations do not prescribe safety measures through monitoring of electrical parameters, justification for ensuring safe electrical installation by IoT devices is not made in the Government orders. Without realising that a NABL accreditation system cannot be created or exist on the product referred, the GO (in reference XIV & annex G) insisted on installing NABL certified, IOT-based continuous monitoring system (in buildings covered under this notice), to comply with the requirements of National Electrical Code 2023 (NEC), the electrical wiring code IS 732 (Code of Practice for Electrical Wiring Installation) and related standards, and the Central Electrical Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2023 (CEA), to prevent fires arising from electric short circuits.
Site Study
Few of the sites, where such a device is installed are being verified. On verification it is found that the product is an improved version of a multi-function meter with communication facility, and multi-function meters are already in use at the buildings in the form of Building Management System, Energy Management System. The manufacturer improvised the meters by developing an app to monitor the energy parameters and falsely claimed that it could offer extraordinary safety measures and named it as "IOT based microcontroller device". The products used in this IOT based device for metering are non-compliant to IEC 61010-1 and hence a violation of CEA regulations and could create an unsafe situation.
Violations of Regulations, Code of Practice and Standards
The product is in violation of IS/IEC standards and the CEA (Measures relating to Safety in Electric Supply) Regulations 2023, specifically with respect to the observance of all the provisions mentioned in Para 3 above, particularly the following specific provisions:
Violation of CEA Safety Regulation 14(3):Any practice or use of materials and apparatus without specific standards is a violation of CEA Safety Regulation 14(3). No product standard exists for the subject product.
Violation of Regulation 33(2):Regulation 33(2) stipulates that testing and verifications must be carried out in accordance with the relevant standards.
The important parameters involved in such verifications, as per the standards, include insulation resistance (as per Regulation 35) and earth fault loop impedance (as per Regulation 43(xi)).
Every circuit must be tested once installed and before energisation as per the regulation.
Every installation comprises tens to hundreds of circuits, making it impractical and illogical to rely on an online verification device connected at the incoming mains supply, claiming to monitor all downstream circuits.
Periodic verification, as per the relevant standards, is also mandated by the regulation, which is violated by the IoT-based device.
Violation of Regulation 33(3):Regulation 33(3) stipulates that the testing equipment must be calibrated by a Government-authorised or National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)-accredited laboratory at specified periodic intervals.
Non-compliance with IS 732 and IEC 61557:IS 732 recommends that the testing devices used in verifications must comply with IEC 61557. However, the IoT-based device is non-compliant with IS/IEC standards.
Conclusion
NABL Accreditation:NABL accreditation is not applicable to the IoT-based microcontroller, as it is not covered under the scope of NABL.
Test Report Invalidity:According to NABL, the test report provided for this product is incorrect and misleading. Consequently, action is being taken against the laboratory that issued the certificate.
IS 732 Not a Product Standard:IS 732 is not a product standard. Products cannot be manufactured and tested solely based on IS 732 to ensure all safety parameters specified in the standard.
Limitations of Monitoring Parameters:Simply monitoring electrical parameters does not guarantee a safe electrical installation.
Inconsistent Claims in Government Documents:The claims made in the Government of Maharashtra documents (such as monitoring electrical parameters and storing them in the cloud to ensure a safe installation) are contrary to established safety regulations and standards.
Illogical Manufacturer Claims:The claims made by the product manufacturer are illogical and constitute mere marketing claims.
Recommendation
Withdrawal of Notices: The Government departments should immediately withdraw all notices referred to in this document and publish documents that discourage the use of non-standard products.
Training for Engineers: Engineers in both the energy department and fire brigade should be trained on the safety requirements as outlined in the relevant regulations and codes of practice.
Implementation of Safety Measures:The State Electrical Inspectorate must implement all safety measures recommended in the CEA Regulations, Code of Practices, and relevant Standards.
Government Review:It is crucial for the Government to conduct a thorough review to ensure compliance with fundamental safety requirements, especially among engineers handling electrical safety-related issues in their roles as implementers, as per the regulations.
Given that government departments are promoting this unsafe and non-compliant product, responsibility for any accidents resulting from this unsafe product lies with the Government, especially the Energy Department and Fire Safety Department.
Confirmation by the Authors
The authors hereby confirm that the contents of this document are accurate and true. They are ready to explain these matters to anyone who has doubts about the subjects covered herein.
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