Quality that starts inside the product

Engineering, testing and continuous improvement principles behind SPRING switches, socket outlets and thermostats.

Updated on the basis of SPRING 2025 technical test documentation.

More than design

A switch, socket outlet or thermostat may be a small interior detail, but it is also part of the electrical installation and is used every day for many years. For that reason, SPRING evaluates more than what the customer sees on the wall. Materials, electrical contacts, terminals, electronic boards, insulation, thermal resistance, mechanical strength and behaviour under electrical disturbances all matter.

SPRING product quality is assessed through technical documentation, test results and real operating experience. When a component, electronic solution or construction detail can be made more reliable, additional technical requirements are introduced for the next production version and the design or components are updated.

Our direction is continuous product improvement: the material must match the function of the part, contacts must remain stable, the construction must withstand installation and everyday use, and electronics must operate reliably beyond ideal laboratory conditions.

Learn more about the brand in About SPRING.

Quality supported by measurable testing

The 2025 technical test package provides a detailed basis for evaluating selected SPRING electronic switches, 16 A socket outlets and thermostat model families. The programmes cover electrical safety, insulation, temperature, mechanical strength, resistance of materials to heat and fire, electromagnetic compatibility, radio performance and RoHS restricted-substance control.

We do not evaluate quality only by whether a test is marked PASS. Where a report provides a numerical result, we compare the measured value with the applicable limit to understand the technical margin between the product result and the maximum or minimum requirement.

Key 2025 test results at a glance

Electronic touch switches: engineering behind the glass

A touch switch may look simple from the outside, but most of its engineering remains inside the wall: the electronic board, power and control circuits, semiconductor or relay switching elements, wiring terminals, insulation and enclosure.

The 2025 full test cycle for the documented electronic-switch model family was carried out according to EN 60669-1:2018 and EN IEC 60669-2-1:2022/A11:2022 for a 250 V, 50/60 Hz, 10 A class product.

500 V DC insulation test: 9999 MΩ

Insulation resistance was measured after applying 500 V DC. In one of the principal measurement configurations the requirement was greater than 5 MΩ, while the measured value reached 9999 MΩ. Other measurement positions also remained well above the applicable minimum values. Result: PASS.

2000 V dielectric-strength test

A 2000 V AC test voltage was applied between live poles and the enclosure, and in additional configurations between individual poles and the remaining construction. A 750 V test voltage was applied across the micro-gap switching point. No flashover or insulation breakdown was recorded. Result: PASS.

Humidity, temperature and mechanical resistance

Switches were conditioned for 48 hours at approximately 25 °C and around 93% relative humidity. After conditioning, no damage was identified and the product retained the required insulation characteristics. Result: PASS.

During temperature-rise testing, the non-metallic enclosure rise was approximately 19.3 K against a 70 K limit. Terminal measurements were approximately 40.4-49.4 K against a 55 K limit. After normal-operation testing, the recorded values also remained below the applicable limits. Result: PASS.

In a 125 °C PCB ball-pressure test, the measured indentation was 0.4 mm against a maximum permitted diameter of 2.0 mm. Cover and base parts tested at 70 °C showed 0.7 mm indentations against the same 2.0 mm limit. Result: PASS.

Mechanical impact tests and panel-retention forces of 40 N and 80 N were applied in the documented test programme. Parts remained in place and live components did not become accessible. Result: PASS.

Fault conditions and protection behaviour

Electronic-switch safety was also evaluated under simulated component-fault conditions. Selected semiconductor components and load-side circuits were shorted as defined by the test scenarios. In one scenario a protective element operated; in other scenarios the relevant circuits shut down or continued to operate according to the test condition. The key acceptance criterion was that a dangerous condition must not develop. The documented fault-condition scenarios were assessed PASS.

EMC immunity for real electrical-network disturbances

Electronic switches must operate in an environment where electrostatic discharge, fast transients, electromagnetic fields, radio-frequency interference and voltage dips can occur. The documented EMC programme included:

·       IEC 61000-4-2 ESD: 4 kV contact discharge and 8 kV air discharge, with positive and negative discharges - PASS.

·       IEC 61000-4-4 EFT/Burst: 1 kV on power lines and 0.5 kV on control lines - PASS.

·       IEC 61000-4-3 radiated RF field: 3 V/m across 80-1000 MHz and 1400-2000 MHz - PASS.

·       IEC 61000-4-6 conducted RF immunity: 3 V RMS on power and control lines - PASS.

·       IEC 61000-4-8 power-frequency magnetic field: 3 A/m at 50 Hz - PASS.

·       IEC 61000-4-11 voltage dips and interruptions: short and longer voltage-drop / supply-interruption scenarios evaluated according to the applicable criteria - PASS.

Explore SPRING touch switches and mechanical switches.

Socket outlets: quality starts at the contacts

Inside a socket outlet, the complete current of the connected appliance passes through internal contacts and wiring terminals. Contact pressure, conductivity, mechanical stability, temperature rise, insulation and the behaviour of materials under abnormal heat are therefore fundamental quality factors.

The documented 2025 safety test cycle for the 16 A, 250 V socket-outlet model family was carried out according to IEC 60884-1:2022. Electronic socket constructions were additionally evaluated against EN 55032, EN 55035 and relevant EN 61000-series EMC requirements.

Terminals and conductor retention

The terminal construction was evaluated for connection of copper conductors, mechanical strength, corrosion and conductor retention. The minimum required diameter of the conductor space was 2.0 mm, while the measured construction provided more than 3.0 mm - over 50% above the minimum dimension. During testing the conductor did not slip out, break at the clamping point or become impermissibly damaged. Result: PASS.

Electrical, thermal and EMC performance

Socket insulation was subjected to 2000 V AC dielectric-strength tests in several configurations without breakdown or flashover. Insulation-resistance measurements were also in the hundreds of megaohms, above the applicable minimum limits. Result: PASS.

Breaking-capacity and normal-operation test groups were assessed PASS. The construction withstood the specified mechanical, electrical and thermal effects without unacceptable deterioration preventing continued safe use.

In the 750 °C glow-wire test, the socket base, contact cover, front cover and protective shutter were tested. No visible flame or sustained glowing was recorded, the glowing time was 0 s, and the paper beneath the specimen did not ignite. All four tested insulating parts passed.

During full-load EMC testing, EFT/Burst was applied at ±1 kV on multiple mains configurations and ±0.5 kV on signal/control cable. Surge immunity was tested at L-N ±1 kV and L-PE / N-PE ±2 kV with positive and negative polarity. The initial operating state did not change during the documented tests. Result: PASS.

Thermostats: extended 2025 test programme

The 2025 documentation significantly expands the technical quality evidence for selected SPRING thermostat model families. A 90-250 V, 50/60 Hz, up to 10 A family was evaluated through electrical-safety, automatic-control, mechanical, thermal, PCB, EMC, Wi-Fi radio, electromagnetic-exposure and RoHS test packages.

Thermostat safety was evaluated according to EN 60730-1:2016+A1:2019+A2:2022 and EN IEC 62368-1:2024/A11:2024. Wi-Fi models were additionally evaluated under Radio Equipment Directive-related standards including ETSI EN 301 489-1, ETSI EN 301 489-17, ETSI EN 300 328 and EN 50663.

Thermal design measured at component level

Temperature testing was performed at both 275 V and 99 V supply conditions and included critical electronic points, not only the external enclosure. Documented maximum measurements included:

·       PCB near BD1: up to 88.3 °C against a 130 °C limit.

·       PCB near U1: up to 82.4 °C against a 130 °C limit.

·       Electrolytic capacitor: up to 61.2 °C against a 105 °C limit.

·       CY1 component: up to 95.7 °C against a 125 °C limit.

·       T1 transformer winding: up to 90.8 °C against a 110 °C limit.

·       External plastic enclosure near T1: up to 58.6 °C against a 77 °C limit.

All listed temperature points remained below their applicable limits. Result: PASS.

Mechanical durability and PCB ageing

The complete thermostat was dropped three times from a height of 1000 mm. After each impact, the report recorded “No damage, no hazard”. A separate 250 N steady-force test on the plastic enclosure also left the enclosure intact without cracks or openings that could affect safety. Results: PASS.

Five PCB specimens were aged for 1000 hours at 130 ±2 °C. After thermal ageing, the same specimens were conditioned for 48 hours at 35 ±1 °C and 90 ±5% relative humidity, then retested for dielectric strength. The specimens met the requirements. Three additional environmental cycles were also completed, after which dielectric strength remained satisfactory. Result: PASS.

The thermostat PCB ball-pressure test at 125 °C produced a 0.7 mm indentation against a maximum of 2.0 mm. The plastic enclosure test at 75 °C produced a 0.6 mm indentation. The PCB also passed a 550 °C glow-wire test without ignition or burning. Result: PASS.

Wi-Fi radio and EMC performance

For documented Wi-Fi thermostat models, the ETSI EN 300 328 programme covered RF output power, power spectral density, occupied channel bandwidth, unwanted out-of-band emissions, spurious emissions, receiver spurious emissions and receiver blocking. All applicable test groups were assessed PASS.

In one maximum-power scenario the measured level was approximately 12.63 dBm against a 20 dBm limit, leaving more than 7 dB of margin. The EN 50663 electromagnetic-exposure assessment recorded a maximum EIRP of 12.83 dBm, approximately 19.19 mW, and the result complied with the applied general-public equipment assessment criteria. Result: PASS.

The thermostat EMC immunity programme included 3 V/m radiated RF immunity, ±1 kV EFT/Burst on AC mains, ±1 kV L-N surge, 3 V RMS conducted immunity and voltage-dip/interruption scenarios. The documented test package was assessed PASS.

Explore SPRING thermostats.

RoHS and material-composition control

A separate 2025 RoHS 2.0 conformity package was prepared for the documented thermostat model family according to Directive 2011/65/EU and amendment (EU) 2015/863. IEC 62321-series methods were used to evaluate restricted substances including lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB, PBDE and the phthalates DBP, BBP, DEHP and DIBP. The reported specimen results complied with the applicable RoHS requirements. Result: PASS.

What the tests mean in everyday use

Quality is often invisible

Two electrical products can look similar in an online photograph while differing substantially in their internal PCB, contacts, insulating materials, terminals and protection solutions. This is why SPRING evaluates design together with internal construction.

You see the design immediately. You experience the engineering through everyday use.

Continuous improvement throughout the product life cycle

Product development does not end when a product goes on sale. SPRING monitors real operating experience, analyses feedback from customers and electricians, reviews warranty cases and looks for their technical causes.

If a component, electronic solution or construction detail can be made more reliable, it becomes an improvement target for a subsequent production version. Some of the most important changes are invisible from the outside: an additional protection element, a changed component, a stronger contact, an improved PCB or a more reliable terminal.

Our objective is to understand how a product works, identify its most sensitive areas, understand the margin to the applicable test limit where numerical results are available, and determine what can be improved in the next version.

Quality is more than a certificate

CE marking and European conformity are required elements of placing applicable electrical products on the European market. The 2025 documentation for specific SPRING switch, socket-outlet and thermostat model families includes technical evidence related to the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, EMC Directive 2014/30/EU, Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU and RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU with amendment (EU) 2015/863, as applicable to the relevant products.

For SPRING, the more useful quality question is what stands behind the mark: the applied test methods, measured values, resistance levels and the way the construction behaves under normal and abnormal operating scenarios.

A higher-quality electrical product is created by the whole system - construction, component selection, materials, testing, production control, continuous improvement, design and support.

SPRING product families

Explore the product families whose engineering and quality principles are described on this page:

·       SPRING Touch Switches

·       SPRING Mechanical Switches

·       SPRING Thermostats

·       About SPRING

SPRING - developed with the goal of combining modern design with measurable engineering quality.