This Standard specifies essential safety requirements for portable electrical control or conditioning devices as defined in Clause 4 below, which are designed for operation at low voltage and which have a maximum operating current not exceeding 20 A.

Typical examples of devices having a control or conditioning function are those which incorporate energy regulators, speed controllers, timing devices, photoelectric devices, devices actuated by sound or radiofrequency, devices actuated by signals or impulses generated remotely by manual or automatic means, movement detectors, lighting dimmers, temperature-sensitive devices, overcurrent protection devices of either the manual or automatically resetting type, voltage/frequency conditioning devices and filtering devices.

Plugs within the scope of AS/NZS 3112, cord extension sockets within the scope of AS/NZS 3120, socket-outlet adaptors within the scope of AS/NZS3122 and cord extension sets within the scope of AS/NZS 3199, which incorporate control or conditioning functions are within the scope of this Standard.

Electrical portable outlet devices that are within the scope of AS/NZS 3105 but having condition and control device functions, remain within the scope of AS/NZS 3105 and are tested to that standard with any additional requirements of the conditioning device of AS/NZS 3197 being applied.

This Standard does not apply to the following:

(a) Control or conditioning devices which are incorporated in an appliance.

(b) Portable residual current (earth-leakage) devices within the scope of AS/NZS 3190.

(c) Portable devices incorporating voltage transformation within the scope of the AS/NZS 61558 (all parts).

(d) Appliance connectors incorporating control facilities within the scope of AS/NZS 60320.1.

(e) Plugs within the scope of AS/NZS 3112, cord-extension sockets within the scope of AS/NZS 3120 and socket-outlet adaptors within the scope of AS/NZS 3122 which incorporate indicating devices, e.g. neons, light-emitting diodes.

(f) Plugs within the scope of with AS/NZS 3112 incorporating fuses.

(g) Electrical portable outlet devices within the scope of AS/NZS 3105.

NOTE: Thermostats and energy regulators of the self-contained type but intended for independent mounting are within the scope of AS/NZS 3161.