🔩 Accelerated ageing of plastic specimens by fluorescent UV lamp radiation, heat and water — UVA-340 lamps (method A, UV of global solar radiation), UVA-351 (method B, window-glass filtered solar radiation) and UVB-313 (method C, only by agreement between the parties), spectral distribution requirements (Tables 1–3), condensation type devices and climatic chambers, condensation or water spray, temperature control by black surface thermometer or air temperature, PN-EN ISO 4892-3

Materials and NDT PN-EN ISO 4892-3

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. We read the text of the standard in two iTeh samples: SIST EN ISO 4892-3:2024 (English text) — title page, contents and European foreword — and ISO 4892-3:2024 (English text) — from the title page through the contents, foreword and Clauses 1–4 to 5.5.1 (wetting — general) on page 6 inclusive, with Tables 1–3. Outside the samples remain the condensation and water spray system (5.5.2), control of humidity (5.6), specimen holders (5.7), apparatus to assess changes in properties (5.8), test specimens (6), test conditions with Tables 4 and 5 of exposure cycles (7), procedure (8), test report (9) and Annexes A–D.

ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF ISO 4892-3:2024 AND EN ISO 4892-3:2024 (forewords, Clauses 1–5.5.1). The standard was prepared by ISO/TC 61/SC 6 “Ageing, chemical and environmental resistance” in collaboration with CEN/TC 249 “Plastics” under the Vienna Agreement; CEN approved EN ISO 4892-3 on 17.10.2024, superseding EN ISO 4892-3:2016, and the fifth ISO edition replaced ISO 4892-3:2016; main changes: clarification that two fundamentally different types of test chambers exist (5.2, 5.4, new annexes), Table 4 split into Table 4 for condensation type devices and Table 5 for climatic chamber type devices, Annexes B (condensation type device), C (climatic chamber type device) and D (alternative test cycles) added, reference to CIE 85 updated to CIE 241, combinations of different UV lamps deleted, mandatory Clause 3 “Terms and definitions” added and lamp type designations 1A, 1B, 2 deleted. Scope (1): methods for exposing plastic specimens to fluorescent UV lamp radiation, heat and water in apparatus simulating the weathering effects occurring in actual end-use exposure to global solar radiation or window-glass filtered solar radiation; exposure of paints, varnishes and other coatings is described in ISO 16474-3. Normative references (2): ISO 4582 (changes in colour and properties after exposure) and ISO 4892-1 (general guidance). Terms (3): according to ISO 4892-1. Principle (4): fluorescent UV lamps, maintained or rotated according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, simulate the spectral irradiance of global solar radiation in the short-wavelength UV region; specimens are exposed to various levels of UV, heat and moisture under controlled conditions; specimen preparation and evaluation are covered by material standards; conditions are varied by selecting the lamp type, irradiance level, temperature during UV, type, temperature and cycle of wetting and timing of the UV/dark cycle; wetting is usually condensation of water vapour on the specimen surface or spraying with demineralized or deionized water; irradiance and radiant exposure can be measured in the specimen plane; simultaneous exposure of a control material of known performance is recommended; results from different types of apparatus (Annexes B and C) or different lamps should not be compared without an established statistical relationship for the material. Light source (5.1): fluorescent UV lamps are lamps in which emission below 400 nm makes up at least 80 % of the total output, conforming to Annex A; UVA-340 — less than 1 % of radiation below 300 nm, peak at 343 nm, for simulating global solar radiation 300–360 nm (Table 1); UVA-351 — less than 1 % below 310 nm, peak at 353 nm, for simulating the UV of window-glass filtered solar radiation (Table 2); UVB-313 — more than 10 % below 300 nm, peak at 313 nm (Table 3), only by agreement between the parties stated in the report, because radiation below 295 nm can initiate ageing processes that never occur in nature; the reference spectrum is CIE 241, CIE-H1; lamp types shall not be mixed; unless otherwise specified — UVA-340 for global solar UV (method A of Tables 4 and 5) and UVA-351 for sunlight through glass (method B); lamps age significantly, and without automatic irradiance control the apparatus manufacturer’s instructions are followed; uniformity according to ISO 4892-1, with periodic repositioning of specimens when irradiance is below 90 % of the peak. Tables 1–3 (share of passbands in irradiance 290–400 nm, for UVB-313 — 250–400 nm; min.–max.): UVA-340 — below 290 nm up to 0,1 %, 290–320 nm 5,9–9,3 %, 320–360 nm 60,9–65,5 %, 360–400 nm 26,5–32,8 % (CIE-H1: 0; 5,9; 40,4; 53,8 %); UVA-351 — below 300 nm up to 0,2 %, 300–320 nm 1,1–3,3 %, 320–360 nm 60,5–66,8 %, 360–400 nm 30,0–38,0 %; UVB-313 — below 270 nm 0, 270–290 nm 1,3–5,4 %, 290–320 nm 47,8–65,9 %, 320–360 nm 26,9–43,9 %, 360–400 nm 1,7–7,2 %; the limits are based on more than 60 (UVA-340), 21 (UVA-351) and 44 (UVB-313) measurements of lamps from different lots and of various ages and lie at least three sigmas from the mean; the spectrum is measured from 250 to 400 nm, typically in 2 nm steps. Chamber (5.2): of inert material, with uniform irradiance and temperature control, where required humidity, condensation or water spray; condensation type device — specimens form part of the chamber wall, cooling of their back side by external air gives continuous condensation on the surface, a heated water bath keeps high humidity, temperature is controlled by a black-panel or black-standard thermometer (wetting can also be by spray if nozzles are fitted — different physical phenomena); climatic chamber type device — insulated chamber with lamps, wetting requires water spray, temperature best controlled by chamber air temperature; cycles with condensation (1, 2, 6, 7) require a condensation type device, cycles without condensation (3, 4, 5) can be run in both types, cycles 2, 3 and 4 require spray nozzles; the device type is stated in the report. Radiometer (5.3): an integrated radiometer is recommended, conforming to ISO 4892-1; radiometers calibrated with a different light source can give significant errors; without control, irradiance depends on lamp type and manufacturer, lamp age, distance and air temperature. Temperature (5.4): in condensation type devices — black surface thermometers, most commonly the black-panel thermometer; for 3D specimens or those of low thermal conductivity the surface may be significantly hotter and is better represented by an insulated black panel or black-standard thermometer; other constructions are permitted if they read within ±1,0 °C of a black-standard thermometer at all steady states of the cycle and reach steady state in 90–110 % of its time; in climatic chambers — air temperature; the thermometer type is stated in the report. Wetting (5.5.1): condensation or water spray according to Table 4 (condensation type devices) or 5 (climatic chambers).

STATUS (as of 03.10.2026). The PKN search (term “PN-EN ISO 4892-3”, 03.10.2026) shows PN-EN ISO 4892-3:2025-04 (English version, “Introduces: EN ISO 4892-3:2024 [IDT], ISO 4892-3:2024 [IDT]”) without a withdrawal note and the withdrawn editions 2016-04 (replaced by 2025-04), 2013-12, 2006 (English and German versions) and 2001 (Polish version). In the iTeh catalogue (read on 03.10.2026) ISO 4892-3:2024 has the status “Published” (stage 60.60 of 03.10.2024), and SIST EN ISO 4892-3:2024 — “Published” (07.11.2024). Exposure to xenon-arc lamps is described in a separate entry on PN-EN ISO 4892-2, and fluorescent UV lamps for coatings in the entry on PN-EN ISO 16474-3.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, load up to 17.09.2026, read on 03.10.2026). The number 4892-3 appears in 6 records at 5 laboratories: AB 023 (2), AB 128, AB 163, AB 1256, AB 1552. In the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026, issues from 16.07.2025 to 01.09.2026) the number appears in 6 rows of the same laboratories (AB 023 — 2, the others 1 each); in each of the five documents the number of page markers equals the number of PDF pages, without repetitions. The form “PN-EN ISO 4892-3” without year (AB 023, AB 128), “PN-EN ISO 4892-3:2025-04” (AB 1256, after PN-EN ISO 4892-1:2025-04), “PN-EN ISO 4892-3:2025-04 (z wyłączeniem Tabeli 5)” (excluding Table 5; AB 163 — without the cycles for climatic chambers, at the end of a long list with PN-EN ISO 16474-1, -2, -3, PN-EN ISO 1513 and PN-EN ISO 4892-1, -2) and the withdrawn “PN-EN ISO 4892-3:2016-04” alongside PN-EN ISO 16474-3:2014-02 (AB 1552); at AB 128 in one row with PN-EN ISO 4892-2, PN-EN ISO 16474-1, -2, -3, PN-EN ISO 105-B02, -B04, -B06, GMW 14162 and ASTM G154. None of these items is suspended; the word “zawieszenia” in the AB 023 document refers to suspension and balancing systems of components. The “Laboratories” tab (term “PN-EN ISO 4892-3”) shows 4 laboratories: AB 023, AB 128, AB 163 and AB 1552; AB 1256 is under “PN-EN ISO 4892-1”, because that designation stands first there — checked with tab queries on the production server labcoda.pl on 03.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (items in PCA). Coatings and plastic products (AB 023, flexible scope “E”), metal products, plastics and plastic products, textiles, foams, rubber, machine parts (AB 128), paint coatings and plastics (AB 163), construction products and plastic products — plates up to 6 mm thick (AB 1256), structural products and materials, building hardware, parts of machinery and electrical equipment, including mining equipment (AB 1552). Characteristics: accelerated ageing cycles by UV exposure (AB 023), resistance to solar radiation and weather using laboratory light sources — fluorescent UV, xenon-arc, metal halide lamps (AB 128), resistance to weathering and artificial radiation (AB 163), resistance to accelerated ageing — exposure to UV-A 351 lamps without spray (AB 1256), resistance to ultraviolet light under controlled conditions (AB 1552).

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. With the lamp: UVA-340 and UVA-351 give different spectra (methods A and B), and UVB-313 only by agreement recorded in the report (5.1.1); lamp types shall not be mixed. With the apparatus: cycles with condensation (1, 2, 6, 7) only in a condensation type device; apparatus and thermometer type to the report (5.2, 5.4.3). With temperature: a black panel in a condensation device reads differently from an insulated black panel or a black standard; a substitute is permitted only within ±1,0 °C and 90–110 % of the settling time (5.4.1). With lamp ageing: without automatic control irradiance drops with time — follow the manufacturer’s instructions (5.1.3). With comparisons: results from different types of apparatus or lamps should not be compared without a statistical relationship (4.7). With the radiometer: calibration with a different light source can give significant errors (5.3). With the reference: PN-EN ISO 4892-3:2016-04 is withdrawn; the 2016 edition did not distinguish tables for the two chamber types.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not read the exposure cycles (times, irradiances, black-panel temperatures, condensation and spray in Tables 4 and 5), the requirements for spray water, humidity, holders, specimen preparation, procedure, measurement of radiant exposure or the report (5.5.2–9, Annexes A–D). We do not convert exposure hours into years of natural ageing — the standard gives no such relationship.

Method principle

Plastic specimens are exposed in a chamber with fluorescent UV lamps whose emission below 400 nm makes up at least 80 %, with controlled irradiance, temperature (black surface or air thermometer) and wetting (condensation of vapour on the specimen or spraying with demineralized water), in UV and dark cycles. The lamp type is chosen according to the radiation simulated: UVA-340 — global sunlight (method A), UVA-351 — sunlight through glass (method B), UVB-313 — only by agreement (method C); changes in properties are assessed according to ISO 4582 and material standards.

Applications

• Plastics — accelerated ageing simulating global solar radiation or radiation through window glass (1)
• Comparison with a simultaneously exposed control material of known performance (4.6)
• Coatings, plastics, rubber, textiles, construction products and equipment parts — UV resistance in the accreditation scopes of 5 laboratories in PCA

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-EN ISO 4892-3:2025-04

Title (PL)

Tworzywa sztuczne — Metody ekspozycji na laboratoryjne źródła światła — Część 3: Lampy fluorescencyjne UV

Title (EN)

Plastics — Methods of exposure to laboratory light sources — Part 3: Fluorescent UV lamps

Step-by-step procedure

1. Choice of method

   Lamp according to the radiation simulated (A — UVA-340, B — UVA-351, C — UVB-313 by agreement); apparatus type according to the cycle. PN-EN ISO 4892-3:2025-04 without a withdrawal note (03.10.2026).

2. Lamp check

   Spectrum conforming to Table 1, 2 or 3; lamp maintenance or rotation according to the manufacturer; uniformity according to ISO 4892-1 (5.1).

3. Setting conditions

   Irradiance, black-panel or air temperature, condensation or spray, UV/dark cycle according to Table 4 or 5 (4.3; Clause 7 not read).

4. Exposure

   Specimens and control material in holders; repositioning at irradiance < 90 % of peak (4.6, 5.1.4).

5. Evaluation and report

   Changes in properties according to ISO 4582 and material standards; in the report apparatus type, thermometer type and any agreement on UVB-313 (5.1.1, 5.2, 5.4.3).

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• UV radiation — do not look at the lamps, protect eyes and skin with the chamber open
• Hot parts and water vapour in the condensation chamber

Frequently asked questions