UL 1017 PDF

1 Scope

1.1 This Standard applies to motor-operated vacuum cleaners and blower cleaners, and to household use floor sweepers and floor finishing machines to be employed in accordance with CSA C22.1, Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, and NFPA 70.

1.2 These requirements cover:

1. a) Vacuum cleaners, including central vacuum cleaners, ash vacuum cleaners and vacuum cleaners with steam cleaning attachments, for:

   1. 1) Household or commercial use;

   2. 2) Marine or RV installation;

   3. 3) Portable, stationary or fixed appliances;

   4. 4) Wet or dry pick-up;

   5. 5) Indoor or outdoor use;

   6. 6) Coin-operation; and

   7. 7) Battery-operation, including automatic rechargeable vacuum cleaners

2. b) Blower cleaners for:

   1. 1) Household or commercial use;

   2. 2) Indoor or outdoor use; and

   3. 3) Battery-operation

3. c) Floor sweepers for:

   1. 1) Household use; and

   2. 2) Battery-operation

4. d) Floor finishing machines including floor polishers, floor scrubbers, floor sanders, rug shampooers, extraction-type floor cleaning machines, rug and floor washers and similar machines, for:

   1. 1) Household use;

   2. 2) Indoor or outdoor use; and

   3. 3) Battery-operation

5. e) Current-carrying hoses and wall valves for:

   1. 1) Household use;

   2. 2) Wet or dry pick-up; and

   3. 3) Indoor use

6. f) Battery-operated cleaners as noted in (a) – (d), including:

   1. 1) automatic battery-powered cleaners for:

      1. i) Household or commercial use;

      2. ii) Units with a mass of 20 kg (44 lbs) or less, not including the docking station; and

      3. iii) Indoor use only

1.3 These requirements do not cover appliances rated more than 250 V. An appliance that utilizes some other source of energy, such as gas or steam, in addition to electric energy is to be investigated under these requirements and under such additional requirements as are applicable to the appliance under consideration.

1.4 These requirements do not cover appliances for use in locations such as those areas of hospitals, laboratories, institutions, and the like where dispersion of pathological, chemical, physical, radioactive or other agents could produce a risk to health. Appliances intended for use in such locations are investigated under these requirements and under such additional requirements as are applicable to the appliance, with appropriate consideration being given to the specific intended use.

1.5 These requirements apply only to a specific type or types of appliances, such as a vacuum cleaner or floor finishing machine, if the requirement is so identified by specific reference to the type or types involved. Absence of such specific reference or use of the term "appliance" indicates that the requirement applies to all appliances covered by this Standard.

1.6 This Standard does not apply to:

1. a) Internal-combustion engine powered floor cleaning machines for industrial/commercial use with or without traction drive, such as floor buffers, scrubbers, sweepers, spray extraction machines, and polishers, (UL/ULC (ORD) 558, UL/CSA 60335-2-67, UL/CSA 60335-2-68, UL/CSA 60335-2-72;

2. b) Battery-operated floor cleaning machines for industrial/commercial use with traction drive; (UL 583, UL/CSA 60335-2-72);

3. c) Commercial robotic floor treatment machines (CSA/ANSI C22.2 No. 336);

4. d) Commercial floor finishing machines (UL 561, CSA C22.2 No. 10, UL/CSA 60335-2-67, UL/CSA 60335-2-68, UL/CSA 60335-2-72); and

5. e) Steam cleaners (CSA C22.2 No. 64, CSA E60335-2-54, UL 499). For steam cleaners with suction, the vacuum function is covered by this Standard.

1.7 These requirements do not cover machines that generate pressure in excess of 2.5 MPa (360 psi).

1.8 Specific constructions, tests, markings, guards, and the like are detailed for some common designs. Specific features and appliances not covered are to be given appropriate consideration. See Marking, Section 11.

Summary of Topics

This new Eleventh edition of ANSI/UL 1017 dated March 26, 2025 includes the following changes in requirements: Double insulation: Waiving overload test on motors moving air only; Addition of requirements for pin and sleeve terminals; Clarification of allowance for 18-inch cord length; Button-cell lithium batteries; Updates for motor polymeric motor insulation systems; Drop impact test for removable reservoirs; Suitability of motor protectors operating during abnormal conditions; Removal of polarization instructions from the Important Safeguards for products with 18 inch cord; Interlock endurance test; Attachment identification marking; General purpose transformer testing; Update safety critical function tables due to revision to UL 2595; Clarify location for blocked inlet condition of the severe conditions test (air inlet or end of hose); Clarification of defeated component test for polymeric fluid handling components for appliances with attachments containing liquids; Clarification of the thermal aging requirement of 5.21.10; Corrections and clarification of the PFHC requirements of 5.12.8 and the flowchart (Figure F.1) from Annex F Clarification of switches for steam cleaning attachments; Update attachment plug rating to align with appliance rating; Update supplier list of test carpet; Add UL 840 as alternative to meeting spacing requirements; 550 °C Glow Wire Test in place of HB; PTI test as alternative to CTI; Cord length of household extraction type floor cleaners; Ash vacuum cleaners; Replace "dielectric voltage-withstand" with "electric strength"; Revise requirement for grounding and bonding per CSA comment; Eliminate exceptions; Updated references to UL, CSA and IEC standards; Clarification of non-user-replaceable LED light sources in 4.13.5; Correction to Table 5.3; Clarification of the Strength of handles test; Utility Vacuum Cleaner Definition/Instructions; Operation of protective devices during normal operation; Normal Operation Duty Cycle for products with a timer; Mechanical Hazard proposal; Mechanical Valve Operation for input test; Cord and conduction AWG units in Table 12.1 and Table 4.9; Motors without a horsepower rating; Battery-operated appliances – Disconnection before cleaning or servicing; Waiving the stalled rotor condition of 5.21.7 for electronically commutated motors; Clarifying the compliance criteria for flooding of live parts test of 5.12.5; Allow digital manuals; Testing on hard surfaces; Update the Scope to reflect the products covered; Use of mean flow in lieu of mean wattage for normal operation; Class H insulation temperature limits; Wire color coding; Updated reference to information technology equipment standards; Attachment plug rating for steam cleaners; Robotic floor care; Docking Station Supply Cord Type and Length; and Correction to conversion in B3.2.