W
HAT
I
S
IEC61000-3? IEC61000-3
S
OFTWARE FOR
W
INDOWS
U
SER
M
ANUAL
Page 6
VPN 98-025/7
Voltech Instruments
2. W
HAT IS
IEC61000-3?
The specifications IEC61000-3-2/3 (equivalent to EN61000-3-2/3) and
their now obsolete predecessors IEC60555-2/3 are concerned with low
frequency emissions on the power supply connection of equipment rated at
less than 16 Amps per phase.
The standards specify limits for:
a) The distortion of the current waveform drawn by equipment.
b) The voltage changes that the equipment may impose on the supply line
when connected.
2.1.
B
ACKGROUND
Historically, the need for IEC61000-3 has come about due to the increased
use of electronic circuits in controlling the power taken by products from
the ac supply.
Before the advent of power electronics, most loads connected to the ac
supply lines were resistive (e.g. filament lamps and heaters) or inductive
(e.g. fixed speed ac motors). The currents taken by such loads are
sinusoidal, and do not cause any special problems to the ac supply.
Today almost every product - computers, television and audio equipment,
lamp dimmers, variable speed motor control in portable tools and washing
machines, (the list is almost endless) - uses some form of electronic power
supply capable drawing a highly distorted (non-sinusoidal) current.
Summary of Contents for PM3000ACE
Page 4: ......