Surge Immunity Standards for Commercial Electronic Products

dBi Corporation


A2LA Accredited Laboratory
Certificate Number 1985-01

John R. Barnes KS4GL, PE, NCE, NCT, ESDC Eng, ESDC Tech, PSE, SM IEEE
January 6, 2010
jrbarnes@iglou.com

Surge Immunity tests check the behavior of products when exposed to voltage surges on:

Surges may be caused by nearby heavy equipment shutting down or going offline, or by lightning strikes to buildings or close to outdoor cables. Because surges are relatively- rare events, most product immunity standards require the product to meet Performance Criterion B during surges. I.e., the product may act up, as long as it recovers without user intervention.

The table below summarizes the evolution of Surge Immunity standards for commercial electronic products. Medical electronics and military electronics may have their own special requirements. The links take you to summaries of the standards and their amendments. "(Modified)" means that the standard/ amendment differs from the reference standard/ amendment. Entries in bold text are currently active for undated references.

Evolution of Surge Immunity Standards for Commercial Electronic Products
Year Reference Year European Union Year Australia & New Zealand Notes
1991 IEC 801-5:1991          
1995 IEC 1000-4-5:1995 Edition 1   EN 61000-4-5:1995      
1997 IEC 61000-4-5:1995 Edition 1   EN 61000-4-5:1995      
2000 IEC 61000-4-5:1995 +A1:2000

IEC 61000-4-5:2001 Edition 1.1

   EN 61000-4-5:1995 +A1:2000      
2005 IEC 61000-4-5:2005 Edition 2 2006 EN 61000-4-5:2006 2006 AS/NZS 61000.4.5:2006  


AS/NZS 61000.4.5:2006 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) Part 4.5: Testing and measurement techniques - Surge immunity test

Equivalent to: IEC 61000-4-5:2005 Edition 2
Replaces:
Replaced by:

For: Australia & New Zealand
Ratified/printed: 1 JUN 2006
May use starting: 1 JUN 2006
Must use starting: 1 JUN 2008
Must use until:
May use until:

References:
* IEC 60050(161)
* IEC 60060-1
* IEC 60469-1

Referenced by:
* AS/NZS 61000.6.1:2006 (undated)
* AS/NZS 61000.6.2:2006 (undated)

Comments:

(hardcopy & d:\dbi\AS_NZS+61000.4.5-2006.pdf)


EN 61000-4-5:1995 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 4: Testing and measurement techniques - Section 5: Surge immunity test

Equivalent to: IEC 1000-4-5:1995 Edition 1 & IEC 61000-4-5:1995 Edition 1.

Replaces:
Replaced by: EN 61000-4-5:1995+A1:2000

For: European Union
Ratified/printed: 1995
May use starting:
Must use starting:
Must use until:
May use until:

References:
* IEC 50(161):1990
* IEC 60-1:1989
* IEC 469-1:1987

Referenced by:
* EN 55014-2:1997
* EN 55014-2:1997+A1:2001
* EN 55024:1998
* EN 55024:1998+A1:2001
* EN 55024:1998+A1:2001+A2:2003
* EN 61000-6-2:1999

Comments:

(hardcopy)


EN 61000-4-5:1995+A1:2000 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 4: Testing and measurement techniques - Section 5: Surge immunity test

Equivalent to:
IEC 61000-4-5:1995+A1:2000 & IEC 61000-4-5:2001 Edition 1.1

Replaces: EN 61000-4-5:1995
Replaced by: EN 61000-4-5:2006

For: European Union
Ratified/printed:
May use starting:
Must use starting:
Must use until: 15 NOV 2006
May use until: 1 OCT 2009

References:
* IEC 50(161):1990
* IEC 60-1:1989
* IEC 469-1:1987

Referenced by:

Comments:

(hardcopy & d:\dbi\iec61000-4-5a1.pdf)


EN 61000-4-5:2006 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 4.5: Testing and measurement techniques - Surge immunity test

Equivalent to: IEC 61000-4-5:2005 Edition 2
Replaces: EN 61000-4-5:1995+A1:2000
Replaced by:

For: European Union
Ratified/printed: 15 NOV 2006
May use starting: 15 NOV 2006
Must use starting: 1 OCT 2009
Must use until:
May use until:

References:
* IEC 60050(161)
* IEC 60060-1
* IEC 60469-1

Referenced by:
* EN 50082-1:1997 (undated)
* EN 50082-2:1995 (undated)
* EN 61000-6-1:2001 (undated)
* EN 61000-6-2:2001 (undated)
* EN 61547:2009

Comments:

(hardcopy & d:\dbi\AS_NZS+61000.4.5-2006.pdf)


IEC 801-5:1991 Electromagnetic compatibility for electrical and electronic equipment - Part 5: Surge immunity requirements

Equivalent to:
Replaces:
Replaced by: IEC 1000-4-5:1995 Edition 1 & IEC 61000-4-5:1995 Edition 1

For:
Ratified/printed: JUL 1991
May use starting: JUL 1991
Must use starting: JUL 1991
Must use until: FEB 1995
May use until: FEB 1995

References:
* IEC 50(161):1990

Referenced by:

Comments:

(hardcopy)


IEC 1000-4-5:1995 Edition 1 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 4: Testing and measurement techniques - Section 5: Surge immunity test

Equivalent to: EN 61000-4-5:1995 & IEC 61000-4-5:1995 Edition 1 (reissued 1 JAN 1997)
Replaces: IEC 801-5:1991
Replaced by: IEC 61000-4-5:1995+A1:2000 & IEC 61000-4-5:2001 Edition 1.1

For:
Ratified/printed: FEB 1995
May use starting: FEB 1995
Must use starting: FEB 1995
Must use until: NOV 2000
May use until: NOV 2000

References:
* IEC 50(161):1990
* IEC 60-1:1989
* IEC 469-1:1987

Referenced by:
* CISPR 14-2:1997 Edition 1
* EN 61547:1995
* EN 61547:1995+A1:2000
* IEC 61547:1995 Edition 1
* IEC 61547:1995+A1:2000

Comments:

(hardcopy)


IEC 61000-4-5:1995 Edition 1 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 4: Testing and measurement techniques - Section 5: Surge immunity test

Equivalent to: EN 61000-4-5:1995 & IEC 1000-4-5:1995 Edition 1 (reissued 1 JAN 1997)
Replaces: IEC 801-5:1991
Replaced by: IEC 61000-4-5:1995+A1:2000 & IEC 61000-4-5:2001 Edition 1.1

For:
Ratified/printed: FEB 1995
May use starting: FEB 1995
Must use starting: FEB 1995
Must use until: NOV 2000
May use until: NOV 2000

References:
* IEC 50(161):1990
* IEC 60-1:1989
* IEC 469-1:1987

Referenced by:
* AS/NZS CISPR 14.2:2003
* AS/NZS CISPR 24:2002
* CISPR 14-2:1997+A1:2001
* CISPR 14-2:2001 Edition 1.1
* CISPR 24:1997 Edition 1
* CISPR 24:1997+A1:2001
* CISPR 24:1997+A1:2001+A2:2002
* IEC 61000-6-2:1999 Edition 1
* IEC 61326:2002 Edition 1

Comments:

(hardcopy)


IEC 61000-4-5:1995+A1:2000, or consolidated edition IEC 61000-4-5:2001 Edition 1.1 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 4: Testing and measurement techniques - Section 5: Surge immunity test

Equivalent to: EN 61000-4-5:1995+A1:2000 & Replaces: IEC 1000-4-5:1995 Edition 1 & IEC 61000-4-5:1995 Edition 1
Replaced by: IEC 61000-4-5:2005 Edition 2

For:
Ratified/printed: NOV 2000
May use starting: NOV 2000
Must use starting: NOV 2000
Must use until: 29 NOV 2005
May use until: 29 NOV 2005

References:
* IEC 50(161):1990
* IEC 60-1:1989
* IEC 469-1:1987

Referenced by:
* EN 61326-1:2006
* EN 61326-2-3:2006
* IEC 61326-1:2005 Edition 1
* IEC 61326-2-3:2006 Edition 1

Comments: Clause 8.1.1 changed - climatic conditions shall be within limits specified for the EUT and the test equipment. Clause 9 changed - classifications of test results changed to a through d. Clause 10 added - specific information required in test report.

(hardcopy & d:\dbi\iec61000-4-5a1.pdf)


IEC 61000-4-5:2005 Edition 2 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 4.5: Testing and measurement techniques - Surge immunity test

Equivalent to: EN 61000-4-5:2006 & AS/NZS 61000.4.5:2006
Replaces: IEC 61000-4-5:1995+A1:2000 & IEC 61000-4-5:2001 Edition 1.1
Replaced by:

For:
Ratified/printed: 29 NOV 2005
May use starting: 29 NOV 2005
Must use starting: 29 NOV 2005
Must use until:
May use until:

References:
* IEC 60050(161)
* IEC 60060-1
* IEC 60469-1

Referenced by:
* CISPR 14-2:1997+A1:2001+A2:2008
* EN 55014-2:1997+A1:2001+A2:2008
* EN 61000-6-1:2007 (undated)
* EN 61000-6-2:2005 (undated)
* IEC 61000-6-1:1997 Edition 1 (undated)
* IEC 61000-6-1:2005 Edition 2 (undated)
* IEC 61000-6-2:2005 Edition 2 (undated)
* IEC 61547:2009 Edition 2

Comments:

(hardcopy & d:\dbi\AS_NZS+61000.4.5-2006.pdf)


These web pages are freely offered to anyone who wishes to use them. No warranty for their use is expressed or implied. The most-current versions may be downloaded from the our web site at http://www.dbicorporation.com/.

These web pages can point you to regulations and standards applying to your product(s), but please refer to the regulations and standards themselves when deciding how to test your product(s). A regulation's or standard's title gives you strong clues as to what it covers, but its scope (usually section 1) tells you for sure. Carefully check the footnotes in tables, to see if your product falls into an exception that lets you avoid unnecessary tests (or sometimes requires additional special testing). Exceptions that can help you also sometimes hide in the Test Setup section (usually section 7). Also check the Test Report section (usually section 10) for any special documentation required.

COMMENTS
If you refer to one or more of these documents in written communications, please attribute them to http://www.dbicorporation.com/. Similarly, if you link to them from your own web page(s), we would appreciate an E-mail to jrbarnes@iglou.com giving the universal resource link (URL) so that we may provide a reciprocal link.

Please send critiques, corrections, and/or additions to jrbarnes@iglou.com , or by snailmail to:
John Barnes
dBi Corporation
216 Hillsboro Ave
Lexington, KY 40511-2105

Robust Electronic Design, Inc. is the research arm of dBi Corporation, an A2LA-accredited EMC/EMI/ESD testing and consulting company based in Lexington, Kentucky. Our staff has been directly involved in putting over 115 major electronic products into mass production at Sycor, IBM, and Lexmark, as well as doing the EMC/ EMI/ ESD engineering tests and FCC/ CE-Marking approval tests for over 231 products and 3 testers developed by clients-- bringing them into compliance with both domestic and international laws and standards. Our staff has also served as an expert witness on electronics in three lawsuits. We have over 36 years experience in the computer and electronics industries developing electronic products and electronic equipment that:
  1. Work.
  2. Are safe and reliable.
  3. Can be manufactured, tested, repaired, and serviced economically.
  4. May be sold and used worldwide.
  5. Can be easily adapted/enhanced to meet new and changing requirements.

Our President, John R. Barnes, is a Professional Engineer (PE) licensed in the state of Kentucky, a NARTE-Certified Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineer (NCE), a NARTE-Certified Electromagnetic Compatibility Technician (NCT), a NARTE-Certified Electrostatic Discharge Control Engineer (ESDC Eng), a NARTE-Certified Electrostatic Discharge Control Technician (ESDC Tech), a NARTE-Certified Product Safety Engineer (PSE), a Senior Member of the IEEE (SM IEEE), and an Advanced-class amateur radio operator. He has written three books: Electronic System Design: Interference and Noise Control Techniques, which was published in English in 1987 and in Russian in 1990; and Robust Electronic Design Reference Book, Volumes I and II, which came out in 2004. John has also written articles on designing electronics for electrostatic discharge (ESD) immunity for Printed Circuit Design and Conformity magazines.

Robust Electronic Design, Inc. and dBi Corporation may be contacted by:

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Last revised January 6, 2010.