Surge Immunity Standards for Commercial Electronic Products

This web site is being maintained by John R. Barnes, who was the President and Chief Engineer of dBi Corporation from 2002 to September 30, 2013, when we closed because ObamaCrap made it too expensive for us to remain in business.

John R. Barnes KS4GL, PE, NCE, NCT, ESDC Eng, ESDC Tech, PSE, Master EMC Design Engineer, SM IEEE
December 3, 2011
jrbarnes@iglou.com

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

Alternating-current (AC) power inputs and outputs.
Direct-current (DC) power inputs and outputs.
Signal and control cables.
Protective-grounding conductors.

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. Please note that in Australia and New Zealand, products only need to comply with safety and emission standards to bear the C-Tick mark.

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 & E:\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: 6 MAR 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 50082-1:1997 (undated)
* EN 50082-2:1995 (undated)
* EN 55014-2:1997
* EN 55024:1998
* EN 55024:2010
* EN 61000-6-1:2001 (undated)
* EN 61000-6-2:1999
* EN 61000-6-2:2001 (undated)

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: 1 DEC 2000
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:
* EN 50082-1:1997 (undated)
* EN 50082-2:1995 (undated)
* EN 61000-6-1:2001 (undated)
* EN 61000-6-2:2001 (undated)

Comments:

(hardcopy & E:\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: 1 OCT 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 & E:\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
* IEC 61547:1995 Edition 1

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 24:1997 Edition 1
* EN 61000-6-1:2007 (undated)
* EN 61000-6-2:2005 (undated)
* IEC 61000-6-1:1997 (undated)
* IEC 61000-6-1:2005 (undated)
* IEC 61000-6-2:1999 Edition 1
* IEC 61000-6-2:2005 (undated)
* 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 61000-6-1:2007 (undated)
* EN 61000-6-2:2005 (undated)
* EN 61326-1:2006
* EN 61326-2-3:2006
* IEC 61000-6-1:1997 (undated)
* IEC 61000-6-1:2005 (undated)
* IEC 61000-6-2:2005 (undated)
* 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 & E:\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
* CISPR 24:2010 2nd
* EN 55014-2:1997+A1:2001+A2:2008
* EN 55024:1998+A1:2001+A2:2003
* 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 & E:\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
216 Hillsboro Ave
Lexington, KY 40511-2105

dBi Corporation was a one-man test house (testing laboratory) based in Lexington, Kentucky, testing a wide variety of commercial electronic products for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), electromagnetic interference (EMI), and electrostatic discharge (ESD) under its ISO 17025 accreditation. dBi was founded in Winchester, Kentucky in 1995 by Donald R. Bush, shortly after he retired from 30 years service with IBM Lexington's/ Lexmark's EMC Lab. John R. Barnes, who'd worked with Don at IBM Lexington and Lexmark, bought dBi in 2002 after Don's death, and moved the company to Lexington, Kentucky. John closed dBi at 11:59pm EDT on September 30, 2013, because ObamaCrap had increased operating expenses to the point that we could no longer afford to remain in business.

We'd like to thank all of the clients who chose dBi to test their products from 1995 to 2013. Below is a brief summary of our accomplishments during the 18 years we were in business.

From 1995 to 2001, under Don Bush's ownership and operation, dBi:

Did the official approval testing of 141 products developed by 20 client companies.
Did the official FCC/ Industry Canada (IC) Verification and Declaration of Conformity (DoC) testing of 92 products.
Did the official FCC/IC Certification testing of 15 products.
Did the official CE Marking testing of 100 products.

From 2002 to 2013, under John Barnes' ownership and operation, dBi:

Tested 389 products and 2 testers developed by 44 client companies.
Did the official approval testing of 357 products and 2 testers, getting all but 5 of them to meet all of the FCC, Industry Canada (IC), CE Marking, C-Tick, and Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) standards and requirements for their desired market areas.
Did the official FCC/IC Verification and Declaration of Conformity (DoC) testing of 296 products.
Did the official FCC/IC Certification testing of 24 products.
Did the official CE Marking testing of 271 products and 2 testers.
Did the official e-Mark testing of 3 products.
Did the official Australia/New Zealand Verification testing of 170 products.
Co-sponsored John's writing the Robust Electronic Design Reference Book, Volumes I and II.
Served as an expert witness on electronics in three lawsuits.

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Last revised December 3, 2011.

Year	Reference	Year	European Union	Year	Australia & New Zealand
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

Go to Main Web Site Index	Go to Full Standards Index	Go to ITE Standards Index	Go to Residential/ Commercial Standards Index	Go to Industrial Standards Index
Go to Lab Equipment Standards Index	Go to Audio/ Video Equipment Standards Index	Go to Lamps/ Luminaires Standards Index	Go to Appliance Standards Index