What is BS EN 61000-3-2 - Electromagnetic compatibility about?
BS EN 61000 is a series on Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). It is the ability of electrical equipment and systems to function acceptably in their electromagnetic environment, by limiting the unintentional generation, propagation and reception of electromagnetic energy which may cause unwanted effects such as electromagnetic interference (EMI) or even physical damage in operational equipment. BS EN 61000-3-2 deals with the limitation of harmonic currents injected into the public supply system.
BS EN 61000-3-2 specifies limits of harmonic components of the input current which may be produced by equipment tested under specified conditions. BS EN 61000-3-2 is applicable to electrical and electronic equipment having an input current up to and including 16 A per phase and intended to be connected to public low-voltage distribution systems. Arc welding equipment, which is not professional equipment, with input current up to and including 16 A per phase, is included in BS EN 61000-3-2.
Note 1: Arc welding equipment intended for professional use, as specified in IEC 60974-1, is excluded from BS EN 61000-3-2 and may be subject to installation restrictions as indicated in IEC/TR 61000-3-4 or IEC 61000-3-12.
Note 2: For systems with nominal voltages less than 220 V (line-to-neutral), the limits have not yet been considered in BS EN 61000-3-2.
Who is BS EN 61000-3-2 - Electromagnetic compatibility for?
BS EN 61000-3-2 on Electromagnetic compatibility is useful for:
- Telecommunication equipment manufacturers
- Electrical component manufacturers
- Design engineers
- Quality control personnel
- Research and development facilities
Why should you use BS EN 61000-3-2 - Electromagnetic compatibility?
The goal of Electromagnetic compatibility is the correct operation of different equipment in a common electromagnetic environment. The objective of BS EN 61000-3-2 is to set limits for harmonic emissions of equipment within its scope, so that, with due allowance for the emissions from other equipment, compliance with the limits ensures that harmonic disturbance levels do not exceed the compatibility levels.
For the purpose of harmonic current limitation, equipment is classified as Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D. Equipment not specified in one of the three other classes shall be considered as Class A equipment. The requirements and limits specified in BS EN 61000-3-2 are applicable to the power input terminals of equipment intended to be connected to 220/380 V, 230/400 V and 240/415 V systems operating at 50 Hz or 60 Hz.
For equipment not mentioned in BS EN 61000-3-2, emission tests are conducted with the user's operation controls or automatic programs set to the mode expected to produce the maximum total harmonic current (THC) under normal operating conditions. This defines the equipment set-up during emission tests and is not a requirement to measure THC or to conduct searches for worst-case emissions. Using BS EN 61000-3-2 you can specify limits of harmonic components of the input current which may be produced by equipment tested under specified conditions.