Need help achieving IEC/EN certification? Schedule a free consultation with our team to discuss testing and achieving compliance for your product, or call us on 866-540-5287 to talk to our compliance experts right away.
Talk to Our IEC/EN Compliance Experts
Need help achieving IEC, EN or other certification for your product?
Enter your name, email address and question, and our engineering team will contact you to answer your questions and help you achieve compliance for your product.
If you’ve ever switched on a heavy electrical appliance and noticed the lights in your home or workplace flicker momentarily, you likely saw the effects of disruptions in the electrical supply caused by harmonic distortions.
IEC/EN 61000-4-13 is a standard developed by the IEC that aims to prevent these harmonic distortions from affecting electronic devices. It sets minimum requirements and test criteria to ensure that electronic devices function safely and reliably.
If you’re an electronic device manufacturer, it’s important to ensure that your device complies with this standard not only for safety and compatibility, but also for market access.
As specialists in IEC/EN compliance, our team can help you learn more about this standard, provide a quote for testing your device, or answer any of your engineering and/or compliance questions.
For more information or to request a quote, contact us online or call us at 866-540-5287. You can also learn more about IEC/EN 61000-4-13, including how the standard works and the steps you’ll need to take for compliance, by reading below.
What is IEC/EN 61000-4-13?
IEC/EN 61000-4-13 is a standard within the broader IEC 61000 series, which are developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to create minimum requirements for device performance, safety and compatibility.
As a part of IEC 61000, IEC/EN 61000-4-13 addresses harmonic and interharmonic distortions of AC mains supply of up to 16 A per phase in the low-frequency range.
These distortions and disturbances can affect electrical equipment, including by causing certain devices to malfunction, provide inaccurate reading, suffer damage, or stop functioning entirely.
What are Harmonics and Interharmonics?
Harmonics and interharmonics are issues related to the distortion of the ideal waveform of an electrical power system. Ideally, a power system operates in a sine wave form at a frequency such as 50 Hz or 60 Hz.
Harmonics are integers of this frequency, while interharmonics are frequencies that fit between the integer multiples of the electrical power supply’s frequency.
Harmonics and interharmonics can potentially introduce unwanted voltages and currents into a power system, which may cause equipment to malfunction or fail.
Testing for IEC/EN 61000-4-13 compliance involves generating harmonics and interharmonics in a lab setting and measuring the response of your device to ensure it can function effectively, without false readings, performance issues or failure.
These tests are conducted under a variety of scenarios, with data recorded during the process to monitor your device’s performance and identify any potential issues.
Why the IEC/EN 61000-4-13 Standard is Important
Complying with the IEC/EN 61000-4-13 standard is important for several reasons. Firstly, as a manufacturer, achieving compliance shows a strong commitment to producing high quality and reliable products that your customers, whether consumer or industrial, can rely on.
By achieving compliance, your device demonstrates that it’s a reliable product that will perform even when issues occur with its power supply.
This not only strengthens your product’s reputation and your brand image — it can also reduce your risk of dealing with potentially costly product returns.
Secondly, compliance with IEC/EN 61000-4-13 is an important part of market access for many countries. Certain markets, such as the EU, harmonize their regulations with IEC standards to ensure devices meet a certain level of performance before gaining access to the market.
In short, complying with IEC/EN 61000-4-13 (and other IEC/EN standards) has both reputation, product, legal and commercial benefits for you as a manufacturer.
How to Achieve IEC/EN 61000-4-13 Compliance
Understand the IEC/EN 61000-4-13 Requirements
The first step in achieving compliance with IEC/EN 61000-4-13 is understanding the standard and its requirements. IEC/EN 60100-4-13 provides specific guidelines for resistance to harmonic and interharmonic disturbances.
You can contact our team to discuss the standard and the impact it may have on the design of your product. We can provide actionable recommendations to help you produce your device with compliance in mind from the beginning of the design process.
Design With IEC/EN 61000-4-13 Compliance in Mind
Throughout the design process for your device, it’s important to keep IEC/EN 61000-4-13 and any other relevant standards and regulations in mind. This may mean carrying out design and component assessments internally, or conducting pre-testing for your device.
Our experienced team of engineers can help you to select components and design your device for optimal compliance with IEC and other standards and regulations.
Complete Compliance Testing for Your Product
In order to achieve IEC/EN 61000-4-13 compliance, you’ll need to have your device tested in an accredited testing lab. As an accredited lab testing provider, we can carry out IEC/EN 61000-4-13 testing for your device using our modern equipment and lab environment.
If your device passes testing, we can provide documentation proving compliance and allowing you to market your product as IEC/EN 61000-4-13 compliant.
In the event that your device fails testing, our engineers can provide actionable advice to help you make the necessary design changes and achieve compliance for your product.
Contact Us About IEC/EN 61000-4-13 Testing & Compliance
Achieving full compliance with IEC/EN 61000-4-13 is an important aspect of demonstrating your product’s quality and reliability. It’s also critical for achieving market access in many regions, as many countries use harmonized standards based on those created by the IEC.
As an accredited testing lab, we can help you ensure your product is designed for compliance with IEC/EN 61000-4-13 and complete IEC/EN 61000-4-13 testing to make sure your product complies with this standard.
To request a quote for your device or talk to our engineers, contact us online or call us at 866-540-5287.
