IEC 61000-4-x Summary: EMC Immunity Test Basic Standards
Overview of the IEC 61000-4 series (ESD, radiated RF, EFT, surge, conducted RF, magnetic field, voltage dips): test concepts, representative levels and performance criteria.
At a glanceMain parts at a glanceRepresentative levels and waveformsPerformance criteria (A, B, C)Practical points per testOfficial sources
This page is a self-written reference summary. Test levels and performance criteria are set by the applicable generic or product standard (for example EN 55035 or IEC 61000-6-1/-2) and may differ by edition, so check the source documents.
At a glance
- IEC 61000-4-x is the series defining EMC testing and measurement techniques, mainly immunity test methods.
- They are basic EMC publications: they define only test methods, waveforms and equipment requirements. Which levels apply and what counts as a pass is set by the generic or product standard.
- For multimedia equipment, for instance, CISPR 35 (EN 55035) cites parts 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6, 4-8, 4-11 and others and sets levels and criteria.
Main parts at a glance
| Part | Test | Phenomenon |
|---|---|---|
| 4-2 | Electrostatic discharge (ESD) immunity | Static discharge from people and objects |
| 4-3 | Radiated RF electromagnetic field immunity | External RF fields from transmitters |
| 4-4 | Electrical fast transient/burst (EFT/B) immunity | Fast pulses from relay and contactor switching |
| 4-5 | Surge immunity | High-energy transients from lightning and switching |
| 4-6 | Immunity to conducted disturbances induced by RF fields | RF current/voltage coupled onto cables |
| 4-8 | Power-frequency magnetic field immunity | Fields near transformers and current-carrying conductors |
| 4-9 / 4-10 | Pulse magnetic field / damped oscillatory magnetic field immunity | Magnetic transients from lightning and switching |
| 4-11 | Voltage dips, short interruptions and variations immunity | Degraded mains quality |
| 4-12 / 4-18 | Ring wave / damped oscillatory wave immunity | Oscillatory transients from switching |
| 4-14 / 4-15 | Voltage fluctuation immunity / flickermeter | Fluctuating or flickering supply voltage |
The series also covers test facilities (4-20 TEM waveguides, 4-21 reverberation chambers, 4-22 fully anechoic rooms), HEMP and power-quality measurement (4-30).
Representative levels and waveforms
| Part | Representative levels | Waveform / condition highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 4-2 ESD | Contact ±2, ±4, ±6, ±8 kV / air ±2, ±4, ±8, ±15 kV | Rise time about 0.7–1 ns; peak current about 15 A for 4 kV contact (about 3.75 A per kV) |
| 4-3 Radiated RF | Typically 1, 3, 10 V/m (higher levels per product standard) | 80 % AM at 1 kHz; test after field calibration over a uniform area |
| 4-4 EFT | Power ports ±0.5, ±1, ±2, ±4 kV / signal ports ±0.25, ±0.5, ±1, ±2 kV | 5/50 ns pulse, repetition rate 5 kHz or 100 kHz |
| 4-5 Surge | ±0.5, ±1, ±2, ±4 kV | 1.2/50 µs open-circuit voltage, 8/20 µs short-circuit current; coupling impedance 2 Ω line-line, 12 Ω line-earth |
| 4-6 Conducted RF | 1, 3, 10 V (e.m.f.) | 150 kHz–80 MHz, 80 % AM at 1 kHz, coupling/decoupling networks (CDN) |
| 4-8 Mains magnetic field | 1, 3, 10, 30, 100 A/m | Continuous 50/60 Hz field applied with an induction coil |
| 4-11 Voltage dips | Residual voltage such as 0 %, 40 %, 70 % combined with durations | Combinations set by the product standard; phase angle and repetition also specified |
The test frequency range of 4-3 differs between editions, and the latest edition extends it up to 6 GHz. Figures shown are representative; the levels that apply to a product come from its product standard.
Performance criteria (A, B, C)
| Criterion | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Normal performance maintained during and after the test, with no degradation or loss of function |
| B | Temporary degradation allowed during the test; the EUT recovers by itself afterwards without operator intervention |
| C | Loss of function allowed during the test, recoverable with operator intervention (reset, reboot); data loss rules are specified separately |
Which criterion applies to which test is set by the product standard (for example EN 55035). Write the judging method in the test plan in advance.
Practical points per test
- ESD: prefer contact discharge and use air discharge on non-conductive surfaces. Decide in advance which points are discharge targets (connector shells, metal enclosure, buttons). Indirect discharge to coupling planes (HCP/VCP) is included as well.
- Radiated RF: field-uniformity calibration comes first, and because of 80 % AM the amplifier needs about +5 dB of peak-power headroom over unmodulated. Estimate the required power with the "Radiated immunity required power" calculator.
- EFT/surge: repeat for each coupling path (line-line / line-earth), polarity and phase angle. Placement of the power filter and TVS (near the entry, shortest ground path) often decides pass or fail.
- Conducted RF (4-6): setup depends on cable length and CDN type. If a malfunction occurs only at certain frequencies, suspect a cable resonance.
- Voltage dips (4-11): input capacitor size and hold-up time dominate the result.
Official sources
- Check the latest edition of each part in the IEC webstore (https://webstore.iec.ch). Revision cycles differ per part.
Related calculators
Standards summaries
Results and summaries are for reference. For certification and test reports use the latest official standard text and calibrated instrument data.