IEC TR 61000-4-38:2015

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 4-38: Testing and measurement techniques - Test, verification and calibration protocol for voltage fluctuation and flicker compliance test systems

IEC TR 61000-4-38:2015(E) defines a test protocol for flicker test systems designed to perform compliance tests in accordance with IEC 61000-3-3 and IEC 61000-3-11. It is intended to provide test system manufacturers and testing laboratories with systematic methods to determine if the flicker test system meets the IEC design specifications for a wide range of voltage fluctuations and fluctuation frequencies, as specified in IEC 61000-4-15:2010, Table 5, that have been observed in product testing. It has the status of a basic EMC publication in accordance with IEC Guide 107.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 23-Aug-2015
• ICS: 01 - GENERALITIES. TERMINOLOGY. STANDARDIZATION. DOCUMENTATION
• ICS: 33.100.20 - Immunity
• Technical Committee: SC 77A - EMC - Low frequency phenomena
• Drafting Committee: WG 2 - TC 77/SC 77A/WG 2
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 15-Dec-2015
• Completion Date: 24-Aug-2015

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC TR 61000-4-38 ®
Edition 1.0 2015-08
TECHNICAL
REPORT
colour
inside
BASIC EMC PUBLICATION
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) –
Part 4-38: Testing and measurement techniques – Test, verification and
calibration protocol for voltage fluctuation and flicker compliance test systems
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IEC TR 61000-4-38 ®
Edition 1.0 2015-08
TECHNICAL
REPORT
colour
inside
BASIC EMC PUBLICATION
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) –

Part 4-38: Testing and measurement techniques – Test, verification and

calibration protocol for voltage fluctuation and flicker compliance test systems

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 33.100.20 ISBN 978-2-8322-2870-8

– 2 – IEC TR 61000-4-38:2015 © IEC 2015
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms and definitions. 8
4 General . 8
5 Objectives of flicker and voltage fluctuations test protocols . 8
6 Manufacturer’s or owner’s information required . 9
7 Performance criteria . 9
8 General test guidelines . 11
8.1 General . 11
8.2 Essential information . 11
9 Test equipment and accuracy . 12
10 Detailed test procedures . 13
10.1 Procedures common to all tests . 13
10.2 Test no. 1 – Simple power source qualification test . 14
10.2.1 Rationale . 14
10.2.2 Test procedure . 14
10.3 Test no. 2 – Verification of the Z and/or Z impedance . 15
ref test
10.3.1 Rationale . 15
10.3.2 Test procedure . 15
10.4 Tests no. 3 to 6 – Low frequency rectangular modulation rates of 1 CPM to 39
CPM . 16
10.4.1 Rationale . 16
10.4.2 Test procedure . 16
10.5 Tests no. 7 to 9 – High frequency rectangular modulation rates of 110 CPM
and up . 17
10.5.1 Rationale . 17
10.5.2 Test procedure . 17
10.5.3 Uncertainties of this protocol, and methods to verify modulation
accuracy . 18
Annex A (normative) Requirements for external test equipment to verify modulation
accuracy . 20
Annex B (informative) Example test setup for modulation load unit . 21
Annex C (informative) Some typical flicker test system integration issues to avoid . 22
Bibliography . 25

Figure 1 – Illustration showing a rectangular 8 A current modulation pattern at 7 CPM . 15
Figure 2 – Illustration showing the method to determine the inductance of Z or Z . 16
ref test
Figure 3 – Illustration showing a rectangular modulation pattern at 3,166 7 Hz . 17
Figure 4 – Illustration showing a rectangular modulation pattern at 1 052 CPM. 18
Figure B.1 – Typical test setup for tests 1 to 9 . 21
Figure C.1 – Single phase arrangement with excessive or near “zero” impedance . 22
Figure C.2 – Single phase arrangement with sense lines present . 23

Figure C.3 – Single phase arrangement with connecting lines to power analyzer . 23
Figure C.4 – Neutral impedance bypassed externally . 24

Table 1 – Calibration points from IEC 61000-4-15:2010, Table 5 . 10
Table 2 – Summary of tests to verify/calibrate flicker test systems . 11

– 4 – IEC TR 61000-4-38:2015 © IEC 2015
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY (EMC) –

Part 4-38: Testing and measurement techniques –
Test, verification and calibration protocol for voltage
fluctuation and flicker compliance test systems

FOREWORD
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IEC 61000-4-38, which is a technical report, has been prepared by subcommittee 77A: EMC –
Low frequency phenomena, of IEC technical committee 77: Electromagnetic compatibility.
It forms Part 4-38 of IEC 61000. It has the status of a basic EMC publication in accordance
with IEC Guide 107.
The text of this technical report is based on the following documents:
Enquiry draft Report on voting
77A/881/DTR 77A/898/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this technical report can be found in the report
on voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all parts in the IEC 61000 series, published under the general title Electromagnetic
compatibility (EMC), can be found on the IEC website.
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