Dear John Thank you for your replies. A couple of points... Optional application of standards: I believe there is nothing to stop purchasers from using any IEC standards in their contracts with suppliers. So a purchaser of a 30A/phase equipment could specify that the equipment must meet the emissions limits set out in IEC 61000-3-2. Nothing to do with CE marking, of course, merely a private agreement. This was what I meant by 'optional' in the below.
Do I understand from the following correspondence... QUOTE > 4) My copy of EN 61000-3-2 has a paragraph at the end of its Scope section > that says: > "Special equipment, which is not widely used and is designed in such a way > that it is unable to comply with the requirements (limits), may be subject > to installation restrictions. The supply authorities shall be notified as > authorization may be required before connection." This gobbledegook was deleted by the Millennium Amendment (MA, aka A14 to EN61000-3-2). No-one could define 'special' and 'not widely used', when challenged to do so, so out it came! > So custom-made or low-volume manufactured equipment (even if under > 16A/phase) does not have to comply with EN 61000-3-2, as long as their users > check with their power suppliers that they are OK to be connected. Yes, this is explained *properly* in clause 4 of the MA. UNQUOTE ... that although the 'gobbledygook' paragraph has been removed the option to not comply with EN 61000-3-2 still exists as long as users check with their power suppliers that they are permitted to connect the equipment concerned? Regards, Keith Armstrong www.cherryclough.com In a message dated 24/01/02 22:31:21 GMT Standard Time, j...@jmwa.demon.co.uk writes: > Subj:Re: EN 61000-3-2 applicability and let-outs > Date:24/01/02 22:31:21 GMT Standard Time > From: j...@jmwa.demon.co.uk (John Woodgate) > Sender: owner-emc-p...@majordomo.ieee.org > Reply-to: <A HREF="mailto:j...@jmwa.demon.co.uk";>j...@jmwa.demon.co.uk</A> > (John Woodgate) > To: emc-p...@majordomo.ieee.org > > I read in !emc-pstc that cherryclo...@aol.com wrote (in <84.222da8c6.298 > 1a...@aol.com>) about 'EN 61000-3-2 applicability and let-outs', on Thu, > 24 Jan 2002: > > Dear John > > I understand the following statements to be true. > > Please make corrections / comments where necessary. > > > > 1) EN 61000-3-2 only applies to equipment consuming up to 16A/phase, > and > > there are no mandatory harmonic limits in the EU (yet) for > higher-powered > > equipment, other than what the power supplier might impose. > > Yes. Furthermore , it applies only to equipment intended to be connected > to the *public* LV supply. > > > > So EN 61000-3-2 is optional for equipment consuming >16A/phase. > > No. It *does not apply*. There are no limits stated for over 16A. > > > > 2) EN 61000-3-2 currently has a let-out for "professional equipment" > that > > consumes more than 1kW, so its application is optional for that > category of > > equipment too. > > I don't know what you mean by 'optional'. Since there are *no limits* > for professional equipment above 1 kW, there is nothing to 'apply'. > > > > This could exclude many of the larger products sold solely for > commercial > > and/or industrial use from EN 61000-3-2. > > Yes, up to 16A/phase. These products are relatively few in number and > have diverse 'harmonic signatures' (complex spectra). Their impact on > the network is small. > > > > (Maybe the combined air-conditioner / personal computer may not be > such a > > bad idea if it gets consumption up above 1kW!). > > Yes, we have heard a lot about joke products like that in the WG. The > joke is wearing a bit thin now. > > > > 3) The 'public low voltage supply' is a 4156/230V supply with more > than one > > consumer connected. Large plants or office building often take their > power > > at MV (11kV or more) and transform their own LV supply with their own > > distribution transformer - creating a 'private' low voltage supply > dedicated > > for their own use. > > > > EN 61000-3-2 is optional for any equipment sold solely for use on such > > dedicated low voltage supplies. > > It *does not apply*. > > > > Privately-generated LV supplies ditto. > > It *does not apply*. I think your references to 'optional' may create > (even more!) confusion, which we definitely do not need. > > > > 4) My copy of EN 61000-3-2 has a paragraph at the end of its Scope > section > > that says: > > "Special equipment, which is not widely used and is designed in such a > way > > that it is unable to comply with the requirements (limits), may be > subject > > to installation restrictions. The supply authorities shall be notified > as > > authorization may be required before connection." > > This gobbledegook was deleted by the Millennium Amendment (MA, aka A14 > to EN61000-3-2). No-one could define 'special' and 'not widely used', > when challenged to do so, so out it came! > > > > > So custom-made or low-volume manufactured equipment (even if under > > 16A/phase) does not have to comply with EN 61000-3-2, as long as their > users > > check with their power suppliers that they are OK to be connected. > > Yes, this is explained *properly* in clause 4 of the MA. > > > > Maybe they could agree to deal with any harmonic issues at site-level, > by > > installing an active harmonic cancellation unit. > > Yes, if necessary, but it may not be necessary. > > > > I realise that none of the above give much comfort to manufacturers of > > domestic or consumer products, but maybe a computer manufacturer could > offer > > a version without PFC only for use in installations that have a > dedicated LV > > supply. > > They don't want to do that, but some test equipment manufacturers do. > > > > -- > Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only. > http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk > After swimming across the Hellespont, I felt like a Hero. > PLEASE do NOT copy news posts to me by E-MAIL! >
