Full Description

This part of IEC 61786 provides guidance for measuring instruments used to measure the field strength of quasi-static magnetic and electric fields that have a frequency content in the range 1 Hz to 100 kHz and with DC magnetic fields to evaluate the exposure levels of the human body to these fields.

Sources of fields include devices that operate at power frequencies and produce power frequency and power frequency harmonic fields, as well as devices that produce fields within the frequency range of this document, including devices that produce static fields, and the earth’s static magnetic field. The magnitude ranges covered by this standard are 0,1 μT to 200 mT in AC (1 μT to 10 T in DC) and 1 V/m to 50 kV/m for magnetic fields and electric fields, respectively.

When measurements outside this range are performed, most of the provisions of this standard will still apply, but special attention should be paid to specified uncertainty and calibration procedures.

Specifically, this standard
– defines terminology;
– identifies requirements on field meter specifications;
– indicates methods of calibration;
– defines requirements on instrumentation uncertainty;
– describes general characteristics of fields;
– describes operational principles of instrumentation.

NOTE Measurement methods that achieve defined goals pertaining to assessment of human exposure are described in IEC 61786-2

Sources of uncertainty during calibration are also identified. In regard to electric field measurements, this standard considers only the measurement of the unperturbed electric field strength at a point in free space (i.e. the electric field prior to the introduction of the field meter and operator) or above conducting surfaces.

This horizontal standard is primarily intended for use by technical committees in the preparation of standards in accordance with the principles laid down in IEC Guide 108.

One of the responsibilities of a technical committee is, wherever applicable, to make use of horizontal standards in the preparation of its publications. The contents of this horizontal standard will not apply unless specifically referred to or included in the relevant publications.