IEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 set what a communications device must withstand inside a substation: electromagnetic disturbances from switching and faults, temperature, humidity, vibration and safety requirements. IEEE 1613 Class 2 requires the device not to lose, delay or corrupt data during the interference tests. An office switch is not tested for that environment.
Why substations need special network equipment
A substation has disturbances an office never sees. Operating a high-voltage disconnect switch, a breaker operation, a ground fault or a lightning strike induces fast transients, surges and strong magnetic fields in control cables and equipment. Add to that panels in the switchyard or in unconditioned kiosks, dust, humidity and vibration.
A switch, clock or gateway that reboots or drops frames at the moment of the fault can leave a network-dependent function unable to trip. That is why there are standards that set the type tests for this equipment.
IEC 61850-3
It is Part 3 of the IEC 61850 series, General requirements. Edition 2.0 was published in December 2013 and replaced the first edition of 2002. It sets the general requirements, mainly for construction, design and environmental conditions, of IEDs and communication and automation systems in power plants and substations.
The main points of Edition 2:
- Electromagnetic compatibility completed and aligned with the IEC 60255 series (measuring relays and protection equipment) and with IEC 61000-6-5, the immunity standard for power station and substation environments.
- Product safety based on IEC 60255-27.
- Environmental requirements: temperature, humidity, vibration and shock, with classes depending on where the device is installed.
An important detail: the standard aligns the requirements for communications equipment with those for protective relays. The idea is that the switch in the panel withstands the same as the relay next to it.
IEEE 1613
IEEE 1613, Standard for Environmental and Testing Requirements for Devices with Communications Functions used with Electric Power Apparatus, covers service conditions, electrical and thermal ratings, electromagnetic compatibility and environmental tests. The current edition is from 2023; the earlier ones (2008 and 2009) were limited to equipment installed in substations.
The 2023 edition splits the tests by function: if the device performs no protection or control, its communication functions are tested to IEEE 1613; if it performs protection or control and has communication ports, those tests follow the IEEE C37.90 family.
Performance classes. This is the most frequent question:
- Class 1: during the interference tests, data errors, loss or delays are accepted, as long as the device resumes operation by itself and without damage.
- Class 2: during the tests, no data loss, delay or corruption is accepted. It is the class specified for devices that carry protection traffic, such as trip GOOSE.
IEEE 1613.1 covers networking devices installed in transmission and distribution facilities; its 2013 edition is listed as inactive.
IEC 61850-3 versus IEEE 1613
| Aspect | IEC 61850-3 | IEEE 1613 |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | IEC 61850 series, general requirements | IEEE practice, devices with communication functions |
| Edition | 2013 (Ed. 2) | 2023 |
| Basis of the EMC tests | IEC 60255 series and IEC 61000-6-5 | IEEE standards, and IEC EMC standards with no IEEE equivalent |
| Communication criterion | Performance per the criteria of the standard | Class 1 or Class 2 (no data loss) |
| Product safety | IEC 60255-27 | Per the standard and its scope |
The specific test ranges and levels are in the text of each standard. In practice, the specification should name the standard, the edition and, for IEEE 1613, Class 2 for every device that carries protection functions.
Why an office switch will not do
- It is not tested against substation transients and fields. It can reboot or drop frames right when there is a fault, which is when it is needed most.
- A narrow temperature range and fans that clog with dust.
- An office AC power supply, while the substation panel has DC from the station battery.
- No substation features: PRP, HSR, PTP with a transparent clock, or GOOSE priority, depending on the model.
Substation switches also meet networking requirements; the substation Ethernet switch guide summarizes them.
What to ask for in the datasheet
- Declared standard and edition: IEC 61850-3:2013 or the current one; IEEE 1613 with its class.
- Test report or laboratory declaration, not just the logo in the catalog.
- Operating temperature range, fanless if it goes in the switchyard.
- Power supply: DC voltage from the substation battery, ideally redundant.
- Tested modules: conformity may depend on the power supply or the fiber transceiver.
- Network features the project requires: PRP and HSR, PTP, VLANs and priority.
- Does the device carry protection functions, such as trip GOOSE?
- YesIEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 Class 2, with a test report
- NoIs it installed in the control house or in a yard panel?
- YardIEC 61850-3 or IEEE 1613, fanless and with a wide temperature range
- Control houseIEC 61850-3 or IEEE 1613 per the specification
Relation to the rest of the series
IEC 61850-3 does not define protocols or data models: only the environment the device must withstand. The rest of the series is summarized in IEC 61850: overview, and the communications standards and their editions in standards for substation communications and time synchronization. Switch models with their compliance declarations appear in the Siemens RUGGEDCOM and Hirschmann and Moxa pages.
Equipment specification with Tiza Group
A specification that asks for the right standard and class avoids buying twice. Our team writes the technical specifications for the network and reviews vendor datasheets as part of our communications engineering service, remotely, for medium-, high- and extra-high-voltage substations and industry, for projects worldwide. Write to us with the equipment list of your project.
Related guides
- Substation communications by voltage level: MV, HV, EHV
- Substation communications network testing
- Single-mode or multimode fiber in substations
- Substation GNSS clock: holdover, redundancy and risks
References
- IEC 61850-3:2013, Communication networks and systems for power utility automation – Part 3: General requirements.
- IEEE 1613-2023, Standard for Environmental and Testing Requirements for Devices with Communications Functions used with Electric Power Apparatus.
- IEEE 1613.1-2013, Standard Environmental and Testing Requirements for Communications Networking Devices Installed in Transmission and Distribution Facilities.
- IEC 61000-6-5: immunity for power station and substation environments.
- IEC 60255-27: measuring relays and protection equipment, product safety requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between IEEE 1613 Class 1 and Class 2?
Class 1 accepts data errors, loss or delays during the interference tests, as long as the device recovers without damage. Class 2 requires error-free operation during the tests, a requirement intended for protection traffic. Neither accepts permanent damage.
Are IEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 the same thing?
No. They pursue the same goal through different frameworks: IEC 61850-3 is the general requirements part of the IEC 61850 series and relies on the IEC 60255 series and IEC 61000-6-5; IEEE 1613 comes from North American practice. Many manufacturers declare both, and the project specification defines which one is required.
Is it enough for the datasheet to say «complies with IEC 61850-3»?
It is a good start, but you should ask for the test report or the laboratory declaration, the edition of the standard, the temperature range and, for IEEE 1613, the class. A device may pass only some tests, or only with certain power supply or fiber modules.