IEC — International Electrotechnical Commission Standards Hub
The IEC publishes the international standards that govern electrical equipment, installations, and measurement worldwide. Most national standards (BS, EN, AS/NZS, JIS, GB) trace directly to an IEC parent. This page indexes site pages by IEC standard so European, Asian, and other non-NEC engineers can verify a calculator output against the international clause they work under. Reviewed by a licensed PE.
IEC standard cross-reference
Site pages indexed by IEC standard. Use this when verifying a calculator output against a European or international clause. Many BS, EN, and AS/NZS standards are direct adoptions or near-adoptions of an IEC parent — the cross-reference applies to those as well.
| IEC standard | Topic | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| IEC 60038 | Standard voltages — 230/400 V, 400/690 V at 50 Hz | Three-phase reference, 3-phase power formula |
| IEC 60050 | International electrotechnical vocabulary (IEV) | Voltage, Watt unit |
| IEC 60228 | Conductor classes (Class 1, 2, 5, 6) for insulated cables | 4 AWG copper, AWG ↔ mm² conversion |
| IEC 60287 | Continuous current rating method (cable thermal) | Wire size calculator, AC cables, 4 AWG copper |
| IEC 60364 (1–7) | Electrical installations — international wiring rules | Wire sizing for amps, Sizing of wire, Cable size |
| IEC 60364-5-52 | Cable selection — current-carrying capacity | Cable size calculator, Wire size calculator |
| IEC 60898-1 | Miniature circuit breakers (MCB) — type B / C / D curves | Square D 20A breaker, Circuit breaker sizes |
| IEC 60947-2 | Industrial molded-case circuit breakers (MCCB) | Circuit breaker sizes |
| IEC 60034-1 / -30-1 | Rotating machines — rating + IE efficiency classes (IE1–IE5) | Electric motor FLA, FLA on a motor, Three-phase reference |
| IEC 60384 | Fixed capacitors — performance and test methods | Capacitor reference, Capacitive reactance |
| IEC 60931 | Shunt power capacitors for AC systems (PFC) | Power factor calculator, Capacitor |
| IEC 61850 | Communication networks for substation automation (logical nodes) | ANSI device numbers, IDMT relay |
| IEC 61643 | Surge protective devices | Short-circuit calculator, Fault current |
| IEC 62053 | Electricity-meter performance standards | Electric bill computation, Utility units (kWh / kVA) |
| IEC 80000-3 | SI units and quantities — moment of inertia symbols | Area moment of inertia, Moment of inertia |
About the IEC
The IEC was founded in London in 1906 and is one of three sister international standards bodies (with ISO and ITU). It publishes around 10 000 standards covering everything from a single battery cell\'s dimensions through a complete substation automation protocol. National standards bodies (BSI in the UK, AFNOR in France, DIN in Germany, JISC in Japan, SCC in Canada, SAA in Australia) hold IEC membership and adopt IEC standards as national documents — usually with country-specific deviations marked.
The IEC also publishes the IECEE CB Scheme, a global product-certification system that accepts a single test report across more than 50 member countries — the basis for the international electrical-equipment market. Without IEC harmonisation, every product would need to be re-tested per country.
IEC standard voltages (60038)
| System | Line voltage | Phase voltage | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-voltage residential / commercial | 400 V | 230 V | 50 Hz |
| Low-voltage industrial | 690 V | 400 V | 50 Hz |
| Medium-voltage distribution | 3.3 / 6.6 / 11 / 22 / 33 kV | — | 50 Hz |
| High-voltage transmission | 66 / 110 / 132 / 220 / 400 kV | — | 50 Hz |
| UHV transmission | 500 / 800 / 1100 kV | — | 50 Hz |
Related standards
How to obtain IEC standards
IEC standards are sold by the IEC Webstore (webstore.iec.ch) and by national standards bodies — pricing typically CHF 100–400 per standard. Some countries grant free read-only access through their national standards portal (e.g. Standards Australia\'s "Free Access" library for first-time users). Many universities and engineering firms maintain organisational subscriptions through Techstreet, IHS Markit, or SAI Global.
The International Electrotechnical Commission is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising all national electrotechnical committees. The object of the IEC is to promote international cooperation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields.