New Efficiency Classes for Low-Voltage 3-phase Motors
Along with the international discussion on energy efficiency, a worldwide harmonized energy efficiency classification system has been established for low-voltage three-phase asynchronous motors.
The efficiency factor defines the efficiency of motors when transforming electrical into mechanical energy. For many years low-voltage three-phase motors have been sold in the European Union in three efficiency classes EFF3, EFF2 and EFF1.
Aside from this, many different efficiency classification systems have been introduced and well-proven in many countries all over the world. They unfortunately differ from each other in terms of scope, wording and values.
That was the reason for the International Electrotechnical Commission IEC to develop and publish an energy efficiency standard which replaces all the previous national issues. Parallelly IEC developed and issued a new standard for determining motor efficiency.
The new IEC 60034-30 standard defines and harmonizes the worldwide efficiency classes IE1, IE2 and IE3 for low-voltage three-phase motors.
