Interharmonics
Updated 2026-10-27
Data records
- In IEEE 1159-2019 interharmonics are voltage or current frequency components that are not integer multiples of the supply frequency, appearing as discrete frequencies or as a wideband spectrum; the main sources named are pulse-width modulated inverters, static frequency converters, cycloconverters, induction furnaces and arcing devices, and power line carrier signals also count.
- IEEE 519-2022 defines interharmonics as frequency components of a periodic quantity that are not an integer multiple of the supply system frequency, excludes them from the total harmonic distortion and total demand distortion figures, and asks that interharmonic currents be limited case by case from the guidance of Annex A.
Sources
- IEEE 1159-2019, Recommended Practice for Monitoring Electric Power Quality, 2019 edition, IEEE. Cited: clause 4.4.5.3. Held as: Purchased single-user copy. Publisher page for IEEE 1159-2019Publisher information page
- IEEE 519-2022, Harmonic Control in Electric Power Systems, 2022 edition, IEEE. Cited: clause 3.1. Held as: Purchased single-user copy. Publisher page for IEEE 519-2022Publisher information page
Obtaining the documents
- IEEE 1159-2019: available from the publisher
- IEEE 519-2022: available from the publisher
Changelog (2 entries)
| Date | Revision | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-27 | created (gloss.interharmonics.ieee1159.definition) | |
| 2026-10-27 | created (gloss.interharmonics.ieee519.definition) |
Cite this page
Cite the governing standard for the fact itself; cite this page as the finding aid.
"Interharmonics." Power Quality Reference. 2026-10-27. https://www.powerqualityreference.com/glossary/interharmonics/.
Power Quality Reference, Interharmonics (Oct. 27, 2026), https://www.powerqualityreference.com/glossary/interharmonics/.
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title = {Interharmonics},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.powerqualityreference.com/glossary/interharmonics/}},
organization = {Power Quality Reference},
publisher = {Power Quality Reference},
year = {2026},
note = {last substantive change 2026-10-27}
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