IEC Duty Cycles

The eight - S1 - S8 - IEC duty cycles of operating electrical motors

IEC (the International Electrotechnical Commission) uses eight duty cycle designations to describe an electrical
motors operating conditions:

The motor works at a constant load for enough time

S1 Continuous duty
to reach temperature equilibrium.

The motor works at a constant load, but not long

enough to reach temperature equilibrium. The rest
S2 Short-time duty
periods are long enough for the motor to reach
ambient temperature.

Sequential, identical run and rest cycles with

Intermittent constant load. Temperature equilibrium is never
S3
periodic duty reached. Starting current has little effect on
temperature rise.

Sequential, identical start, run and rest cycles with

Intermittent
constant load. Temperature equilibrium is not
S4 periodic duty
reached, but starting current affects temperature
with starting
rise.

Intermittent
Sequential, identical cycles of starting, running at
periodic duty
S5 constant load and running with no load. No rest
with electric
periods.
braking

Continuous
Sequential, identical cycles of running with constant
S6 operation with
load and running with no load. No rest periods.
intermittent load

Continuous
Sequential identical cycles of starting, running at
S7 operation with
constant load and electric braking. No rest periods.
electric braking

Continuous
operation with Sequential, identical duty cycles run at constant load
S8 periodic changes and given speed, then run at other constant loads
in load and and speeds. No rest periods.
speed