IEEE 1159-2019

IEEE 1159-2019 is the recommended practice for monitoring electric power quality, providing guidance for identifying, measuring, and documenting disturbances in power systems. It is relevant to components, circuits, devices, and systems where power quality affects operation, reliability, and equipment performance. By defining a practical framework for observation and reporting, the standard helps engineers and facility teams compare findings consistently and make better decisions about corrective action, troubleshooting, and system behavior.

IEEE 1159-2019 overview

This document focuses on power quality monitoring in electrical environments where voltage variations, interruptions, and other disturbances may influence connected equipment. IEEE 1159-2019 is commonly used as a technical reference for what to observe, how to classify events, and how to organize monitoring results. Its recommended-practice format makes it useful for establishing a common approach to power quality data collection without turning the document into a prescriptive product specification. That makes it especially valuable in engineering and maintenance workflows.

Typical use cases

IEEE 1159-2019 is often applied when selecting monitoring methods for industrial installations, commercial buildings, utility interfaces, and sensitive electronic systems. It can support power quality studies, disturbance logging, troubleshooting intermittent equipment problems, and baseline assessments before upgrades or commissioning. The standard is also useful when teams need a consistent way to compare monitoring results across circuits, panels, or sites. For projects involving power, energy, and industry applications, IEEE 1159-2019 provides a common technical reference for event recording and analysis.

Why this standard matters

Consistent power quality monitoring helps reduce uncertainty when diagnosing electrical problems and verifying system performance. IEEE 1159-2019 supports better communication between designers, operators, testers, and procurement teams by giving them a shared monitoring framework. That can improve compliance activities, limit misinterpretation of recorded events, and help target corrective actions more effectively. For facilities that rely on stable power for production, controls, or data handling, the standard can contribute to lower risk and more reliable operation.

• Power quality monitoring guidance
• Disturbance identification and classification
• Electrical systems and equipment assessment
• Consistent event recording and reporting
• Useful for troubleshooting and baseline studies