TS 5588 EN 60051-1

TS 5588 EN 60051-1 is a foundational standard for direct-acting analogue indicating electrical measuring instruments, setting out the common definitions and general characteristics used across the series. It addresses the shared technical language and general framework for classic electrical instruments that display current, voltage, power, frequency, phase, resistance and related quantities with a pointer or similar analogue indication.

Instrument families covered

The scope includes ammeters and voltmeters; wattmeters and varmeters; pointer and vibrating-reed frequency meters; phasemeters, power-factor meters and synchroscopes; ohmmeters, impedance meters and conductance meters. Multi-function instruments of these types are included as well. This distinction matters because each family measures a different electrical quantity, while all of them share the analogue display principle and the direct-acting measuring concept.

General technical context

An analogue indication presents the measured value as a continuous reading on a scale, pointer or vibrating element. In direct-acting instruments, the measuring effect drives the indicating mechanism directly, which is why these instruments have long been used in laboratories, control panels and educational installations. Standards of this kind help align terminology and basic technical understanding, making products from different manufacturers easier to compare.

This listing represents a withdrawn edition of the standard. Based on its title and scope, it provides common definitions and general requirements for the series, while more specific performance provisions are addressed in the relevant companion parts.