RTCA DO-160G §17
DO-160 Section 17 Voltage Spike Testing
Revision G, 8 December 2010
This is not a programmable-source waveform. A 600 V open-circuit spike with a ≤ 2 µs rise from a 50 Ω source is the province of a dedicated spike generator coupled into the power leads through a series injection transformer — §17.3 permits any generation method whose output matches Figure 17-1, and no programmable AC or DC source slews at that speed. The programmable source's job in this test is to hold the EUT at its design voltage through the spike train and tolerate the transient injected onto its own output; high-current EUTs can saturate the coupling transformer and need alternate injection methods (Figure 17-2 note).
This standard turns on
- category A/B spike levels
- open-circuit-defined amplitudes from a 50 Ω source
- 50-spike trains per polarity per power input
And says nothing about
- lightning-induced transients — Section 22's job
- power interruptions, sags and surges — Section 16's job
- audio-frequency ripple — Section 18's job
- where the spike comes from — the standard defines the waveform, not the threat
Cited limits
Every value carries the clause, table or figure it comes from.
| Parameter | Value | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Category A spike amplitude | E = 600 V, open circuit | Figure 17-1 |
| Category B spike amplitude | 2 × line voltage (AC RMS and/or DC) or 200 V, whichever is less, open circuit | Figure 17-1 |
| Spike waveform | rise time ≤ 2 µs, total pulse duration ≥ 10 µs | Figure 17-1 Note |
| Generator source impedance | 50 Ω nominal; verified into a 50 Ω ± 10 % load, which must halve the specified voltage ± 10 % | Figure 17-1 |
| Number of applications | minimum 50 positive-polarity spikes within one minute, then 50 negative within a separate minute, to each primary power input | §17.4 |
| Mode coverage | test repeated for each operating mode or function of the equipment; same-bus power inputs tested simultaneously | §17.4 |
| Amplitude basis | specified voltages and durations are open-circuit only — the peak may be substantially lower with the equipment connected | Figure 17-1 |
Where these figures came from
Each record below backs a specific part of this page. Where a table sits behind a paywall we say so above rather than reproducing it.
- RTCA/DO-160G, Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment — Section 17, Voltage Spike — RTCA, Inc. (copy hosted by S-Test laboratory, stest.com.tr). Retrieved 2026-08-24. Supports: every key_limits row — §§17.1–17.4 and Figure 17-1 read from the primary text, including categories, waveform, 50 Ω verification method and application counts
- RTCA/DO-160 Section 17: Voltage Spike — Advanced Test Equipment Rentals (test-lab summary). Retrieved 2026-08-24. Supports: cross-check of Category A (600 V) and Category B (2× line or 200 V) levels; source of the CS106-similarity claim flagged in unverified
- Model 7054-2 Spike Generator datasheet (with Type 2201 impedance-matching transformers for DO-160G §17 Categories A and B) — Solar Electronics Company (instrument vendor). Retrieved 2026-08-24. Supports: equipment_implication — evidence that Section 17 is performed with a dedicated spike generator plus 50 Ω matching transformer, not a programmable source
Further reading
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