RMS (Root Mean Square)

RMS (root mean square) is a time-averaged measure designed for continuous waveforms like a 60 Hz sine wave. It isn't a valid way to report how strong a PEMF device's field is. PEMF devices fire short pulses with long quiet gaps. Averaging a pulsed signal over time folds the spike into all the dead time, so the RMS value lands far below the actual peak. How far below depends on the duty cycle and pulse shape, so two devices with the same peak field can report completely different RMS values. Comparing RMS numbers across devices doesn't compare field strength. It compares duty cycles. Because RMS sits well below peak for any pulsed device, an RMS figure can make a device look compliant with a peak limit its actual field would exceed. Regulatory and competition field ceilings are written as peak values, not time averages. RMS has a valid role in thermal safety, where heating scales with time-averaged power. For field strength, report the measured peak Gauss along with rise time, dB/dt, pulse width, and repetition rate.