Helping you determine whether your insulation is sufficient for its application
Electrical or electronic manufacturers are usually required to run dielectric tests on their products. Dielectric tests can help in preventative maintenance of high voltage systems. A dielectric test will measure the dielectric strength as well as resistance of your insulation. The results can be used to:
- detect the presence of faults in electrical systems or equipment
- verify that the insulation material used has the required resistance
- verify correct installation.
Dynelec has the skills, expertise and tools required to help you determine whether your electric or electronic products/equipment/systems meet required safety standards by ensuring the insulation is sufficient for your needs. We use two types of dielectric tests:
- Hipot Test
- Insulation Resistance Test
Hipot Test
The Hipot test (also known as a Dielectric Withstand Test or Breakdown Test) determines the adequacy of electrical insulation by stressing the insulation beyond its normal use levels.
By testing whether insulation can withstand a voltage higher than its normal rating over a given period of time one can determine whether:
- it will function adequately at its normal voltage levels
- whether there are any defects in the insulating material
- whether there are any problems with the physical space between conductors.
The Hipot test must be performed on every consumer and industrial appliance.
Insulation Resistance Test
Insulation starts to age as soon as it is made. Aging will deteriorate its performance over time. Harsh environments can speed up the process of deterioration. If insulation deteriorates enough, power reliability and personnel safety can be compromised. It’s therefore imperative to identify deterioration as soon as possible and take corrective action.
Insulation Resistance (IR) is the ability that insulating material has to reduce the current flow leakage caused by electrical voltage to within acceptable levels.
To measure insulation resistance, you connect two conductive points which have insulation between them. These points are connected to a megohmmeter (also called an insulation tester). This instrument will measure the resistance of the insulation between these two points.
Two measurements are determined with the megohmmeter:
- Leakage Distance
The smallest distance between the two conductive points required to avoid breakdown. The measurement is made on the surface of the insulating material. - Dielectric Strength
The ratio between the distance of the two connected points and the voltage at which a breakdown of the insulating material occurs.
Insulation Resistance Testing can be used as:
- a quality control measure at the time of production
- verification that specifications have been met
- a periodic preventative maintenance task to determine deterioration of insulation
- a troubleshooting tool.
Dynelec are highly experienced in applying these two tests and can determine if insulation levels are in the required range for safe operation.