ResistanceMeasurementofNonConductiveWalls

andFloors

ResistanceMeasurementofNonConductiveWallsandFloors(photocredit:geckospecialcoatings.com.au)

Electricallysafearea//
Therearecertainsituationswhereitisdesirableforaroomtobetotallyisolatedfrom
theProtectiveEarthconductor(e.g.forconductingspecialtestsinalaboratoryetc.).
Theseroomsareregardedasanelectricallysafeareaandthewallsandfloorshouldbe
madeofnonconductivematerials.
Thearrangementofanyelectricalequipmentinthoseroomsshouldbeofsucha
mannerthat:
Itisnotpossiblefortwoliveconductors,withdifferentpotentials,tobetouched
simultaneouslyinthecaseofabasicinsulationfault.
Itisnotpossibleforanycombinationofactiveandpassiveaccessibleconductive
partstobetouchedsimultaneously.

AprotectionconductorPEthatcoulddriveadangerousfaultvoltagedownto
thegroundpotentialisnotallowedinnonconductiverooms.Nonconductive
wallsandfloorsprotecttheoperatorincaseofabasicinsulationfault.

TheresistanceofnonconductivewallsandfloorsshallbemeasuredwithanInsulation
Resistancetesterusingtheproceduredescribedbelow.Specialmeasurement
electrodesdescribedbelowaretobeused.

Figure1Measurementelectrode

Themeasurementistobecarriedoutbetweenthemeasurementelectrodeandthe
protectionconductorPE,whichisonlyaccessibleoutsideofthetestednonconductive
room.Tocreateabetterelectricalcontact,awetpatch(270mm270mm)shallbe
placedbetweenthemeasurementelectrodeandthesurfaceundertest.

Aforceof750N(floormeasurement)or250N(wallmeasurement)shallbe
appliedtotheelectrodeduringthemeasurement.

Thevalueoftestvoltageshallbe:
500Vwherethenominalmainsvoltagewithrespecttogroundislowerthan500
V
1000Vwherethenominalmainsvoltagewithrespecttogroundishigherthan
500V
Thevalueofthemeasuredandcorrectedtestresultmustbehigherthan:
50kWwherethenominalmainsvoltagewithrespecttogroundislowerthan
500V
100kWwherethenominalmainsvoltagewithrespecttogroundishigherthan
500V

Twoimportantnotes//
1. Itisadvisablethatthemeasurementtobecarriedoutusingbothpolaritiesof
testvoltage(reversedtestterminals)andtheaverageofbothresultsbetaken.
2. Waituntilthetestresultisstabilizedbeforetakingthereading.

Figure2ResistanceofwallsandfloormeasurementusingMETRELsEurotest,InstaltestorEarth
Insulationtester

Reference//MeasurementsonelectricinstallationsintheoryandpracticeMETREL
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