Direct-Current Voltage Testing of Electrical Equipment

This covers direct current (DC) tests ordinarily performed in the field for acceptance and maintenance of electrical equipment and apparatus. The information provided by these tests will indicate whether any corrective maintenance or replacement of installed equipment is necessary, assess if the newly installed equipment can be safely energized, and chart the gradual deterioration of the equipment over its service life. The DC test methods discussed in this chapter cover transformers, insulating liquids, cables, switchgear, motors, and generators. It is important to have the proper equipment and trained operators when conducting these tests. Also, if any test is to provide optimum benefits, it is essential to record all test data and maintenance actions for further analysis and future reference. Furthermore, the test equipment should be maintained in good condition and used by qualified operators. When test equipment is used to calibrate other equipment, it should have twice the accuracy of the equipment under test. Moreover, the test equipment should be calibrated at regular intervals to assure the accuracy of test data. The test voltage levels and methods, as described in this chapter, are mostly in accordance with industry standards for the types of equipment discussed. The DC voltage values correspond to the alternating current (AC) test voltages as specified by the applicable industry standards. It is recommended that the manufacturer of the equipment be consulted for specific test and test voltage levels when the exact construction of the equipment under test is not known. Where definitive information for a particular equipment cannot be obtained, it is advised that the suggested DC test voltage be based on the rated AC circuit voltage in order to avoid possible damage to the insulation system. It is also important to observe certain additional precautions when conducting DC high-voltage tests; these are listed in Section 2.11. Electrical phenomena in insulation when subjected to DC voltage were briefly discussed in Chapter 1. Before discussing various DC voltage tests, we need to understand better the electrical phenomena in dielectrics when subjected to DC voltage, which are discussed in the following section Text from Section 2.1 is used from Book Electric Power Equipment Maintenance and Testing, 2nd Edition, Author Paul Gill