DIRECT-CURRENT VOLTAGE

TESTING
OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
DC VOLTAGE TESTING OF INSULATION
When DC voltage is applied to an insulation, the electric field stress gives rise
to current conduction and electrical polarization. Consider an elementary
circuit as shown in Figure 2.1, which shows a DC voltage source, a switch,
and an insulation specimen. When the switch is closed, the insulation
becomes electrified and a very high current flows at the instant the switch is
closed. However, this current immediately drops in value, and then decreases
at a slower rate until it reaches a nearly constant value.
The current drawn by the insulation may be analyzed into several components
as follows:
• Capacitance charging current
• Dielectric absorption current
• Surface leakage current
• Partial discharge current (corona)
• Volumetric leakage current
CAPACITANCE CHARGING CURRENT:

The capacitance charging current is high as the DC voltage is applied and can
be calculated by the formula
ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT OF INSULATION UNDER DC
VOLTAGE TEST
DIRECT-CURRENT VOLTAGE TESTING OF ELECTRICAL
EQUIPMENT
where
ie is the capacitance charging current
E is the voltage in kilovolts
R is the resistance in megohms
C is the capacitance in microfarads
t is the time in seconds
e is Napierian logarithmic base
DIELECTRIC ABSORPTION CURRENT:

The dielectric absorption current is also high as the

test voltage is applied and decreases as the voltage application time increases,
but at a slower rate than the capacitance charging current. This current is not as
high as the capacitance charging current. The absorption current can be divided
into two currents called reversible and irreversible charging currents.
THIS REVERSIBLE CHARGING CURRENT CAN BE
CALCULATED BY THE FORMULA:

where
ia is the dielectric absorption current
V is the test voltage in kilovolts
C is the capacitance in microfarads
D is the proportionately constant
T is the time in seconds
n is a constant
SURFACE LEAKAGE:

The surface leakage current is due to the conduction on the

surface of the insulation where the conductor emerges and points of ground
potential. This current is not desired in the test results and should therefore
be eliminated by carefully cleaning the surface of the conductor to eliminate the
leakage paths, or should be captured and guarded out of the meter
reading
PARTIAL DISCHARGE CURRENT:

The partial discharge current, also known as

corona current, is caused by overstressing of air at sharp corners of the
conductor due to high test voltage. This current is not desirable and should be
eliminated by the use of stress control shielding at such points during
tests. This current does not occur at lower voltages (below 4000 volts), such
as insulation resistance test voltages.
VOLUMETRIC LEAKAGE CURRENT:

The volumetric leakage current that flows

through the insulation volume itself is of primary importance. This is the
current that is used to evaluate the conditions of the insulation system under
test. Sufficient time should be allowed for the volumetric current to stabilize
before test readings are recorded.
DIELECTRIC PHENOMENA AND POLARIZATION

The dielectrics have the property of both temporary and permanent absorption
of electrical charges and property of conduction. When a voltage is
applied to a dielectric, forces on the positive and negative charges inherent in
the particles which make up the dielectric tend to orient the particles in line
with the applied fi eld. Some dielectric materials have molecules that have
uneven number of atoms, that is, having asymmetrical arrangement of
charges
DC VOLTAGE TESTING OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DC
VOLTAGE TESTING
ADVANTAGES
• DC test is preferred on equipment whose charging capacitance is very high, such as
cables.
• DC voltage stress is considered much less damaging to insulation than AC voltages.
• Time of voltage application is not as critical with DC voltage as with AC voltage.
• Test can be stopped before equipment failure occurs.
• Measurements can be taken concurrently.
• Historical data can be compiled and made available for evaluation.
• It is not necessary to make a separate insulation resistance test prior to making a DC
overpotential test.
• Size and weight of equipment is significantly reduced compared to AC voltage test
DISADVANTAGES
• Stress distribution for transformers, motors, and generator winding is different for DC
voltage than is for AC voltage.
• Residual charge after a DC voltage test must be carefully discharged.
• Time required to conduct a DC high-potential (hi-pot) test is longer than for an AC hi-
pot test.
• Literature governing DC testing of cables suggest possible harmful effects hi-pot DC
testing may have on some types of cables.
• Defects, undetectable with DC, can cause failure under AC voltage test.
• Voltage may not stress uniformly the insulation system.
• Temperature and voltage dependence of resistivity.
• Space charge formation—future potential failures.
DC TESTING METHODS
TWO TESTS CAN BE CONDUCTED ON SOLID INSULATION
WITH THE APPLICATION OF DC VOLTAGE:

• • Insulation resistance testing

• • High-potential (Hi-pot) voltage testing
INSULATION RESISTANCE TESTING

This test may be conducted at applied voltages of 100–15,000 V. The

instrument used is a megohmmeter, either hand cranked, motor driven, or
electronic, which indicates the insulation resistance in megohms.
(A) ELECTRONIC MEGOHMMETER, 5000 V AND (B)
15 KV DC DIELECTRIC TEST SET.
INSULATION RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT VALUES CAN BE
ACCOMPLISHED BY FOUR
COMMON TEST METHODS:
• Short-time readings
• Time-resistance readings (dielectric absorption ratio [DAR] test)
• Polarization index (PI) test
• Step-voltage readings
SHORT-TIME READINGS

This test simply measures the insulation resistance value for a short duration
of time, such as 30 or 60 s, through a spot reading that lies on the curve of
increasing insulation resistance values
TIME–RESISTANCE READINGS

The time-resistance method is independent of temperature and equipment size.

It can provide conclusive results as to the condition of the insulation. The ratio of
time-resistance readings can be used to indicate the condition of the insulation
system. The ratio of a 60 s reading to a 30 s reading is called the DAR
Resistance reading at 60 s
DAR =
Resistance reading at 30 s
STEP-VOLTAGE READINGS (DC VOLTAGE TIP-UP
TEST)
In this method, voltage is applied in steps to the insulation under test by a way
of a controlled voltage method. As voltage is increased, the weak insulation will
show lower resistance that was not obvious at lower voltage levels.
HIGH-POTENTIAL VOLTAGE TEST

A DC hi-pot voltage test is a voltage applied across the insulation at or above

the DC equivalent of the 60 Hz operating crest voltage. This test can be
applied as a step-voltage test. When the high potential voltage is applied as a
dielectric absorption test, the maximum voltage is applied gradually over a
period of 60–90 s. The maximum voltage is then held for 5 min with leakage
current readings taken each minute.
DIELECTRIC ABSORPTION TEST:

The dielectric absorption test is conducted at voltages much higher than the
usual insulation resistance test values and can exceed 100 kV. This test is an
extension of the hi-pot test. Under this test, the voltage is applied for an
extended period of time, from 5 to 15 min. Periodic readings are taken of the
insulation resistance or leakage current.
END