The term hipot is usually used as an abbreviation for high potential. It is a term that is used to refer to a certain class of electrical safety testing instruments referred to as a hipot tester. These instruments are used in the verification of the electrical insulation in finished cables, appliances, and other wired assemblies. Such assemblies include electric motors, transformers, and printed circuit boards just to mention a few.
In many cases, after the assembling/manufacturing of an appliance/product some current leakage of some level occurs. The interior of the product contains internal capacitance and voltages that often cause this minimal current leakage. It is normal for all devices to experience this leakage. However, in some scenarios, the current leakage may too high that it should be due to certain reasons.
Several causes lead to the excessive current leakage, including flaws in design and break down of internal insulation. Anyone that gets exposed to such faulty devices may be electrocuted from the excessive current leakage. To protect the operator from shock, it is important to conduct a hipot test for verification purposes to ensure that the product has sufficient insulation.
Another name used to refer to hipot test is Dielectric Withstanding Voltage (DWV). During this test, a high voltage is applied between the metallic shielding of the product and its current-carrying conductors. When this is done, there will be a resultant current that flows through the insulation. This current is known as leakage current and a high potential tester is used to monitor it.
One major assumption is made in hipot testing. The assumption is that by applying excessive voltage, the insulation of the product should break, and if it does not, then the device should work fine under normal conditions. The appliance is supposed to be resilient against normal voltage, which is often applied in ordinary everyday use of most devices. It is this assumption that gives rise to the name Dielectric Withstanding Voltage.
The test is aimed at stressing the insulator used in the appliance. Apart from stressing the insulator material, however, the test is additionally used to identify workmanship flaws in the product. The most critical monitored workmanship elements are minute spaces existing between the earth ground and current-carrying conductors. In ordinary environment of operation, shock, humidity, contaminants, shock, and dirt may fill these spaces.
When the gaps are closed, current is allowed to flow. Such conditions can be a major electrical hazard that must be corrected at the factory before the product is released into the market. Such defects cannot be detected by any other method besides DWV. Even though other methods may be used to attempt to resolve these problems, but they cannot be as effective as DWV.
Manufacturers use high potential testers to do the verification of electrical insulation. Often, this simple electric device comprises of a switching matrix, current meter, and a source for the high voltage. All the points located on the cable are connected to the high-voltage source and the current meter through the matrix. Including a display and a microcontroller helps to automate the testing process.
In many cases, after the assembling/manufacturing of an appliance/product some current leakage of some level occurs. The interior of the product contains internal capacitance and voltages that often cause this minimal current leakage. It is normal for all devices to experience this leakage. However, in some scenarios, the current leakage may too high that it should be due to certain reasons.
Several causes lead to the excessive current leakage, including flaws in design and break down of internal insulation. Anyone that gets exposed to such faulty devices may be electrocuted from the excessive current leakage. To protect the operator from shock, it is important to conduct a hipot test for verification purposes to ensure that the product has sufficient insulation.
Another name used to refer to hipot test is Dielectric Withstanding Voltage (DWV). During this test, a high voltage is applied between the metallic shielding of the product and its current-carrying conductors. When this is done, there will be a resultant current that flows through the insulation. This current is known as leakage current and a high potential tester is used to monitor it.
One major assumption is made in hipot testing. The assumption is that by applying excessive voltage, the insulation of the product should break, and if it does not, then the device should work fine under normal conditions. The appliance is supposed to be resilient against normal voltage, which is often applied in ordinary everyday use of most devices. It is this assumption that gives rise to the name Dielectric Withstanding Voltage.
The test is aimed at stressing the insulator used in the appliance. Apart from stressing the insulator material, however, the test is additionally used to identify workmanship flaws in the product. The most critical monitored workmanship elements are minute spaces existing between the earth ground and current-carrying conductors. In ordinary environment of operation, shock, humidity, contaminants, shock, and dirt may fill these spaces.
When the gaps are closed, current is allowed to flow. Such conditions can be a major electrical hazard that must be corrected at the factory before the product is released into the market. Such defects cannot be detected by any other method besides DWV. Even though other methods may be used to attempt to resolve these problems, but they cannot be as effective as DWV.
Manufacturers use high potential testers to do the verification of electrical insulation. Often, this simple electric device comprises of a switching matrix, current meter, and a source for the high voltage. All the points located on the cable are connected to the high-voltage source and the current meter through the matrix. Including a display and a microcontroller helps to automate the testing process.
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