Cable Insulation Tester by KEP

KHARKIV, Ukraine - Nov. 4, 2016 - PRLog -- New VLF-60 AC Hipot by KEP is a very low frequency high voltage test set that ensures efficient testing and fault location on medium voltage cables.

Why test cable systems?

It is through preventive and corrective maintenance that the infrastructure's aging processes are managed and timely replacement measures are carried out, and the efficiency of these practices depends on the regular evaluation of the cable system's condition.

Cable systems are intended to have a long service life, while confirming to the established standards of efficiency and reliability. Yet, on account of aging processes, the cable systems' quality tends to deteriorate over time. These days, a large part of cable network is approaching the end of its expected lifetime, and some of the cable system infrastructure is going beyond the limits of the system's reliability. In addition to aging, these developments are also caused by the relatively imperfect technology applied in earlier cable systems compared to the more advanced technological approaches used nowadays. The rising number of failure occurrences on the outdated systems is negatively influencing the resilience of this infrastructure and bring about the need to address the adverse effects of this tendency.

To fully replace the older systems is not considered a viable alternative as it would require massive investments and new manufacturing facilities. The electric utility sector and cable producers cannot afford such expenses. At the same time, it might not be necessary to replace these cable systems completely. Research into cable system infrastructures indicates that a lot of faults on cable systems occur on isolated cable sections or circuit segments. Therefore, timely location and replacement of such weak points helps extend the system's reliable service life.

A number of cable system analysis, diagnosis and testing techniques are used to check the condition of the cable system infrastructure. Based on the testing results, potential system risks are detected; then, following repair works, diagnostic testing is applied again to ensure that the identified fault was eliminated.

Why choose very low frequency (VLF) cable testing?

One of the most popular cable testing techniques nowadays is very low frequency testing, which, on the one hand, provides accurate testing results, and, on the other hand, does not damage good cable insulation.

Very low frequency (VLF) testing involves applying frequency in the range of 0.01 to 0.1 Hz to the cable under test, which is non-destructive to insulation of proper quality, but is enough to detect cable faults. Compared to DC cable testing, which can be damaging to good insulation, VLF testing does not have such a detrimental effect on the cable being tested and does not generate any travelling waves.

About KEP

KEP (KharkovEnergoPribor Ltd.) http://www.kep.ua/en/dealers/ is committed to working alongside our customers in developing high voltage testing equipment, while our sales and technical teams ensure that our customers receive high-quality service and products.