www.easa.

com August 2003

A Closer Look At High Potential Testing

Of Rotating Electrical Machine Windings
By Tom Bishop, P.E. Most random and
EASA Technical Support Specialist form coil windings rated
below 1000 volts should
A frequent question that arises during repair or have a minimum insula-
maintenance is how much voltage to apply when tion resistance of 5
performing a high potential test. The test voltage megohms; and for most
for a new winding will be higher than that of a form coil windings rated
winding that has been in service, but what is the 1000 volts or more the
appropriate test voltage? Seeking answers to this minimum is 100
question can sometimes lead to confusion. Our megohms. All insulation
goal in this article is to clarify high potential test- resistance values must be corrected to 40º C, and the
ing and test voltages. reading taken after applying the voltage for 1
What is meant by high potential (hipot) testing minute. In addition to measuring the winding tem-
is not always clear. The term “high potential test- perature to determine the correction factor, the
ing” is defined by NEMA (MG1-1.57) and IEEE humidity should also be measured.
(IEEE Standard 858) as a test that “consists of the Appy Voltage Gradually
application of a voltage higher than the rated volt- Hipot test voltage should be applied gradually
age for a specified time for the purpose of until the final voltage is attained. The final voltage
determining the adequacy against breakdown of should be held for 1 minute before reducing the volt-
insulating materials and spacings under normal age gradually to zero. An alternative to gradually
conditions.” For example, a 5000-volt hipot test increasing the test voltage would be to apply the test
on a motor rated 4000 volts would be considered voltage in steps until the final voltage is attained.
a high potential test. The number of steps and length of time to hold the
Before proceeding into the selection of a test voltage at each step will vary with machine rating
voltage we should consider a critical step in hipot and is seldom used on machines rated less than 600
testing. That is the determination of the suitability volts. A 4000-volt machine might be tested in 10
of the winding to be hipot tested. An insulation re- steps whereas a 13 kV machine might be tested in 30
sistance (“megohmmeter”) test is the first step steps; a 200 hp motor might have the voltage steps
prior to the hipot process. EASA AR100 and held for 30 seconds while an 8000 hp motor might
IEEE 43 recommend the test voltages in Table 1 have voltage steps held for 2 minutes each. If there is
for determining the insulation resistance of motor a current indicator on the test set, the steps should be
and generator windings. held until the current stabilizes.
A Pass-Fail Test
Table 1-Insulation resistance test voltages A winding that withstands the final voltage, and
versus machine rated voltages. return to zero voltage, is considered to have passed
the hipot test. There are no standards for minimum
Winding rated Insulation resistance insulation resistance for a hipot test. It is a pass-fail
voltage test DC voltage test. An AC hipot does not indicate insulation resis-
(AC or DC) tance, and although a DC hipot can indicate
<1000 500
insulation resistance, it is not an acceptance param-
eter for the test. After performing any hipot test, for
1000-2500 500-1000 safety purposes, make certain that the winding is
discharged to ground through a resistance circuit
2501-5000 1000-2500
(e.g., the hipot) for a long enough period that the
5001-12000 2500-5000 winding does not recharge. IEEE 43 recommends a
minimum discharge time of 4 times the length of
>12000 5000-10000 time the test voltage was applied.
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High Potential Testing . . . Continued From Page 2

According to NEMA MG1 and EASA AR100, a note that all of the above hipot tests apply to new
new winding should be AC hipot tested at twice windings that have been impregnated and fully
rated voltage plus 1000 volts. If a DC hipot is used, cured. Untreated random or form (“green”) coils
the AC test voltage is multiplied by 1.7. A new must be tested at reduced levels. For form coil wind-
winding rated 4000 volts would be AC hipot tested ings make certain that the coil supplier agrees to the
at 9000 volts (2 x 4000 + 1000), or 15300 volts DC test voltages that will be applied to untreated “green”
(9000 x 1.7). It is usually more practical to read the coils. There are no industry standards for hipot test-
display of a hipot in 250 volt increments, making ing of untreated coils. At most, a level of 60% of the
15250 a more practical value than 15300. This ulti- equivalent treated winding test value is suggested.
mate test voltage must only be applied once to a What test levels do we use for windings that
winding. Therefore, the winding should be impreg- are no longer new? EASA AR100 states that a
nated and fully cured for this ultimate test. hipot test on a reconditioned winding should be at
If a subsequent hipot test is desired or re- 65% of the new winding test value. The 4000-volt
quired, the test level should not exceed 85% of the machine would be hipot tested at 5850 volts AC,
new winding test. This test is sometimes termed or 9945 volts DC; or 5750 volts AC and 10000
an acceptance test and is also a one-time test. It is volts DC in more practical values. It is suggested
often applied to the new winding after the motor in AR100 that windings that have not been recon-
or generator is assembled. Using the 4000-volt ditioned be insulation resistance tested, and not
rating example, the 85% AC hipot test level hipot tested. That suggestion applies to service
would be 7650 volts, and the DC equivalent center work, where the subject winding would be
would be 13005 volts. Note that some calculated reconditioned prior to a hipot test.
values are not practical, and should be modified to
Maintenance Hipot Test
a value that can be read on the hipot. Thus, the
Machines installed at the end user location can
15300 value may be modified to 15250, 7650 to
be hipot tested, if desired or required, at 125-
7750, and 13005 to 13000.
150% of rated voltage in accordance with IEEE
Conducting Subsequent Tests 432. This test is often referred to as a maintenance
Subsequent hipot tests on a new winding, per hipot test. The 125-150% level applies to an AC
NEMA MG1, should be at 75% of the initial new hipot test. The DC hipot equivalent would be 1.7
winding test value. The 4000-volt machine in the ex- times the 125-150% levels, or 215-255% of rated
ample above would subsequently be AC hipot tested voltage. For the 4000-volt machine used in the
at 6750 volts, or DC hipot tested at 11475 volts or a earlier examples, the AC hipot level would be
more practical 11500 volts. Note that this test (75% 5000-6000 volts, and the DC hipot level would be
level) applies to all tests after the initial (100% level) 8600-10200 volts (more practical values would be
test and the one subsequent (85% level) test. Also 8500-10250 volts).

Table 2: Hipot tests and test levels for rotating electrical machines.

Type of test AC test level DC test level Test limitations

New winding
Ultimate test (2 x rated voltage) 1.7 x [(2 x rated One time
+ 1000 voltage) + 1000]
Acceptance test .85 x ultimate test .85 x ultimate test One time
Subsequent tests .75 x ultimate test .75 x ultimate test Can be repeated

Reconditioned winding
Reconditioning test .65 x ultimate test .65 x ultimate test Can be repeated
In-service winding
Installation test 1.25-1.50 x rated 2.15-2.55 x rated Can be repeated
voltage voltage

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www.easa.com August 2003

High Potential Testing . . . Continued From Page 2

Table 3: Hipot tests and test levels, modified to practical values, for a 4000-volt machine.

Type of test AC test level DC test level Test limitations

New winding
Ultimate test 9000 15250 One time
Acceptance test 7750 13000 One time
Subsequent tests 6750 11500 Can be repeated
Reconditioned winding
Reconditioning test 5750 10000 Can be repeated
In-service winding
Installation test 5000-6000 8500-10250 Can be repeated

As all of the above stated test values suggest, AC hipot tested at an ultimate test level of 2000
the appropriate test level determination takes volts (2 x 500 plus 1000).
some thought and understanding of the type of
A Note Of Caution
hipot test that will be applied. For simplicity and
There is a precaution to keep in mind about
consistency, we chose a 4000-volt machine rating
hipot testing. The main purpose of a hipot test is to
and used it in each hipot example. Table 3 further
detect weaknesses in the insulation structure that
illustrates this point by indicating the test voltages
could lead to an in-service failure. The application
for each type of test. Whenever you are consider-
of overpotential carries the inherent risk that the
ing a specific hipot test, calculate the test voltage
winding may fail the hipot test, and would prob-
to be applied for the rated voltage of the motor or
ably need to be rewound. The owner of the motor
generator to be tested. Then calculate the test level
or generator to be tested should be willing to accept
using a 4000-volt rating as a check to verify that it
that risk; otherwise, hipot testing is not advisable.
matches the example given here. That will con-
As one hipot testing expert commented after a
firm that your hipot test is at the correct level,
winding failed while under test: “The winding was
before the test is actually applied. If the planned
faulty and we proved it.” Table 2 indicates that
test level is too low, the test will have to be re-
some hipot tests can be repeated; however, the fre-
peated, and if the test level is too high, the
quency of repetition should be extended as far as
winding may fail due to the overpotential.
possible. Hipot testing is a circumstance where
What test levels do we use for DC motors and
more is not better. Overpotential testing can leave
generators? The nameplate rated voltages,
residual dielectric stresses in the winding that could
whether AC or DC, for the windings to be tested
lead to premature failure. Hipot test as necessary to
are used in calculating the hipot test level. For ex-
verify winding suitability for continued service, but
ample, an armature rated 500 volts DC would be
don’t “overtest.”