Testing and Commissioning of

Electrical Equipment
MODULE-5 DOMESTIC INSTALLATION

TOPIC: Testing of insulation resistance between conductors

continuity or open circuit test, short circuit test

BY:
SUPREETH P
1BI16EE054
 INTRODUCTION
Meggering of Signaling cable is done to test the continuity and insulation of the cable
conductors. The Meggering should be carried out at initial stages, before and after cable
laying. For maintenance purposes these tests shall be performed periodically. Low insulation
of cable leads to inadvertent energisation or deenergisation of circuits. Check for insulation
values periodically enables to ensure integrity of circuits. If a sudden fall in the value of
insulation is observed during the test, the cause should be investigated and immediate
action should be taken to repair or replace the defective cable.
PREPARATORY STEPS
 Before commencement of cable Meggering necessary disconnection from traffic shall
be obtained.
 All working circuits and power supply shall be disconnected from the cable at both ends.
 Communication between the ends of cable under test shall be established by magneto
telephones with other cable which is not under test if possible, otherwise by VHF sets.
 Competent staff, required instruments and material shall be available at both the ends.
 Meggering shall be carried out when conductors and insulated parts like terminal blocks
are clean and dry.
 Cable conductors shall be shorted/earthed momentarily to discharge the accumulated
charge, if any, before the commencement and after the end of Meggering.
 PROCEDURE OF CABLE MEGGERING
 CONTINUITY TEST
Tools & Equipment's required
1. Multimeter
2. Wire nipper
3. Screw driver set
4. Box spanner
This test is carried out to confirm that the core under test is either showing break between both ends or
continuous. Testing can be commenced as per the following procedure:
• Set the knob of multimeter to check resistance at 200 ohm range. (At Location A)
• Connect one probe of multimeter to earth and other probe to the end of the cable conductor to be tested,
as shown in above figure.
• Instruct staff at the other end (at Location B) to connect earth to same conductor of the cable.
• If earth is light at both ends, connect earth to armor also at both the ends.
• Deflection of multimeter needle shows that the conductor under test is OK; otherwise there is a break in the
conductor.
• Then test continuity of all other conductors with respect to this tested conductor.
 INSULATION TEST
Tools and Instruments required
1. Insulation Tester (Megger) 500V DC
2. Wire nipper
3. Screw Driver set.
4. Box spanner
5. Crocodile clips (equal to maximum No. of cores of cable to be tested) looped together in series
This test is carried out to measure the insulation resistance of the cable under test. Insulation resistance measured
between
• Conductor to conductor, called cross insulation, and
• Conductor to earth.
 Conductors to conductor (Cross Insulation)
(i) A 500 V Insulation Tester ( Megger ) shall be used for this test and kept at one end of the cable under test.
(ii) The first conductor for which cross insulation is being measured shall be connected to Line terminal of the megger.
The remaining conductors looped together (with the help of crocodile clips) i. e. Conductor 2 and to conductor
(Cross Insulation) onwards, are connected to Earth terminal of megger as shown in figure. Conductors at the other
end are left free.
(iii) Now rotate the handle of megger or press push button of megger. The reading of meter will show the cross
insulation between conductor 1 and rest of the conductors. Insulation reading shall be recorded after applying the
test voltage for about a minute till a steady reading is obtained.
(iv) Now connect next conductor to Line terminal of the megger & connect the remaining conductors to earth terminal
of the megger and take measurements as per procedure II & III.
(v) Record the measurements in the prescribed format.
 Conductor to Earth Insulation
(i) By this we can measure individual insulation of conductors w.r.t. earth.

(ii) Connect conductor under test to the Line terminal of the megger.

(iii) Connect earth terminal of the megger to the earth. Rotate the handle of megger or press push button of megger. The
reading of meter will show the insulation resistance of the conductors. Insulation reading shall be recorded after applying the
test voltage for about a minute till a steady reading is obtained.

(iv) Replace the conductor at Line terminal of the megger by another conductor under test and repeat as process IV

(v) Record the measurements in the format.

PRECAUTIONS:
 Before commencement of Meggering: Make sure that all connections in the test circuit are tight. Test the megger
before use, whether it gives INFINITY value when not connected , and ZERO when the two terminals are connected together
and the handle is rotated.

 During Meggering: Make sure when testing for earth, that the far end of the conductor is not touching, otherwise the test
will show faulty insulation when such is not actually the case. Make sure that the earth used when testing for earth and open
circuits is a good one otherwise the test will give wrong information Spare conductors should not be meggered when other
working conductors of the same cable are connected to the respective circuits.

 After completion of cable Meggering: Ensure that all conductors have been reconnected properly. Test the functions
of Points, Tracks & Signals connected through the cable for their correct response. In case of signals, aspect should be verified
personally. In case of points, verify positions at site.
 Short circuit testing station and short circuit test
Short circuit test is conducted to prove the ratings and to obtain the behaviour of the circuit breaker for
research and development. The short circuit testing plants are built specially to provide facility for short circuit
testing. Provisions are made to test the complete capability of circuit breaker by direct or indirect tests. The short
circuit power is supplied by specially built short circuit generators. There are normally two or more generators.
These generators are driven by three phase induction motors and special type of excitation called impulse
series resistors and reactors are provided for adjusting the magnitude of short circuit current and power factor.
The master circuit breaker has higher capacity than that of the circuit breaker under test and protect the
breaker under test. In addition the equipment's in short circuit stations are measuring, recording and control
instruments, sequence switch to obtain sequential operation of auxiliaries etc.
The preliminary preparations of circuit breaker testing include connecting the equipment's, adjusting the
magnitude of the reactors, contacts on sequence switch to get desired timing etc. are done, while testing, short
circuit is created and the switch is closed. The breaking current is obtained by using oscillograph. The circuit
breaker should be capable of performing the closing and opening operations as per rated operating sequence
for all values of short circuit currents up to its rated short circuit breaking current at specified test voltage and
relevant conditions of transient recovery voltage for terminal short circuits.