Withstand Test

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fifty60

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USA
If all of the components in my equipment are NRTL listed, including my wiring, what information can I obtain by performing withstand testing on my equipment? If all of my equipment (including wiring) has already individually had the witshand testing performed, what use is performing the withstand testing again?

For a standard I am looking at, I have to perform withstand testing as a "type" test. The standard allows me to forgo any testing I can prove, with documentation, that the equipment would be guranteed to pass. I believe the AC withstand tests meet this criteria. All of my contactor, circuit breakers, and wiring have already had the required levels of AC withstand testing performed from their respective OEM's.

I do not want to damage my equipment during the type testing. My worry is that doing the AC tests again will make my equipment unfit for use. I don't mean to imply that I believe an NRTL indicates withstand testing, but if it can be shown the withstand testing was already done at the component level by the NRTL
 
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GoldDigger

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The biggest formal concern I would have is that an assembly of tested components could still fail because of bad work practices in the assembly process.
If you just mount them all in a box with prefabricated (integral to the components) interconnections it does seem to be a slam dunk. If you are doing any more than that, there is room for error.

Tapatalk!
 

fifty60

Senior Member
Location
USA
I am looking to be able to do lower levels, since I do not want to damage the equipment. Does it sound reasonable to do a lower level DC test, coupled with the OEM AC withstand test documentation?

We have a professional compliance agency come in to do the test and they "always use DC" even though the standard says to use AC. The only out I see is the clause that states you do not have to perform tests in the standard if you can prove through documentation that they can pass the test. I'm trying to get a feel for if that option is viable when it comes to withstand tests.

I should also add that the withstand tests are only performed one time and one time only per Model. The next 100 products in the model number do not have to have the withstand tests, but they do need insulation resistance testing.
 
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fifty60

Senior Member
Location
USA
The 2 options are AC of 1500AC and DC of 2100VDC. These number make since considering the peak voltages from 1500AC would be 2100V.

The standards wording (generalization) is AC test, or for Mains Circuits stressed only by D.C. the DC test.

What kind of equipment would use only DC and require that level of Withstand testing? The numbers are obviously scaled for the Peak voltages of the AC test. I think the standard is not accurately worded. It does not say "stressed only by AC", but it does say "stressed only by DC"

Would a 1 minute DC test at 2100VDC be any less destructive to the equipment than an AC test at 1500VAC? All of the components have already passed similar type tests, so is there a good chance they will not be damaged at all?
 
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