MV wires hipot testing

[rey-man]

two sets of medium voltage wires were pulled into a ductbank system.

midway of the ductbank there is a manhole. Splices are planned to be installed in the manhole.

Can the contractor conduct a hipot test on the wires with splices in place?

Thanks.

 

[zog]

two sets of medium voltage wires were pulled into a ductbank system.

midway of the ductbank there is a manhole. Splices are planned to be installed in the manhole.

Can the contractor conduct a hipot test on the wires with splices in place?

Thanks.

Well yes, but I would not use a DC hipot, it is a destructive test for service aged MV cables and is very limited in finding anything but gross installation errors. VLF, Tan Delta, or partial discharge would be the correct test methods.

 

[Hv&Lv]

I agree with ZOG on this one. If I am not mistaken, IEEE had an article a couple of years ago dismissing the need for any hypot testing for any new MV cable installations. Here is another article: http://www.emersonnetworkpower.com/en-US/Services/ERS/Documents/EIM Paper Vahlstrom 2009.pdf

 

[mkgrady]

two sets of medium voltage wires were pulled into a ductbank system.

midway of the ductbank there is a manhole. Splices are planned to be installed in the manhole.

Can the contractor conduct a hipot test on the wires with splices in place?

Thanks.

Yes. Otherwise the splice will not be tested. Cable test failures are more common at the splice than they are in the rest of the run.

 

[rey-man]

thanks for your insights.