Insulation

Resistance
 Insulation Resistance
The electrical resistance of an insulating
material to a direct voltage. It is
determined by measuring the leakage of
current which flows through the insulation.
 Insulation Resistance
Insulation resistance is defined as the
resistance (in megaohms) offered by the
insulation to an impressed direct voltage.
The resulting current is called insulation
current.
OR
The resistance offered, by the insulation of
a cable, in the path of leakage current, is
called Insulation resistance of the cable.
 Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
A Megger is an ohmmeter-type instrument by
means of which the value of a resistance can be
measured and directly indicated by the position
of a pointer on a scale. The megger consists of
two principal elements: a hand-driven magneto
type direct current generator, which supplies the
current for making the measurement; and the
moving element with pointer, by means of which
the value of the resistance under measurement
is indicated.
 Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
The megger is a portable instrument used
to measure insulation resistance. The
megger consists of a hand-driven DC
generator and a direct reading ohm meter.
A simplified circuit diagram of the
instrument is shown in Figure 17.
Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
 Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
The name comes from the fact that the
insulating resistance of a properly-
designed appliance is in the range of tens
and hundreds of meghoms.
 Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
Meggers are field instruments: that is, they
are designed to be portable and operated
by a technician on the job site with as
much ease as a regular ohmmeter
 Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
Meggers are equipped with three connection
terminals, labeled Line, Earth, and Guard.
To measure insulation resistance from a
conductor to the outside of the cable, we need to
connect the "Line" lead of the megger to one of
the conductors and connect the "Earth" lead of
the megger to a wire wrapped around the sheath
of the cable:
Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
 Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
Resistance is measured between the Line
and Earth terminals, where current will
travel through coil 1. The "Guard" terminal
is provided for special testing situations
where one resistance must be isolated
from another. Take for instance this
scenario where the insulation resistance is
to be tested in a two-wire cable:
To measure insulation resistance from a
conductor to the outside of the cable, we
need to connect the "Line" lead of the
megger to one of the conductors and
connect the "Earth" lead of the megger to
a wire wrapped around the sheath of the
cable:
Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
 Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
In this configuration the megger should
read the resistance between one
conductor and the outside sheath. Or will
it? If we draw a schematic diagram
showing all insulation resistances as
resistor symbols, what we have looks like
this:
Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
 Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
Rather than just measure the resistance of the
second conductor to the sheath (Rc2-s), what
we'll actually measure is that resistance in
parallel with the series combination of
conductor-to-conductor resistance (Rc1-c2) and
the first conductor to the sheath (Rc1-s). If we
desire to measure only the resistance between
the second conductor and the sheath (Rc2-s),
then we need to use the megger's "Guard"
terminal:
Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
 Measurement of Insulation
Resistance
Connecting the "Guard" terminal to the first
conductor places the two conductors at almost
equal potential. With little or no voltage between
them, the insulation resistance is nearly infinite,
and thus there will be no current between the
two conductors. Consequently, the megger's
resistance indication will be based exclusively on
the current through the second conductor's
insulation, through the cable sheath, and to the
wire wrapped around, not the current leaking
through the first conductor's insulation.