HIGH VOLTAGE INSULATION TESTER IR5050 HIOKI

Ensuring Electrical Systems Remain Safe and Sound

In the intricate world of electrical infrastructure, from massive industrial plants to critical power grids, the integrity of insulation is paramount. Faulty insulation can lead to catastrophic failures, costly downtime, severe safety hazards, and even loss of life. Therefore, reliable and precise insulation testing is not merely a best practice; it is a fundamental requirement for maintaining operational safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance. This advanced insulation tester stands as an indispensable tool in this critical domain, offering a multi-faceted approach to evaluating electrical systems. It provides comprehensive diagnostic capabilities, moving beyond simple resistance checks to offer a holistic view of insulation health, ensuring longevity and preventing unforeseen incidents across diverse applications.

Comprehensive Measurements for System Integrity

This sophisticated instrument is not just an insulation resistance tester; it’s a versatile diagnostic powerhouse, providing a range of comprehensive measurement parameters crucial for assessing the health and safety of electrical systems. Its primary function is, of course, insulation resistance, allowing for precise quantification of a material’s ability to resist electrical current. Beyond this, it intelligently measures leakage current, revealing subtle imperfections in insulation that might not be immediately apparent through resistance alone. The device also accurately measures voltage, a fundamental parameter for safely interacting with live circuits and ensuring proper system operation. Furthermore, it incorporates capacitance measurement (via the DD function), which is vital for evaluating the condition of cables and other capacitive elements, providing deeper insights into insulation degradation over time. This multi-parameter approach ensures a thorough and reliable assessment, making it an all-in-one solution for advanced electrical diagnostics.

Robust Design for Demanding Environments

Engineered for the rigorous demands of professional electrical work, this insulation tester boasts a robust design for challenging environments. Its impressive Max. rated voltage to terminals of 1000 V AC and 2000 V DC highlights its capability to handle high-voltage systems safely. Equally critical is its Max. rated voltage to ground, specified as 1000 V (CAT IV) and 600 V (CAT III). These CAT ratings signify its compliance with international safety standards for connection to power distribution lines (CAT IV) and within building installations (CAT III), ensuring user protection during live measurements. The device is built to operate reliably across a wide operating temperature and humidity range of -20°C to 50°C (with varying humidity specifications for different temperature bands), ensuring performance in diverse climates. For longevity, its storage temperature and humidity range extends from -25°C to 65°C with less than 80% RH. Furthermore, its dustproof/waterproof rating of IP40 (with protector attached, excluding terminals) means it’s protected against solid objects larger than 1mm and splashing water, while the Carrying Case C0212 boasts IP65 protection, offering excellent resistance against dust ingress and low-pressure water jets, making it suitable for tough field conditions.

Adherence to Global Safety and Performance Standards

The credibility and reliability of any electrical testing equipment are directly tied to its adherence to international safety and performance benchmarks. This insulation tester proudly complies with a suite of critical global safety and performance standards. It meets EN61010 (safety), ensuring the device itself is safe for operators. Compliance with EN61326 (EMC) guarantees its electromagnetic compatibility, meaning it won’t interfere with other electronic devices and will operate reliably in environments with electromagnetic interference. Most importantly, for its core function, it adheres to IEC 61557-1 and IEC 61557-2 (Insulation resistance tester). These are specific standards that define the performance and safety requirements for insulation measuring equipment, ensuring that its measurements are accurate, repeatable, and meet professional industry expectations. This rigorous adherence to standards provides users with undeniable confidence in the instrument’s safety, accuracy, and overall quality, making it a trusted tool for critical electrical inspections worldwide.

Powerful Diagnostics: Insulation Resistance Measurement

The core strength of this instrument lies in its comprehensive Insulation resistance measurement capabilities, offering advanced diagnostic features. It provides a flexible test voltage range from DC 250 V to 5.20 kV DC, allowing users to select appropriate voltages for various insulation systems. Users can set their desired test voltage in fine increments: 10 V increments from 250 V to 1 kV, and 25 V increments from 1 kV to 5 kV. Common test voltage presets are also available: 250 V, 500 V, 1000 V, 2500 V, and 5000 V. The guaranteed accuracy range is exceptional, with a ±5% rdg ±5 dgt for a wide span of gigohms (e.g., 0.00 MΩ to 50.0 GΩ at 5000 V), and ±20% rdg for even higher teraohm ranges (e.g., 50.1 GΩ to 10.00 TΩ at 5000 V). The rated current of 1 mA to 1.2 mA and a short-circuit current of 2 mA or less ensure safe testing conditions. Furthermore, it allows for 200 or more measurements on one set of fully-charged batteries, highlighting its efficiency. Crucial insulation diagnosis functions like PI (Polarization Index), DAR (Dielectric Absorption Ratio), DD (Dielectric Discharge), SV (Step Voltage), Ramp, and Timer are integrated, providing profound insights into insulation degradation, moisture ingress, and overall health, far beyond a simple resistance value.

Precise Leakage Current and Voltage Measurement

Beyond insulation resistance, this device excels in providing precise leakage current and voltage measurement, offering critical data points for a holistic diagnostic approach. The leakage current measurement range is automatic, spanning from a highly sensitive 10 nA (0.00 nA to 9.99 nA display) up to 1 mA (0.90 mA to 3.00 mA display), with resolutions as fine as 0.01 nA. This sensitivity allows technicians to detect minute currents flowing through compromised insulation, which are often precursors to major failures. Leakage current testing is vital for identifying localized defects or moisture ingress that might not significantly impact total insulation resistance initially. For voltage measurement, the device offers a guaranteed accuracy range from 30 V to 1,000 V AC (45 Hz to 65 Hz) and ±10 V to ±2,000 V DC, with an accuracy of ±3% rdg. ±3 dgt. Its high input resistance of 500 kΩ or more ensures minimal impact on the circuit being measured. Robust overload protection of 1100 V AC (1 min.) and 2200 V DC (1 min.) safeguards the instrument during unexpected voltage spikes. These capabilities enable safe verification of circuit de-energization before testing insulation and monitoring live system voltages during operation.

Versatile Applications for Critical Infrastructure

The comprehensive capabilities of this insulation tester make it an indispensable tool across a vast array of industries and applications where the integrity of electrical insulation is critical for safety, performance, and longevity.

• Industrial Maintenance: Essential for preventative maintenance in factories, power plants, and manufacturing facilities, testing motors, transformers, switchgear, and control panels to prevent costly downtime and ensure worker safety.
• Electrical Utility & Power Distribution: Used by utility companies to assess the health of high-voltage cables, transformers, circuit breakers, and substation equipment, identifying potential failures before they occur.
• Renewable Energy (Solar & Wind): Critical for testing insulation on solar PV arrays, inverters, and wind turbine generators, where high DC voltages and harsh environmental conditions demand robust insulation.
• HVAC Systems: Diagnosing insulation issues in large motors, compressors, and electrical components of commercial and industrial HVAC units.
• Telecommunications: Ensuring the integrity of power supply cables and equipment in data centers and communication infrastructure, where continuous operation is paramount.
• Mining & Heavy Industry: Operating in harsh conditions, insulation testers are vital for maintaining heavy machinery, conveyor systems, and power distribution in mines and other demanding industrial settings.
• Building Electrical Systems: For commercial and large residential buildings, testing wiring, panels, and motor control centers to ensure safety, energy efficiency, and compliance with electrical codes.
• Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure: Crucial for testing the insulation of charging stations and associated cabling, ensuring safety for users and longevity of the equipment due to high DC voltages.

This instrument provides the necessary insights to predict failures, schedule proactive maintenance, and adhere to strict safety regulations, thereby protecting assets and lives.

Power, Portability, and Comprehensive Accessories

This advanced insulation tester is designed for practical field use, balancing powerful diagnostic capabilities with manageable power, portability, and a comprehensive set of accessories. It is powered by eight LR6 (AA) alkaline batteries or HR6 (AA) nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries, offering flexible power options. The continuous operating time is approximately 5 hours without the Z3210 wireless unit installed, and roughly 4 hours with Z3210 installed and using wireless communication (when generating 5 kV DC with terminals open and backlight/comparator off), demonstrating efficient power management for extended fieldwork. Its dimensions are 195 mm (7.68 in.) W × 254 mm (10 in.) H × 89 mm (3.50 in.) D, making it a substantial but portable instrument, weighing 1.7 kg (59.97 oz.) including batteries. The product comes with a comprehensive array of included accessories: three types of Test lead (L9850-01, L9850-02, L9850-03), three types of Alligator clip (L9851-01, L9851-02, L9851-03) for versatile connections, a robust Carrying Case C0212 (with IP65 protection) for secure transport, the necessary 8 LR6 Alkaline batteries, a detailed Instruction manual, and Operating precautions. These accessories ensure the user has everything needed for immediate and safe operation in diverse testing scenarios, highlighting the completeness and readiness of the solution.