What is Electrical Safety Testing?
Electrical safety tests are designed to ensure that any product that uses electricity is safe for use. Electrical safety tests are often set and regulated by both national and international health and safety standard agencies, with specific products subject to certain tests or regulations. However, there are tests that are universal and many manufacturers must follow, such as -
High Voltage Test (Dielectric Voltage-withstand Test)
High Voltage tests, or commonly known as Hipot tests are designed to stress the device under test to voltages higher than its operating voltage. In this test, the insulation of a product, stressed to a greater extent than under normal operating conditions, should not be breached for the product to pass.
Insulation Resistance Test
Insulation resistance test is one of the tests that are required by the electrical safety testing standards. The test measures insulation resistance of a Device Under Test (DUT), while phase and neutral are short circuited together.
Earth Bond Test
Ground Bond test (also referred to as PE resistance test, ground continuity test) determines whether the safety ground circuit of the Device Under Test (DUT) can adequately handle fault current if the product should ever become defective. The measured resistance has to be lower than the indicated limit from the applicable international standards. Usual values are <500 mΩ.
Leakage Current Test (Line Leakage Test)
There are mainly two types of LC measuring methods: Touch Current (TC) and Protective Conductor Current (PCC). Touch Current is the current that flows when a human body touches the equipment. Protective Conductor Current is the current that flows from the unit through the grounding conductor into a household ground.
LC is capable of performing tests that comply with standards for a wide range of equipment.
Why do Electrical Safety Tests?
Quality, reliability, user safety and company liability are all key issues with any electrical product and for those reasons manufacturers want to ensure consumers they aren’t exposed to any hazards, which can only be achieved through stringent electrical safety tests.
Production line electrical safety testing is done as the device comes off the assembly line. This stage is important in identifying defective devices that have been damaged during their assembly and before being shipped. The legal side of electrical safety testing comes from the manufacturers particular country or products recognised product safety standard, such as CCC, BSI, CSA, VDE, CE and UL.
Visit the Yelo Ltd website for more information on Production Line Electrical Safety Test Equipment