Electrical products tend to be more hazardous than any other products because they are powered and expected to function. So, no matter how safe a particular product is deemed, it must undergo electrical safety testing to ensure the safety standards are maintained.
While conducting the safety evaluation, the Electrical Safety Analyzer takes care of the four primary hazards, such as:
- Electrical shock
- Physical/mechanical Injury
- High energy/low voltage
- Fire
Besides these primary hazards, there are various other safety requirements taken into consideration. But, these four hazards are the foundation on which other safety hazards are established.
What is the need for electrical safety?
Well, the need for electrical safety is relatively straightforward. It aids in identifying the potential risk of electrical shock to the user. In fact, it is a statutory obligation in many situations. For instance, places like schools, churches, hospitals, dental clinics, pubs, etc., are required to inspect the electrical products every year. For private living, electrical testing is expected to be done every ten years.
Overlooking or ignoring the electrical safety testing will only result in fatal mishaps.
How is a product certified or verified safe?
Many equipment manufacturers have designed equipment that explicitly performs the test as stated by the safety standards. And these tests include:
1- AC and DC HiPot test:
AC and DC HiPot tester or dielectric withstand tester works by applying either AC or DC high-voltage between the input’s live AC ground and AC wires or in the underground metal enclosure.
If the measured current does not exceed the specifically allowed maximum current, then the electrical product passes the test. And this flow of current should be of 5ma or less based on the safety standard you are trailing.
2- Leakage current test:
There are various types of leakage current. So, the maximum permissible leakage current can differ based on the safety standards you wish to refer. However, the most crucial leakage current standard is for the medical equipment, that is, IEC 60601-1; as per this, the leakage is termed as:
- Earth leakage current: The current passing from the mains part between or across the insulation into a safe earth conductor.
- Patient leakage current: This is the current passing from the enclosure and parts nearby. It excludes the parts that are accessible to the operator or the patient.
- Enclosure leakage current: The current passing through the applied part from the patient to the earth. Or it can flow from the patient to f-type connector that originates from the ground with the unintended appearance of voltage coming from the patient’s external source.
3- Insulation resistance test:
The insulation resistance test is quite similar to the HiPot test. It is a non-destructive test that checks the quality of the insulation. In most cases, professionals prefer to perform an insulation resistance test before a withstand voltage test is performed. This is because if the insulation resistance test fails, the withstand voltage test will fail too.
This test can be used to inspect the quality control measure when the electrical equipment is generated. It can work as a preventive maintenance test as well as a troubleshooting tool.
With the insulation resistance test, you can maintain consistency as it will assist the electrical equipment to showcase dynamic behavior during the test. You can know if the dielectric is better or not.
4- Ground protection test:
Ground protection test aids in safeguarding the users from electrical mishaps when improper current is generated and flowing to the ground. The resistance reading should never exceed 1 ohm; if it does, then there is a fault that should be traced and rectified. This is because poor grounding will only risk the equipment, resulting in failure.
Over to you
Besides following the legal obligation, electrical safety testing can also help in improving designs and creating sound technical documentation.
So, it is vital that every of your electrical product or equipment undergoes Electrical Safety Tester and Analyzer only from pronk technologies to ensure the overall process remains functional and capable.