INSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO USE









IT-4 Operating Instructions 2003








Copyright January, 2003
Revision: 2003.01.002
www.HDElectricCompany.com
Welcome to the HD Electric Company family of electrical products.


Hi-Test Detection Instruments is now a part of the HD Electric Company group of Electrical
Test and Measurement equipment.


HD Electric Company, located in Waukegan, Illinois, USA is a manufacturer and provider of a
wide range of electrical equipment. We have been in business for over 65 years by providing proven
products and reliable service. Our product offerings include Electrical Test & Measurement,
Control Instrumentation & System Measurement, Lighting Products and Specialty Products. If you
are already an HD Electric Company customer, we thank you for your valued business. If you are a
new customer, we appreciate your business and look forward to meeting all of your needs.


At HD Electric Company, it is our goal to provide tools and equipment needed to perform the
job in the safest and most efficient way possible. It is our intention to provide continuing service
and support needed for all your Hi-Test equipment. Feel free to contact us regarding any aspect of
the application or operation of this test equipment. We can be reached at:

HD ELECTRIC COMPANY
1475 Lakeside Drive
Waukegan, IL 60085 USA
Tel: 847-473-4980
Fax: 847-473-4981
www.HDElectricCompany.com



At HD Electric Company, we understand the special training and requirements for work on
electrical power distribution systems. Please take a few moments to read this manual in its entirety
before using the new equipment. Pay special attention to the warnings and cautions both in this
manual and on the equipment itself.


NOTICE This product is designed for use by professionals trained in its use and application in
and around high voltage electrical equipment. If you are not trained in the work methods required
for safe operation, do not proceed until you obtain training.


CAUTION This product was tested before leaving the factory but it must be tested prior to and
after each use for proper working operation. Be aware that dirt, moisture, mechanical fatigue and
other factors reduce the dielectric strength of this product. If any defect of condition is noted, do not
use this product. Remove from service and arrange for repair.


WARNINGS Rigorous hot stick work precautions and OSHA and company work practices
must be followed. Always wear approved cover-up and safety equipment. Read and understand
instructions prior to use. Misuse and abuse of this product can lead to severe injury or death.





Unit Serial No.: _________________________
Manufacture Date: _________________________

LIMITATIONS TO THE USE OF THE HI-TEST INSULATOR TESTER

Three factors limit the use of the Hi-Test Insulator Tester under energized conditions and they must
be understood prior to its use:

1) On a 69 kVAC phase-to-phase nominal circuit the phase-to-ground voltage is approximately
40 kVAC. The tester was designed and constructed to withstand 60 kVAC low impedance,
phase-to-ground voltage across the probes of the tester. This gives an additional 50% safety
margin above 40 kVAC before flashover will occur. CAUTION: The 60 kVAC flashover
voltage was tested in clean, dry conditions. To further increase safety to the operator and to
the tester, the tester is externally shunted on the back of the housing to limit the flashover
voltage to 50 kVAC. This shunt ensures that should the tester be placed across a circuit in
which the voltage exceeds 50 kVAC phase-to-ground, the tester will flash across its external
surface first. The shunt is located behind the DO NOT REMOVE label (see Figure One
below). The flashover voltage may be reduced by the moisture and/or contamination on the
tester surface. ALWAYS be sure the tester is clean and dry before use. This means the
tester is capable of withstanding the phase-to-ground voltage on any circuit up to and
including 69 kVAC phase-to-phase nominal while testing insulators (ie. the voltage on the
line is directly across the probes of the
tester with no other insulators in the
string working).



Figure One

2) One side of any insulator under test must be isolated from the circuit in order to be able to
test that insulator. If the user attempts to test an insulator going directly from phase-to-
ground, the following situation arises: the probe placed in contact with the conductor side of
the insulator will be common with all insulators connected to that conductor; the probe
placed in contact with the ground side of the insulator will be common with all insulators on
that circuit sharing ground. The tester will then try to test the resistance of all parallel
insulation paths it can reach simultaneously.



FURTHERMORE, placing the tester across a single insulator going directly from phase-to-
ground at line voltages greater than 69 kVAC phase-to-phase nominal will result in
externally flashing the tester and a line-to-ground fault!



NOTE: Users of the tester report some success testing pin and cap insulators on distribution
circuits when the insulators are mounted on wooden cross-arms, which are not
bonded to ground and when the cross-arms are dry. In these circumstances, the
cross-arms provide isolation of the insulator under test to the common ground side.

3) WHEN TESTING INSULATORS IN SUB STATIONS, such testing must be done DE-
ENERGIZED unless the user recognizes and understands the limitations set out above and
uses the tester in accordance with those limitations.

READ ALL OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO USING THE TESTER
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SURFACE CONTAMINATION


Most contaminants that collect on the surface of insulators are only conductive in the presence of
moisture. There are only a few wind blown contaminants that are conductive when dry and their
occurrence in any area is generally well known to the utility company. As a result, these latter types
of contaminants generally will not interfere with insulator testing activities.

For the more common wind blown contaminants, the visible amount of surface contamination on the
insulator is a poor predictor of its surface conductivity for two reasons:

1) the actual visibility of contaminants varies greatly (eg. concrete dust versus salt spray);
and

2) most wind blown contaminants are non-conductive until they are moistened - either by
fog, heavy dew, light rainfall, or extremely high humidity.

This means that line crews testing insulators for dielectric condition must pay attention to the
moisture at the time they are testing. Since rainfall normally precludes the performance of live-line
work, the surface conductivity of insulators in this circumstance is typically not a problem in the
testing of insulators.

However, early morning dew, fog, and extremely high humidity are conditions which will interfere
with insulator testing. To avoid the problem of early morning dew, it is advisable not to begin testing
insulators until the sun has had time to dry the surface of the insulators to be tested. To avoid the
problem of fog, it is advisable not to attempt to test insulators under foggy weather conditions. To
avoid the problem of extremely high humidity, it is advisable to avoid testing insulators if the
relative humidity exceeds 85%.

Finally, if any question arises about the surface conductivity of insulators being tested, the test crew
can measure the surface conductivity of several of the subject insulators using the test procedures
described in the Operating Instructions.













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DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS OF THE HI-TEST INSULATOR TESTER

FITTING THE TEST PROBES:

1) The probes can be fitted so that they project from either side of the tester.

2) The couplings on the tester to which the probes are fitted are notched in three locations on
their outer edge to allow the longer probe to be fitted in three (3) configurations (see Figure
Two). The longer probe can be fitted: i) to the top of the tester; ii) to project across the rear
end of the tester; or iii) to project across the bottom of the tester (see Figures Three, Four,
and Five).


The notches on the outside edge of the couplings on the tester are designed to receive a pin
machined on the inside of the couplings on the end of the test probes. In order to fit the
probes correctly to the tester, it may be necessary to rotate the probes slightly as they are
being tightened onto the couplings on the tester. This will ensure that the pins fit into the
notches.



Figure Two



Figure Three



Figure Four
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS (CONTD)


Figure Five

OPERATION OF THE TESTER:

1) Push ON button - green LED at far left of the LED display will light to indicate the
instrument is ON.



NOTE: When testers ON electrical potential between the test probes is 10 kVDC with an
approximate current output of 85 micro amps. DO NOT get in series with the test
probes whether the tester is turned ON or turned OFF.

2) Bend the longer flexible probe to contact rigid probe - all LEDs should light and the
wa