1000V Leakage Tracking Tester

The leakage tracking tester is designed based on simulation test items specified in standards such as GB 4706.1-2005, GB 4207-2022, IEC60112-2009 "Method for Determining the Comparative Tracking Index and Proof Tracking Index of Solid Insulating Materials", UL 746A, ASTM D 3638-92, DIN 53480, etc. It is suitable for research, production, and quality inspection departments of lighting equipment, low-voltage electrical appliances, household appliances, machine tool electrical appliances, motors, power tools, electronic instruments, electrical instruments, and information technology equipment. It is also applicable to the insulation materials, engineering plastics, and electrical connection components industries.

I. Main Technical Parameters and Functions:

1) Electrodes: A: One pair each of 5 mm × 2 mm rectangular platinum electrodes and brass electrodes; B: Electrodes comply with the dimensional requirements of IEC60112: (5±0.1) mm × (2±0.1) mm × (≥12) mm, with one end chiseled to an angle of (30±2)° (i.e., the test end has a 30°±2° bevel), and the chisel tip plane width is 0.01 mm–0.1 mm; C: The angle between the electrodes is 60°±5°, with a spacing of (4±0.1 mm);

2) Pressure on the sample: 1.00 N ± 0.05 N;

3) Location with no significant vibration or corrosive gases;

4) Operating voltage: AC220V ± 2%

50 Hz ± 1%, 1 kVA;

5) Test voltage: 100–600 V continuously adjustable with digital display, maximum error of voltmeter display value: 1.5%, display value: ;

6) Delay circuit: The test circuit operates after a delay of (2±10%) S when the current is (0.5±10%) A() or greater;

7) Droplet system: A: (30±5) seconds (droplet start time 28S + droplet duration 2S) automatic counting, digital display (presettable), 50-drop time: (24.5±2) min; B: Height from needle tip to sample surface: 35 mm ± 5 mm (includes a gauge for measurement reference); C: Droplet weight: 20 drops: 0.380 g–0.489 g; 50 drops: 0.997 g–1.147 g;

8) Short-circuit current: Adjustable to (1±0.1) A when the two electrodes are short-circuited, digital display ±1%, ammeter display value is RMS ();

9) Instrument dimensions (width × height × depth): Model: KS-53D: 1120 × 580 × 1350 mm; chamber volume ≥ 0.6 m³

10) Chamber made of 1.5 mm thick 304 stainless steel cold-rolled plate, custom 0.75 m³;

11) Sample support plate: Glass with thickness ≥ 4 mm;

12) Needle tip outer diameter: Solution A: 0.9 mm–1.2 mm; Solution B: 0.9 mm–3.45 mm

13) Droplet size depends on the droplet system;

14) Air velocity: 0.2 m/s.

15 Product accessories: Relay, digital instrument, circuit breaker, button, switch, indicator light, stainless steel chamber

II. Instrument Features

The KS-53C leakage tracking tester uses imported digital display instruments to show droplet time, voltage, and current values in real time. The droplet device uses a peristaltic pump for droplet delivery. Compared to conventional solenoid valve droplet devices, the peristaltic pump allows adjustment of droplet speed, making the droplets more precise during testing.

CTI (Comparative Tracking Index) is used to determine the tracking resistance index of insulating materials, meeting the DIN EN60112 standard. CTI simulates the tracking current between insulating materials via droplets between two electrodes. Commonly used insulating materials may be exposed to humid or dusty environments, which, under conductive conditions, could lead to high pressure or fire hazards. This part complies with DIN EN 60 112 / IEC 60 112 / or VDE 0303 Part 1.

Testing meets the KA method (number of droplets / creepage path depth) and the KA method (voltage until the 50th droplet).

CTI and PTI values can be determined. The combination allows fine-tuning of test voltage, test current, switching time, droplet size, and number of droplets.

III. Test Operation Method

1. Place the sample in a draft-free location and conduct the test at an ambient temperature of 23°C ± 5°C. Electrode contamination can affect test results. Clean the electrodes before each test. The sample should be placed on a glass support plate with the test surface horizontal, ensuring the two electrode edges press firmly on the sample with the specified force.

2. Press the reset button to clear, and release the droplet adjustment switch and short-circuit adjustment switch.

3. Press the "Start" switch, and the device enters the test state.

(1) The device controls droplets based on set time and automatically records the number of droplets. If the loop current is less than 1.0 A, the counter stops automatically after recording 50 drops.

(2) When the current in the conductive loop formed by the sample reaches the set value of ≥1.0 A, the test device automatically delays for 2 seconds.

4. CTI Determination: Adjust the voltage to a preselected value and conduct a 50-drop test. If the sample does not fail, or fails within 50 drops, test other points on the sample at lower or higher voltages until the maximum voltage at which five different points withstand 50 drops without failure is determined. This maximum voltage value is the CTI (e.g., CTI425 indicates that this maximum voltage is reduced by 25 V, and further tests are conducted on five other points, with the sample withstanding 100 drops without failure. Some materials may not meet this latter requirement. For such materials, determine the maximum voltage at which five test points withstand 100 or more drops, and indicate this voltage in the CTI, e.g., CTI425(375). (Specific requirements详见GB4207/T-2012, IEC60112)

5. Proof Tracking Test: If only a proof tracking test is required in material specification standards, electrical equipment standards, or other standards, conduct the test according to sections 4.1–4.3, but only at a specified voltage. A specified number of samples must withstand 50 drops without failure. It is recommended to use five samples. In special cases, fewer samples may be specified.

6. Erosion Depth Measurement: For samples that did not track, remove debris or loosely attached decomposition products from the surface, then place them on the flat surface of a depth gauge. Use a probe with a hemispherical tip and a diameter of 1 mm to measure the maximum erosion depth of each sample, accurate to 0.1 mm. Report the maximum of the five measurements in the test report.

When testing according to section 4.5, measure the erosion depth on samples that withstood 50 drops at the specified voltage.

IV. Operation Precautions

1. Do not open the test chamber or touch the electrodes during the test to avoid electric shock.

2. Special Reminders:

2.1 When conducting tests at 100–200 V, always set the current fine adjustment to the low position to prevent burning out the current fuse and internal resistors due to excessive current when the voltage increases.

2.2 Before powering on the device, set the "Voltage Selection," "Current Adjustment," and "Voltage Adjustment" buttons to zero.

3. After each test, promptly clean the electrodes, test glass platform, and peristaltic pump, etc. Replace the solution in the cup with 2–3 times the volume of water, remove the needle, place a solution cup on the glass platform, turn on the power, open the handle switch inside the chamber, and press the "Droplet Adjustment" button on the panel. Adjust the stroke length knob on the peristaltic pump panel to the maximum (100), and set the stroke frequency selection switch to 100%, until all water in the lower solution cup is discharged from the needle holder. If the electrode edges are eroded, re-grind them.

4. Place solution cups carefully to avoid tipping, which could cause corrosion and short circuits in surrounding electrical components and metal parts.

5. During the above "(droplet check)," the bending degree of the liquid tube and whether air is fully expelled from the tube may mean the liquid cup graduations provided earlier do not meet requirements. In such cases, adjust the liquid height in the cup.

6. Do not bend the droplet tube.

7. The internal parameters of the instrument's meters are set at the factory. Do not alter them unless necessary (except for test presets).