Work Instruction No.

:
Asset Protection
Cathodic Protection 6604

Approved by: Manager

Testing of Insulating Joints Pipeline Standards

1 PURPOSE of the magnetic field induction ring

This work instruction describes
requirements and process for testing the
integrity of an insulating flange or monolithic
insulating joint. All tests shall comply with APT
O&MS Health, Safety and Environmental
Management Systems and meet the
requirements of all relevant statutory gas
supply legislation.
2 REFERENCES
9019 Cathodic Protection System
Maintenance and Testing Procedure
3 GENERAL INFORMATION
Insulating flanges and monolithic insulating
joints are installed in metallic pipelines and
networks for corrosion control purposes and to
isolate pipelines from earthing systems.
Checks of insulating flanges and monolithic
insulating joints are carried out to verify the
ability to insulate by using one of the following
methods.
• Simulated Failure of an Insulating Joint.
• Basic Potential Difference.
• Interruption of CP Current.
• High Voltage Application.
• Model RF-IT Pipeline Insulator Tester
Method.
Periodic inspection of an insulating joint is
usually not required. However, inspections
may be required when investigating Cathodic
Protection problems both upstream and
downstream of an insulating joint.
then touch the test lead probe on the
the
adjacent side of the magnetic field
induction ring, but on the same side
of the insulation joint. Hold both
probes onto the pipeline as shown in
Figure 1. (Scratching through any
painted surfaces will ensure a good
contact between the test probes and
the pipeline).
• With the two test probes connected
to the pipeline depress the trigger
switch located underneath the
handle of the A.C. Generator. This
will allow current to flow from the
fixed test probe on the A.C.
Generator to the test probe located
on the other side of the Magnetic
Field Induction Ring.
• As the trigger switch is depressed,
observe the A.C. Generator Meter
and the Magnetic Field Induction
Ring Meter. Both indicating needles
should deflect, simulating a fault
condition and demonstrating that the
equipment is working correctly.

4 PROCEDURE Equipment Configuration, Pre-Start Test

4.1 Simulated Failure of an Insulating Joint Set Up
Method Figure 1
4.1.1 Equipment Pre-Test
4.1.2 Testing an Insulating Joint
• Place a magnetic field induction ring
around a section of pipe • Leave the Magnetic Field Induction
approximately 300mm-400mm away Ring in the same location as for the
from the insulating joint being tested. pre-start test.
• Using an A.C. Generator touch the • Touch the pipeline with the fixed
pipeline with the fixed probe one side probe on the A.C. Generator then
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Testing of Insulating Joints
touch the pipeline with the test lead
probe ensuring that the Magnetic
Field Induction Ring and insulating
joint are in between the two probe
connections, as shown in Figure 2.
• Hold both probes onto the pipeline.
(Scratching through any painted
surfaces will ensure a good contact
between the test probes and the
pipeline).
Insulating Joint Test Set Up
Configuration
Figure 2
• With the two probes connected to
the pipeline depress the trigger
switch located underneath the
handle of the A.C. Generator.
• Observe one of the following
conditions:

Both the Magnetic Field Induction
Ring and the A.C. Generator meter
needles deflect, indicating that the
insulating joint is faulty and
requires repair.

The A.C Generator meter
indicating needle deflects, but the
Magnetic Field Induction Ring
Meter indicating needle does not,
proving the integrity of the
insulating joint and therefore no
action is required.
• Record the Test Results on the
Insulating Joint Test Report Form. A
sample form is shown in Appendix A.
4.2 Basic Potential Difference method
This method is used when conducting an
integrity check of an insulating joint protecting
Issue 2 October 2007
Work Instruction No.:
6604
a facility such as a district, field regulator or
gate station by monitoring ‘ON’ potential
measurements using a Digital Volt Meter and
a Cu/CuS04 Half Cell.
• The protected side of the insulating
joint will have a negative potential in
the range of -1500mV to -
850mV.
• The facility side of the insulating joint
will also exhibit a negative voltage
but should be less negative than that
of the protected side.
• If the facility side of the insulating
joint is earthed then the potential
should be between -500mV and -
700mV. This will be consistent with
the natural potential with respect to
the Cu/CuS04 of the earthing
structure.
• If the facility piping is either
unearthed or disconnected from the
earth then that pipe could have zero
potential. This should never be the
case and further investigation will be
required.
• Studs and nuts of insulating flanges
in good condition should be
independent of earth and pipeline
potential and at the same potential
as the Cu/CuS04 half cell.
• Underground insulating joints
installed protecting facilities have a
cross bond connected for electrical
continuity and to reduce Cathodic
Protection attenuation.
• Removal of the cross bond to test
the Insulating Joint using the
Potential Difference method may not
be as effective as the method where
the Cathodic Protection current is
interrupted.
Record all details as required on the Insulation
Joints Test Report Form as shown in Appendix
A.
4.3 Interruption of Cathodic Protection Unit
- current method
This method applies to assets cathodically
protected by a Cathodic Protection Rectifier
unit. It does not apply to sites Cathodically
Protected using sacrificial anodes.
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Testing of Insulating Joints
This method is employed during an ‘ON/OFF’
potential survey or where a fault has been
detected and further testing is warranted.
• Connect an interrupter in series with
the output of the site Cathodic
Protection Unit.
• Set the interrupter to switch at
intervals. Typical intervals are 13
seconds ‘ON’ and 2 seconds’ ‘OFF’.

Note: If a Cathodic Protection Unit
is fitted with an interrupter
package, the portable interrupter
will not be required.
• Measure the potential shift on either
side of the insulating joint being
tested with respect to a Cu/CuSO4
half cell.
• The interrupted (cathodic protection
unit) side of the insulation joint
should have a significant shift in
potential, whilst the other side of the
insulation joint should have a
negligible shift in potential. This
would indicate the insulation is
sound. If a significant shift is
detected on both sides of the
insulation joint, this would indicate
the insulation is faulty.
• Where an underground insulating
joint is being subjected to this test
any permanent cross bond shall be
removed from the associated test
point and potential shifts on either
side of the insulating joint are to be
measured. The side that is no
longer connected to the local
Cathodic Protection Unit should
experience a potential much lower
than the side still connected, if any.
• Record all details as required on the
Insulation Joints Test Report Form
as shown in Appendix A.
• Replace all permanent cross bonds
after testing has been completed.
• Where fitted remove the portable
interrupter and replace the Cathodic
Protection Unit output link.
4.4 High Voltage Application Method
This test method is used for testing individual
bolts or insulating flanges.
Issue 2 October 2007
Work Instruction No.:
6604
• Remove any surge diverting device
installed across the insulating joint.
• Connect a high voltage test
instrument set on the 500Vdc setting
to the unprotected side of the
insulating joint or to one side of a
stud and bolt assembly.

Caution: This method subjects the
insulating joint to a much higher
than normal voltage. Extreme care
must be exercised when
conducting this type of test.
• The instrument probe shall be placed
directly across the item under test.
The minimum resistance reading
should be 5MΩ.
• Record all details as required on the
Insulation Joints Test Report Form
specified by your manager or
supervisor. A sample form is shown
in Appendix A.
4.5 Model RF- IT Pipeline Insulator Tester
Method
The Model RF-IT Insulator Tester consists of a
portable battery powered electronic instrument
with detachable probes for making positive
electrical contact across an insulator.
The RF-IT works using radio frequency. The
radio frequency signal is applied to one side of
an insulator by one of two probes. The second
probe then receives a high frequency signal. If
the received signal is almost as strong as the
applied signal, the insulator is shorted.
The RF-IT has an internal band-pass filter
which will filter out all frequencies above and
below 221kHz. This allows the taking of
measurements on pipelines that are under
cathodic protection or have other induced or
impressed currents or signals.

Note: As the RF-IT uses radio
frequency to measure the
effectiveness of an insulator, the
measurement results cannot be
displayed in ohms.
Newer model RF-IT units use a digital meter
that mimics an analogue needle type meter.
Older RF-IT units use a digital bar graph
meter. Both units sweep from left to right.
The RF-IT Insulator Tester is factory calibrated
and needs no field adjustments. Calibrations
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Testing of Insulating Joints
are made using the probe wire conductors
supplied with the unit.

Note: Do not make changes or
substitutes for probes and wires.

When the battery output becomes
too low to power the instrument
(below 7 volts DC), the black lines
on the LCD meter will flash on and
off. Replace with 6 AA size alkaline
batteries. Older model RF-IT units
with the bar graph do not show
battery condition. The display will
grow faint and fade as the battery
output falls below 7 volts.
• Push the red button on the panel to
turn the tester ‘On’. Push again to
turn the tester ‘Off’

Note: if the tester is not turned off
manually, it will turn off
automatically after 10 minutes. If
the tester seems to fail during
testing, firstly check the ‘On – off’
switch.
Pre Operation Check of the RF-IT Tester
• Insert the black probe into either port
locator on the front end of the tester.
• Insert the red probe into the other
port locator on the front of the tester.
• Turn the unit ‘On’.
• Observe the LCD meter. The meter
should show black lines across the
entire meter face.

Note: Older model RF-IT units
show solid black square dots
completely across the top and
bottom of the meter face. Between
the bars at each side, two black
arrows should flash slowly.
• The tester is now ready to operate.
Operation to Check Single In-Line Insulator
• Place the solid ‘black’ probe’s steel
point on one side of the insulator,
making positive contact to the metal
pipe.
• Place the flexible cable (or solid)
‘red’ probe’s steel point on the
opposite side of the insulator,
making positive contact to the metal
pipe.
Issue 2 October 2007
Work Instruction No.:
6604
• If the insulator is shorted, (low
electrical resistance), the LCD meter
will be down low (left side of the
meter) towards the ‘0’. The older
models will show only one or two
black square dots on both the top
and bottom rows on the LCD meter.
• If the LCD meter reads 100%, all the
way to the right hand side of the
meter, the insulator is performing
well. The Older model RF-IT units
will show solid black square dots
completely across the top and
bottom rows.
• LCD readings between these
extremes, gives the operator the
degree of quality of the insulator.
The lower the LCD reading, the
lower the electrical resistance of the
insulator. A low resistance reading
may be cause to watch for
impending failure.
Operation for Checking Insulated Flange
Bolts
• On single insulated pipeline flange
type insulators (where the bolts are
insulated only halfway through the
flange) make positive contact with
the fixed probe of the tester to the
insulated flange and make positive
contact with the flexible probe to
each bolt on the same side of the
flange. Read the meter for every
bolt. Meter readings will be the
same as described in the previous
operation.
• On double insulated pipeline flange
type insulators, make positive
contact with the fixed probe of the
tester to one side of the double
flange and the flexible probe to each
bolt, individually on the opposite side
of the flange. Read the meter for
every bolt. The meter readings will
be as described as when checking
single in-line insulators.

Note: In the event of an insulated
flange indicating a definite
electrical short, but all bolts
indicate they are insulated
properly, the electrical short exists
across the flange insulator.
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 Work Instruction No.:
Testing of Insulating Joints
6604

Appendix A

Insulation Joint Test Report

Potential Shift (mV)
Joint IJ Resistance
Date Location Upstream Downstream
Number (MΩ)
side side

TESTER CP SUPERVISOR

Tested by……………………………………. Received by…………………………………………

Signature …………………………………… Signature…………………………………………….

Date ……………………………………… Date ………………………………………………..

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