7.
CONCLUSIONS:
7.1. Summary of most common stator winding testing techniques: Effectiveness, Advantages and Disadvantages.
Test Purpose
Insulation Resistance Detection of serious flaws,
surface moisture or
IR (1min)
contamination. Determine the
previous status of the winding
to carry out following High
voltage tests.
Polarization Index Detection of serious flaws,
surface moisture or
PI (10 min)
contamination. Determine the
previous status of the winding
to carry out following High
voltage tests.
DC Reabsorption Detection of thermally ageing
current (30min charge/1 groundwall insulation.
min discharge).
DC Hi-Pot Detection of local weak points
in the winding. Only finds
serious defects like partial
cracks and punctures.
Detection of local weak points
in the winding. Only finds
DC Step Graded or
serious defects like partial
Ramp
cracks and punctures.
Effectiveness Advantages Disadvantages
Little skill required, High influence of winding temperature
equipment in test results. No effective
Moderate.
inexpensive. temperature correction available.
Less effective for Epoxy-mica
insulation.
Effective Little skill required, If IR greater than 5G less significant
equipment meaning about the status of the
inexpensive. winding.
No temperature
dependence.
Low-Moderate Some skill required, Influenced by winding temperature
equipment and superficial status of the winding.
inexpensive. Less effective for Epoxy-mica
insulation.
Moderate Little skill required, Test may cause an insulation
equipment breakdown. It’s not a diagnostic test.
inexpensive. Appears
to be better finding
defects in the overhang
area than AC Hi-Pot.
Moderate Provides more Requires experience to judge when to
diagnostic information abort the test.
than the standard 1min
Hi-Pot. Allows some
warning to the user
about when to abort
the test.
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 AC Hi-Pot Detection of local weak points
in the winding like cracks like
partial cracks and punctures.
Dissipation Factor and Detection of thermally aged
Capacitance groundwall insulation and
superficial moisture or partially
conductive contamination.
Dissipation Factor Detection of the global partial
discharge activity of the
Tip-Up
winding, mainly due to thermal
and load cycling ageing.
Off-Line Partial Detection of partial discharge
Discharge activity
On-Line Partial Detection of partial discharge
Discharge activity
RF Porbe Detection of partial discharge
activity in stator slots
Blackout or Ultraviolet Detection of surface partial
Imaging discharge activity in stator
endwindings
More effective Appears to be better
than DC Hi-Pot finding defects in slot
area than DC Hi-Pot.
The test can also
provide information
Moderate
about the contact
status of the
semiconductive coating
in the slot area.
Moderate Well Known. Repetitive
values
Good for track ageing
over time.
Partly effective Allow detection of PD
activity in areas close
to neutral (due to
mechanical defects).
No external
interference present.
Partly Effective Temperature and
electromagnetic forces
present. Real Voltage
distribution. Outage not
needed.
Effective Pinpoints localized high
levels of PD
Effective Identifies voltage stress
control material defects
and contamination and
inadeaquate spacing in
endwindings and
connections
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Greater size and expensive
equipment needed. Promotes some
small ageing to insulation each test.
Less effective for epoxy-mica
insulation in terms of thermally and
load cycling ageing detection.
Influence by losses in the grading
coating, severe PD activity should be
present to be seen above this noise
floor. Not allow detection of local
defects because it’s masked by
healthy winding section under test.
AC power supply free of PD activity
needed to energize the winding. No
temperature and electromagnetic
forces present during testing.
Only sensitive to PD activity in
the High Voltage side of the
winding. External
interference present.
There are safety concerns with
this test since it invloves
placing the RF probe
antenna close to a winding
energized with high voltage
Some safety concerns with the
blackout test since it
involves applying high
voltage to the stator
winding in a dark room.
Potential for over stressing
ground insulation if phase-

Turn Surge Test Detection of weak turn Low
to turn insulation in
windings with
multiturn coils.
to-phase voltage is applied.
No other Off-Line test Will not detect ageing or minor flaws.
can detect turn-turn No effective in windings with large
insulation weakness. number of turns in series. Experience
needed for interpretation.
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