A common high-productivity test strategy for a
transformer with multiple secondaries is to perform
simultaneous Hipot tests between the primary and
all three secondaries. But if a unit fails that test, you’ll
want to go further and ascertain which winding is
faulty.
For example, a mains supply transformer might have a
primary and three secondaries, used to convert 240V
to 15V, 12V and 5V.
A traditional test strategy would perform a Hi-pot
test between the primary and each secondary in a
sequential fashion, to verify the safety conformance of
the unit (Figure 1). Safety standards typically specify a
dwell time for such tests, requiring perhaps 10 seconds
per test, and a total Hi-pot test time of 30 seconds.
A higher productivity strategy would be to use
the AT5600 to execute all three Hi-pot tests
simultaneously, cutting routine test time from 30 to 10
seconds per unit (Figure 2).
If the device passes, no additional action is required.
Should the unit fail, the AT5600 Diagnostic Test
feature can be used to perform the 3 individual HIPOT tests to qualify, and understand the failure in detail.
In this way the AT5600 provides “the best of both
worlds”: fast safety testing: accurate diagnostics and
QA information for failures.