FORM
Solutions Provider for Renewable Energy Projects
Title TRANSFORMER INSULATION POWER FACTOR TEST MANUAL
E. INSULATION POWER FACTOR / DISSIPATION FACTOR TEST PROCEDURE:
Introduction and purpose of PF/DF Test:
Insulation Power Factor should not be confused with system power factor in an AC network.
Insulation Power Factor indicates the quality of the insulation and may be understood from the following
explanation. Any Winding in a transformer is separated from all other windings and ground potential by
solid insulation. Cellulose insulation forms an effective capacitance network as indicated in the illustration
below. All electrical insulation has a measurable amount of dielectric loss regardless of age.
Primary to Ground Insulation
Tank and Core are
connected to Ground
Primary
Winding Secondary
Secondary to Ground
Winding Insulation
Tank
Primary to Secondary Insulation
CUT-AWAY TOP VIEW OF CORE TYPE TRANSFORMER
The Power Factor Tests measure the insulation capacitance, AC Dielectric losses and ratio of
the measured quantities. The Power Factor is the Cosine of the Phase angle (Cosine θ). You can
measure it by first applying a voltage across this capacitance and measure the amperes and watts loss
and calculate the Power Factor:
W
x 100%PF =
V
This measurable dielectric loss will develop heat in the insulation during transformer operation.
Heat, along with moisture and other factors can cause deterioration of the insulation. Another method
used to measure the AC Dielectric loss is the Dissipation Factor (DF) Test. It is also referred to as the
Tan Delta (Tangent of the dielectric loss angle δ). The Dissipation Factor is very similar to the Power
Factor tests. The two methods are comparable up to 10%.
As previously, mentioned this equipment measures the power loss through the insulating
system to ground that is caused by dielectric loss or leakage current. All insulating systems will have
minor leakage path through the system that will permit a small current flow. If the insulating system is
perfect (a theoretical condition), there would be zero current leakage. Then a Power Factor of 0% could
be calculated. The greater the leakage path, the greater the power loss through the insulating system.
This is caused by the I2R watts loss determined by Ohms Law. If all of the input power were lost, the
Power Factor would be 100%.
The PF insulation tests were used in the laboratory since the early 1900s by cable
manufactures, and in the field for testing bushing since 1929. The DF was developed also in the early
1900s to evaluate insulation by separating the capacitive and real components of the charging current.
Today, the PF and DF tests are considered to be synonymous because they both refer to the
AC dielectric loss test. Listed below are several characteristics that can be obtained from PF and DF
Tests used for evaluating the condition of the insulation system:
1. Both of these tests are effective in locating weaknesses in the electrical insulation and hazards in the
power apparatus before impending failure.
2. PF and DF tests can measure dielectric loss, capacitance, and AC resistance of the insulation of the
electrical apparatus
3. These tests can measure the presence of bad insulation even when there may be a layer of good
insulation in series with the bad insulation.
4. These tests provide information on the overall condition of the insulation in terms of a ratio
information on the overall condition of the insulation in terms of a ratio (i.e., PF or DF value of
insulation) that is independent of the volume of the insulation being tested.
5. They provide assessment of the insulation under normal frequency (60 Hz) operating conditions which
is not time dependent like the direct current (DC) voltage tests.
6. The PF and DF Tests do not overstress the insulation and can determine if the insulation is slowly
degrading by comparison with previous year’s test results, or with test results of similar equipment.
Dissipation Factor (Tan δ) Tester Power Factor (Cos θ) Tester
Megger Brand M4000 Doble Brand
Insulation Power Factor should not be confused with system power factor in an AC network.
Insulation Power Factor indicates the quality of the insulation and may be understood from the following
explanation. Any Winding in a transformer is separated from all other windings and ground potential by
solid insulation. Cellulose insulation forms an effective capacitance network as indicated in the illustration
below. All electrical insulation has a measurable amount of dielectric loss regardless of age.
Factors Seconda
That Influence PF Measurements:
Primary
The PF measurement is a searching diagnostic tool for evaluating insulation condition. It is a
fundamental concept that changes in insulation quality result in measurable changes in some of the basic
electrical characteristics of the insulation, such as capacitance, dielectric loss, or PF.
Therefore, by measuring these electrical characteristics over time, changes in the integrity of
the insulation can be assessed. And listed below are some of the factors that can influence PF/DF
Measurements:
1. Conditions, location and or the environment may be different from test to test. Environmental
variables which cannot be controlled easily such as temperature and humidity.
2. Depending on the cleanliness of the insulation and relative humidity. (effect on surface leakage
current)
The electrical characteristics of most insulation materials vary with temperature. In order to
compare the results of routine PF tests measurements taken at different temperatures for the same
equipment, it is necessary to normalize the results to a common base temperature. It is a recommended
practice to convert the measured PF values to a common base temperature of 20 OC. (See Temperature
correction factor).
When equipment is tested near freezing temperatures where a large correction factor may
cause the resultant PF to be unacceptably high, then the equipment should be retested at a higher
temperature before the equipment is condemned. Similarly, when high PF results are encountered at high
temperature, the equipment should be retested after it has been allowed to cool down. Also, PF tests
should not be performed for detection of presence of moisture in the insulation when the temperatures
are much below freezing, because the ice has a resistivity of approximately144 times that of water.
Although, the temperature correction factors have been developed for correcting the measured
PF results to a common base temperature, no such factors are available for humidity effects because of
other variable effects. One of variables that affects the insulation measurements is surface leakage,
which is dependent upon the moisture and the cleanliness of the surface of the specimen under test.
When making PF tests, the effects of surface leakage (due to humidity, dirt, etc.) should be recognized
and addressed accordingly. The effects of surface leakage current may be minimized by cleaning and
drying external surfaces to reduce the losses, or using guard collars to divert the surface leakage current
from the measuring circuit, or using the combination of the two approaches. Some cases may be handled
quite easily with no thought or effort as to control of surface leakage, while others may require an extra
effort to produce good results. It should also be recognized that there will be times when it will be best to
postpone tests until another day.
Basic Test Connections (Test Modes) for PF Testing:
To help understand the PF test operation, it is convenient to consider the relative connections
of the AC source, the bridge circuit, and the test specimen with respect to ground and the LV lead(s).
Basic test configurations that simplify testing on complicated insulation systems inside HV apparatus are
shown below:
A. Grounded-Specimen Test Mode:
In grounded-specimen test (GST) mode, all current between the AC source and ground is
measured by the bridge. GST is used when one terminal of the insulation to be measured is permanently
connected to ground, such as a bushing flange, transformer tank, or grounded apparatus frame. GST
mode also connects the LV lead(s) directly to ground. This enables the lead(s) to be used to ground a
specimen terminal that is not normally grounded.
B. GST Mode with Guard (GST-G):
In Doble test sets this connection is referred to as guard-specimen test mode. In this mode, all
current between the AC source and ground is measured by the bridge. The LV lead(s) may be connected
to the test circuit guard. Any current present on the LV lead(s) during the test are bypassed directly to the
AC source return, and are eliminated from the measurement. GST-G mode is used to isolate an
individual section of insulation and test it without measuring other connected insulation.
C. Ungrounded-Specimen Test Mode:
In ungrounded-specimen test (UST) Mode, only current between the AC source and the LV
lead is measured. Any current Flowing to a grounded terminal is bypassed directly to the AC source
return and is eliminated from the measurement. UST mode is only used to measure insulation between
two ungrounded terminals of the apparatus. In UST mode, ground is considered guard since grounded
terminals are not measured. UST mode is used to isolate an individual section of insulation and test it
without measuring other connected insulation.
Test connection for Two winding Transformers:
Test No. Measure Test Mode HV Leads LV Leads
1 CHL (P-S) UST HIGH LOW
2 CH (P-G) GST - Guard HIGH LOW
3 CL (S-G) GST - Guard LOW HIGH
HIGH CH (P-G)
Primary
CHL (P-S) Tank and
Core
LOW
Secondary CL (S-G)
Test connection for Three winding Transformers:
Test No. Measure Test Mode HV Leads LV Leads Ground
1 CHL (P-S) UST HIGH LOW TER
2 CHT (P-T) UST HIGH TER LOW
3 CLT (S-T) UST LOW TER HIGH
4 CH (P-G) GST - Guard HIGH LOW/TER -----
5 CL (S-G) GST - Guard LOW HIGH/TER -----
6 CT (T-G) GST - Guard TER HIGH/LOW -----
CH (P-G)
HIGH
CHL (P-S)
Tank and
CHT (P-T) Ly)
LOW Core
CL (S-G)
CLT (S-T)
T TER
CT (T-G)
Note:
When performing PF/DF tests, the HV bushing of the three phase units are shorted together to
make them into an equivalent single bushing. Similarly, the LV (also the Tertiary Winding bushing if
there's any) bushing of the three phase unit are also shorted together to make them into an equivalent
single bushing.
Input voltage for PF/DF Testing:
Voltage of Specimen Recommended
under test Input Voltage
2.5 KV and Below 1 KV
Above 2.5 KV to 5 KV 2.5 KV
Above 5 KV to 10 KV 7.5 KV
Above 10 KV 10 KV
Analysis of test results:
A. Oil-Filled Power and Distribution Transformers:
The overall PF test results of oil-filled power and distribution transformers indicate the insulation
condition of the solid windings, oil, barriers, bushings, etc. The overall PF value for individual
windings-to-ground and inter-windings insulation of modern oil-filled transformers should be
0.5% or less, corrected to 20°C. Service-aged power transformers will have somewhat higher PF
values due to normal aging, loading (heat), and voltage stress. A PF value as high as 1.0% is
considered acceptable for older transformers when previous history or knowledge of PF value of
the transformer, or similar transformers, is not available. However, when the PF value of one
insulation system of the transformer is higher than the others, for example, HV winding insulation PF is
higher than the LV and inter-winding insulation PF, then causes of the higher PF should be investigated.
A PF value of 2.0% for extremely old power transformers may be considered acceptable. In the
case of older transformers that utilizes vanished-cambric or varnished insulation, these
transformers may have normal PF values in the range of 4% to 5% at 20°C.
Transformers that are subjected to excessive internal forces due to possible through-faults or
other causes may have windings that are physically distorted, that the core-coil assembly configuration
had been changed from its original design configuration. If this happen, then capacitance of the winding-
to-ground and inter-winding (i.e., CH, CL, and CHL) would have changed. Therefore, measuring the
capacitance of the individual winding is also important in judging the condition of the winding insulation. In
the CL and CHL winding insulation are where these changes are likely to occur. A capacitance changed
greater than 10% is indicative of winding deformation or movement.
B. Dry-Type Power and Distribution Transformers:
The PF of dry-type transformers varies over a relatively wide range due to in part to the insulation
of support insulators, bus work, and insulation materials. Corona is greater possibility in HV dry type
transformers and the test procedure should include provisions for checking it. This can be done by
making PF tip-up tests on the dry-type transformers. An abnormal increase in the tip-up test may be an
indication of excessive corona or voids in the insulation. A comparison of the PF and PF Tip up test
values with benchmark data if available, or with test results of similar units tested under similar
conditions is recommended in evaluating the insulation condition of the dry type transformers. It
is not unreasonable to expect a PF of 2.0% or less for new modern dry-type transformers.
However, PF may increase with age of the transformer, and may increase to 5%–8%. PF values
substantially higher than the values discussed here should be investigated to determine the
cause of high PF. A better approach of appraisal of transformer insulation is to use the PF data recorded
during the initial tests on the transformer, such as acceptance testing, as a benchmark for comparison
with subsequent test results.