Bad insulation may not display symptoms until it’s too late. This can result in serious damage to the electrical facility and interruption of service. Routine preventive maintenance can help detect problems that are starting to develop. Catching a problem early can save you from the headache of a faulty electrical system.
A good way to test for insulation integrity is by measuring insulation resistance. This testing method can help you quickly determine if an insulator is starting to degrade. A good insulator should have a high resistance to effectively resist current from flowing outside the conductor. If the insulator develops cracks or accumulates contaminants like dirt and grease, the resistivity can significantly decrease. This can be very dangerous because since the contaminants are better conductors, electricity may flow through them and cause arcs to form. Arcing can cause localized heating and further damage to the insulation.
To help you find faults in insulators, insulation testers are used. These devices put out a very high voltage and measure the residual current flowing through the insulation. The Megger MIT300 series is a popular line of insulation testers that integrate a continuity function. They are extremely easy to use and are designed to be extra tough to take the impacts it might receive onsite. These Megger insulation testers have color coded ranges for easy operation. Read on for a comparison of testers from the MIT300 line.
Megger MIT 300-EN Insulation Tester
Offers basic insulation and continuity testing. It has a maximum output voltage of 500 volts and an automatic discharge function after every test. This tester is suitable for maintenance, servicing and inspection of industrial and commercial electrical facilities.
- 250 and 500-Volt output
- Continuity testing function up to 100 Ω
- Lead null to 9 Ω
- Voltage warning feature
- Safety locking test button
- Switched test probe
- Can be powered by rechargeable batteries
- Automatic discharge function to remove any test voltage after a test
- Ingress Protection 54 weatherproof
Megger MIT 310-EN Insulation Tester
This Megger tester is similar to the MIT 300-EN but has a maximum output voltage of 1000 volts. It has an integrated voltmeter that can measure up to 600 Volts. Another great feature of this tester is its auto power off function. This feature can help prolong the operating time of the batteries.
- 250, 500 1000-Volt output
- Continuity testing function up to 100 Ω
- Lead null to 9 Ω
- Safety locking test button
- Measures voltage up to 600 Volts
- Automatic shutdown to save power
- Switched test probe
- Can be powered by rechargeable batteries
- Automatic discharge function to remove any test voltage after a test
- Ingress Protection 54 weatherproof
Megger MIT 310A-EN Insulation Tester
The MIT 310A-EN has an analog and digital display and boasts an analog response. This is perfect for those who are used to analog meters.
- 250, 500 1000-Volt output
- Digital and Analog display
- Continuity testing function up to 100 Ω
- Lead null to 9 Ω
- Voltage warning feature
- Safety locking test button
- Measures voltage up to 600 Volts
- Switched test probe
- Can be powered by rechargeable batteries
- Automatic discharge function to remove any test voltage after a test
- Ingress Protection 54 weatherproof
Megger MIT 320-EN Insulation Tester
The MIT 320-EN has more features compared to the previous models. It has an adjustable buzzer, Ohmmeter function and backlit interface. The backlit interface makes this model suitable for testing insulation in dark and difficult locations.
- 250, 500 1000-Volt output
- Insulation limit alarm function
- Backlit display and selector ranges
- Adjustable buzzer from 1 to 20 Ω
- Digital and Analog display
- Continuity testing function up to 100 Ω
- Lead null to 9 Ω
- Safety locking test button
- Measures voltage up to 600 Volts
- Automatic shutdown to save power
- Switched test probe
- Measures resistance from 10 Ω to 1 MΩ
- Can be powered by rechargeable batteries
- Automatic discharge function to remove any test voltage after a test
- Ingress Protection 54 weatherproof
Megger MIT 330-EN Insulation Tester
This tester offers advanced testing and results analysis. It has a USB interface so you can connect the tester to a computer. This lets you transfer data to a computer for results analysis and storage. It also has an internal memory where you can store test results for later retrieval. If you are looking for a fully-featured insulation tester, the MIT 330-EN is the perfect choice.
- 250, 500 1000-Volt output
- Insulation limit alarm function
- Backlit display and selector ranges
- Adjustable buzzer from 1 to 20 Ω
- Digital and Analog display
- Continuity testing function up to 100 Ω
- Lead null to 9 Ω
- Safety locking test button
- Measures voltage up to 600 Volts
- Automatic shutdown to save power
- Switched test probe
- Measures resistance from 10 Ω to 1 MΩ
- Can be powered by rechargeable batteries
- Internal memory that can store 1000 test results
- Automatic discharge function to remove any test voltage after a test
- Ingress Protection 54 weatherproof
- USB interface for data transfer
Protec Equipment Resources offers various equipment acquisition options to suit your needs. Please call us at 1-866-352-5550 for a quote.