00:01This presentation is going to be an overview on use of high voltage test equipment to test

00:06aerial lifts.

00:08This is a popular application for AC and DC high voltage test systems.

00:15In this presentation, we're going to review what is an A lift device?

00:19When are they used the testing of a lift devices and how hypotonic supplies necessary

00:24equipment for the proper testing of these a lift devices.

00:31Aerial lifts or bucket trucks are used frequently in utility work,

00:35vegetation management and in infrastructure maintenance.

00:39Aerial lifts are useful tools for companies that do work at r elevations but this often

00:45puts their workers in hazardous situations such as near energized power lines.

00:51There are three categories of aerial lifts that are the most common for utility and high

00:56voltage work category A B and C.

01:00In addition, there are also category de insulated area ladders and insulating vertical

01:05towers. Category A.

01:08Aerial lifts are used for bare hand work. And so the boom insulation is the primary form

01:13of insulation category. A area lifts also have a lower test electrode

01:18system. Category B area lifts are similar to category A

01:22but the boom is not considered primary insulation and so work in a category B device

01:27requires the use of gloves, live line tools and other personal protective equipment.

01:31Category C area lifts are very common for most distribution work and the boom is not the

01:37primary insulation, meaning that work done in a category C area lift must be done using gloves

01:43and other P pe category C devices do not have a lower test electrode system.

01:50Aerial lift devices come in different sizes and boom designs to meet the challenge of working

01:55at heights. There are two main types of boom design,

01:59articulated and telescopic articulated booms fold out to reach the desired height and fold

02:05back onto itself. When in transport, telescopic booms expand to

02:09the reach the desired height and retract for transport.

02:13Some of the larger aerial lift devices may feature both designs.

02:21Aerial lift devices may put workers in close proximity to dangerous high voltage lines.

02:26Aerial lift devices or bucket trucks with electrical insulation are to protect the worker

02:31in the bucket that were operators of the vehicle and those working near the vehicle

02:36electrocution is one of the leading killers for those in vegetation management and is a very

02:40real danger to linemen and other trained personnel who use bucket trucks to make sure

02:45that the insulation is still adequate to protect the workers.

02:47The installation must be tested regularly and properly.

02:51There are industry and safety standards to act as guidelines to make sure aerial lift devices

02:55are tested properly.

03:00Most companies have their own test procedure that are based either on the A NC 92.2 or IEC

03:0761 813 standards.

03:10Other standards such as the ocean 19 10.67 also provide guidelines on how to test aerial lift

03:16devices. Most standards call for three types of tests,

03:20design tests, qualification tests and periodic tests.

03:26High voltage testing is performed on insulating booms, chassis insulating systems,

03:31insulating liners and upper control components.

03:34Aerial lifts should be tested at minimum once per year and after any repair or replacement of

03:39components at cross insulating systems such as hydraulic hoses,

03:43boom coatings and the like.

03:49This chart is from the A NC 92.2 standard and it details the correct testing parameters for

03:55design and quality testing. The insulation of insulated booms for category

03:59A and B aerial devices.

04:07This chart is from the NC 92.2 standard and it details the correct testing parameters for

04:13design and quality testing, the installation of insulating booms for category CD and E devices

04:19as well as the test parameters for design and quality testing for insulating aerial ladder

04:23and insulating vertical aerial towers.

04:29This chart is also from A SC 92.2 and details the guidelines for periodic testing of

04:34insulated booms for category A and B aerial devices.

04:43This chart is from NC 92.2 and it details the guidelines for periodic testing,

04:48insulating booms for category CD and E aerial devices as well as insulating aerial ladders

04:54and insulating vertical aerial towers.

05:01In addition to the boom insulation testing, the liners that workers stand in must be tested.

05:06Liner testing often requires higher power test systems than boom testing due to the use of

05:11conductive liquids to ensure that there are no holes in the liner.

05:15This test has no leakage current requirement.

05:18The voltage must hold for the allotted time.

05:27Another component that needs testing is the upper control components.

05:31This the insulated pieces surrounding the controls.

05:35This is a more difficult test to set up since additional materials such as an insulated

05:39blanket may be needed to prevent arcing to materials that are not under test watch for

05:44surface tracking along nearby fiberglass and other nearby surfaces.

05:52Chassis insulators must also be tested to ensure safety to those working near the vehicle.

05:57Chassis insulating systems are to protect personnel if energized conductor comes into

06:02contact below the boom installation, chassis insulating systems have both design quality and

06:08periodic testing criteria as well.

06:17When testing the dielectric strength of insulation on bucket trucks,

06:20it is important to note whether an AC hypo test is needed or a DC hypo test is needed.

06:26AC high pot testing is necessary for design or quality testing.

06:30While DC hy pods can be used for periodic tests.

06:33Another key difference is that AC high pod testing will measure both real current and

06:38reactive current. Whereas the DC test will only measure the real

06:41current. An AC high pot test will almost always show a

06:45higher leakage current than a DC test.

06:54This diagram is an image of the A NC 92.2 standard and it illustrates the connections for

07:00testing a category A or B aerial device.

07:05Do you know that shunting jumpers should be placed over joints and the chassis insulating

07:10system. This test is done with the chassis of the

07:13aerial device grounded when performing a test like this.

07:16It is important to set up your high pod tester for a grounded test object.

07:25This diagram is an image in the A NC 92.2 standard and it illustrates the connections for

07:30testing a category C aerial device.

07:32This diagram is for testing. The aerial device is in a floating mode,

07:36meaning ungrounded note that shunting jumpers shall be placed over joints and chassis

07:41slitting systems similar to the previous diagram.

07:44Key differences is that the aerial device is ungrounded, insulated from the ground using

07:49insulated platforms under the wheels and out breakers, make sure that when doing a test in

07:54this configuration, the high pod tester is set up for a testing a floating test object.

08:03This diagram is also an image from a NC 92.2 standard and it illustrates the use of shunting

08:09jumpers for testing the chassis insulating system.

08:12When testing the chassis insulating system, it is recommended to test in a floating mode

08:16similar to testing category C aerial devices.

08:24This diagram is an illustration of the description given an C 92.2 for testing bucket

08:30liners using a conductive liquid.

08:32The bucket liner is placed in a grounded water tank and the conductive liquid is placed inside

08:37a liner. The high voltage output is then placed in the

08:41liquid and the voltage is brought to the necessary testing voltage.

08:45If the voltage holds, meaning the high pod tester did not trip due to short circuit,

08:49then the test is passed.

08:56This diagram is a simplified schematic depicting the testing circuit for testing.

09:01The upper control components.

09:03One is the high voltage source making connection to two which is the operator side of

09:08the insulator. 34 is the boom side of the insulator which is

09:12connected to five the current meter.

09:15This area can be tight spatially and may require a dielectric blanket or other insulator

09:19to prevent surface tracking to nearby surfaces.

09:27Hypotonic designs and manufacturers vary equipment from both AC testing and DC testing

09:32for aerial lift devices. These include but are not limited to the HVTD I

09:38series, the 700 D I series, the MS R 880 PL dash HD

09:45and the 8175 PL.

09:54This table illustrates the various product offerings made by hydronic for aerial lift

09:58device testing and shows which each product offering is capable of testing according to the

10:04NC 92.2 guidelines.

10:12This presentation is an overview on high voltage testing of aerial lift devices.

10:17If you or your organization has questions on aerial lift device testing or is interested in

10:22high voltage test equipment for testing aerial lift devices,

10:25please contact a hypotonic sales engineer by calling our sales line at

10:298452309245. Or send an email to sales at

10:35hypotonic.com.