HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester – Choice of Kit

The HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester’s primary function is to serve as a two-stick live line tester designed to detect damaged or deteriorating lightening arresters; it is also capable of serving as a general-purpose DC high potential tester (see below).

Please note the HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester is designed for quick, in-the-field tests on arresters using the available high voltage, allowing the user to determine which arresters can be energised and which lightning arresters should be removed. As a result, it is not as sensitive as laboratory testers and will not be able to detect subtle types of arrestor damage.

The HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester is available as an instrument on its own or can be purchased as part of a kit. The HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester Kit includes two brass/ overhead hook probes and a metal carrying case, as well as a pair of R-69 Add-on Resistor Sticks that can extend the HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester’s scope-for-use to include systems with a voltage up to 69kV (40kV line-to-ground).

Ordinarily, the HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester is able to test lightning arresters installed on 50-60Hz power systems with voltages ranging from 4kV (2.4kV line-to-ground) to 25kV (15.2kV line-to-ground) phase-to-phase.

The HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester utilises a high voltage DC that is equal to the system’s peak AC voltage in order to test lightning arresters; for instance, a 15kV system with a line-to-ground voltage of 7200V would be tested using a 10kV DC voltage. The HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester indicates the arrester's DC leakage current via its easy-to-read meter-face display with a green/red scale. Lightning arresters with leakage currents in excess of 20µA are considered to have high leakage and should not be energised.

To ensure that the arrestor-under-investigation is not damaged by the test procedure, the HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester is connected in series with the lightning arrestor between the energised phase and ground. The HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester also includes high-voltage resistors (similar to voltage detectors) to limit the current through the instrument and a high-voltage rectifier which converts AC to DC. This instrument also features built-in universal splines which facilitate connections to hot-sticks.

Testing Overhead Arresters

When testing overhead arresters, the HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester can be connected to the system in two ways

1.) When the arrestor is grounded, the HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester is connected between the energised phase and the arrestor’s top electrode

2.) When the arrestor is connected to an energised phase, the HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester is attached between the arrestor’s bottom electrode and ground.

Testing Underground Arresters

When testing underground elbow-type arresters, the HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester is connected to a two-way feed-thru with its ground-cable grounded. It is connected from a live bushing to the two-way feed-thru with the elbow arrestor. When testing 15kV and 25kV systems, two ASP-15/25 Load Break Bushings are required; when testing 35kV systems two ASP-35Us and R-69 Add-on Resistors are required.

General-purpose DC High-potential Testing

As mentioned above, the HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester can be used as a general-purpose DC high-potential tester. As such, it can be used to test the leakage currents of insulators, open switch contacts, and cross-arms, in addition to the aforementioned underground and overhead arresters.

As the HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester utilises DC voltage to perform tests, thereby minimising the higher AC capacitive current, it is able to determine actual DC leakage current. The HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester's green/red scale is applicable to most other equipment, as well as arresters.   

The HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester provides an efficient, effective and easy method of identifying damaged or deteriorating arresters. This prevents accidental energisation and the inevitable damage to peripheral equipment and eventual system outages, if the arrestor failure is delayed, and the threat to life if the arrestor failure is instant. Furthermore, removing failing arresters improves overall system reliability.

HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester Key Features

• Two-stick live line tester designed to detect damaged or deteriorating lightning arresters
• Can also be used as a general-purpose DC high-potential tester
• Designed for quick, in-the-field tests on arresters using available high voltages
• Determine which arresters should not be energised
• NOT as sensitive as laboratory testers and is unable to detect subtle types of arrester damage
• Can be purchased on its own or as part of a kit
• The kit includes a pair of R-69 add-on resistor sticks that allow the tester to check arresters on 69kV systems (40kV line-to-ground)
• Test lightning arrestors installed on 50-60Hz systems with voltages between 4 and 25kV phase-to-phase (2.4-15.2kV line-to-ground)
• Utilises a high voltage DC that is equal to the system’s peak AC voltage
• Indicates DC leakage current via the easy-to-read, meter-face display with a green/red scale
• Green/red scale is applicable to arresters and most other equipment  
• Lightning arrestors with leakage currents in excess of 20µA have high leakage and should not be energised
• The tester is connected in series with the lightning arrestor between the energised phase and the ground
• The arrestor is not damaged during the test procedure
• Includes high-voltage resistors to limit the current through the tester
• Includes a high-voltage rectifier which converts AC to DC
• Built-in universal splines which facilitate connections to hot-sticks
• Connect the tester between the energised phase and the arrester’s top electrode when checking grounded overhead arresters
• Connect the tester between the arrester’s bottom electrode and the ground when testing overhead arresters connected to an energised phase
• Test underground elbow-type arresters by connecting the tester from a live bushing to a two-way feed-thru with a grounded ground-cable, along with the elbow arrester
• Two ASP-15/25 load break bushings are required to test underground elbow arresters in 15kV and 25kV systems
• Use two ASP-35Us and R-69 add-on resistors to measure underground, elbow arresters in 35kV systems
• Can be used as a general-purpose DC high-potential tester to check the leakage current of insulators, open switch contacts and cross-arms
• Using DC voltage to perform tests minimises AC capacitance current allowing the tester to determine actual DC leakage current
• Provides an efficient, effective and easy method of identifying damaged or deteriorating arresters
• Prevents accidental energisation and resultant damage to property, systems and human life
• Improves overall system reliability

What’s Included?

HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester

• HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester
• Carrying Case
• Two Overhead Hook Probes

HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester Kit

• HD Electric AT-100 Lightning Arrester & Leakage Tester
• 2x 025-OLPS-5 PVC/ Brass Overhead Hook Probes
• 2x R-69 Add-on Resistor Stick
• Metal Carrying Case