Hipot by Vitrek, the Technology Leaders in Electrical Safety Compliance Test Equipment

Hipot

Hipot testing

The term hipot is a contraction for high potential, which means high voltage. Hipot has become an internationally accepted term for the process for applying high voltage to a circuit in an effort to determine the effectiveness of its electrical insulating material. Although hipot is a popular term, it has many synonyms. Dielectric strength, insulation breakdown and voltage withstand are among the more popular synonyms for the word hipot.

Hipot testing can be done with either direct or alternating voltages depending on the test requirement. For alternating voltages the designation of AC hipot is used. For direct voltages the term DC hipot is used. Many of today's modern hipot testers incorporate both AC and DC hipot into a single unit. This affords the user the convenience of being able to conduct either hipot test with only one tester.

The hipot test is the single most common form of electrical safety testing. Listed products, which are line voltage powered, typically require 100% production line hipot testing. In addition to hipot, protective earth ground bond tests and insulation resistance test are also frequently required. The range of voltage for hipot testing is typically determined by the application. A general rule of thumb is two times the line voltage plus 1000V. Normally hipot tests have a specific duration, for example 60 seconds. However, regulations will often allow for the shortening of the hipot test time to as little as one second when the applied voltage is increased 20%.