HVcompact digital high voltage meter
Safety features
Adjustable voltage limits take care of your test specimen and avoid overstressing or flashovers
Simplified defect analysis
The test voltage history is stored in a non-volatile memory and can be examined at any time
Important information at a glance
All crucial values of high voltage tests are instantly displayed in one screen
Easy matching to a wide range of test situations
With its adjustable divider ratio, the instrument can be adapted to your specific test setup
About the product
The HVcompact is a digital high voltage meter with an auto-ranging oscilloscope and a meter display for the measured voltage values. In addition to the measured high voltage (U DC), the instrument displays derived and additional measurement values, such as Û, Û/√2, U RMS, crest factor, and measurement frequency. Either U DC, Û, Û/√2, or U RMS can be displayed using large characters to improve the readability.
The HVcompact is a good choice for laboratory use and material testing (quality assurance) of:
- Instrument, current, and voltage transformers
- High voltage and medium voltage cables
- Switchgears
With a maximum input voltage of ~100 V RMS and an adjustable divider ratio, the HVcompact can easily be matched to your specific test setup.
Further, the unit offers the monitoring of a voltage limit and the indication of a voltage breakdown. The analysis of a breakdown is simplified, as the voltage history of the last minutes before such an event is stored in a non-volatile memory.
The HVcompact is equipped with a USB serial interface on the front for the connection of the instrument to a PC with software that monitors the voltage along with partial discharge readings, for instance.
The rear panel of the HVcompact shows the connections for the power supply, the voltage input (BNC), the earthing wing nut, the relay connector, the recorder output (BNC), the COM (TTL) connector, and optionally a LAN and/or RS‑232 link.
In order to avoid that a test specimen is stressed above its allowable voltage, the instrument setup allows to define a voltage limit for the measurement. In case the test voltage exceeds this limit, the HVcompact can trip an external relay, which can, i.e., block the ‘UP’ button of the control circuit or disconnect the main circuit breaker. Additionally, the instrument can predict an incipient breakdown or a flashover by detecting even very small voltage drops in advance of such a failure. Therefore, a maximum permissible voltage change per second (dU/dt) can be set. If this value is exceeded the instrument automatically stops the test to protect the specimen from being damaged.
Key features of the HVcompact are:
- Two display modes: Needle meter and oscilloscope
- Safety features to detect incipient breakdowns and flashovers
- Relay output for signal transfer to external test controls
- Recorder output for voltage signals from 0 to 10 V
- Calibrated in our DAkkS-accredited laboratory which is certified according to ISO 17025:2018
- Two housing versions: Rack-mountable 19-inch housing or half 19-inch desktop housing for tabletop operation
To adapt the instrument to your test environment it can be equipped with:
- An optional LAN interface
- An optional connector for a fibre optic serial link (RS-232 interface)
- The optional automation software HVpilot
To receive software updates or user guides, please contact [email protected] or call +49 241 74927. Please have your device serial number ready or state your reason for interest.
FAQ / Frequently Asked Questions
In contrast to conventional, analogue measuring devices, the digital oscilloscope of the HVcompact does not only display the measured high voltage (U DC) but also displays derived and additional measurement values, such as Û, Û/√2, U RMS, crest factor, and measurement frequency.
Before shipment, every HVcompact is tested and calibrated in our DAkkS accredited in-house calibration laboratory to ensure that the instrument works as intended within the tolerances of international standards and in accordance with relevant regulations. The calibration process, which is based on the method described in the IEC 60270-2000 standard and complies with the DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard, is documented with the calibration certificate. This certificate is enclosed in the shipment of every new impulse generator.
Usually, the COM TTL link is the preferred type of connection, but if the HVcompact is to be integrated into a testing environment with older infrastructure, an RS-232 connection often is the only possible way of connecting the instrument.
Troubleshooting
The power fuse might be blown. Unplug the unit and check the power supply fuse. This fuse is located on the rear panel of the HVcompact above the on/off switch.
A communications error with the serial connection to the HVcompact might have occurred. Within the HVpilot software, check that the serial com port selected in the menu ‘Options >Interface settings’ is the COM port to which the HVcompact is actually connected. Within the Windows Device Manager, check if the USB driver was properly installed.
Try rebooting both the HVcompact and the PC.
It's possible to install the driver manually. Manual installation is divided in two steps due to the driver properties:
Step 1:
- Open the Device Manager.
- Select “Silicon Labs CP210X USB to UART Bridge”, which is listed as an item of “Other devices”.
- Right-click on it and select “Update Driver” from the context menu.
- The Hardware Update Wizard will open. Select “Search for the best driver in these locations”. and specify the directory where the HVcompact software has been installed.
- Click NEXT to proceed. Windows will now install the first part of the driver software, the USB controller driver. Usually, the installation will end with an error message, since the second part of the driver – the USB bridge driver – is still missing.
Step 2:
- Repeat the steps above to install the second part of the CP210X bridge driver.
- If the installation is completed successfully, the CP210X device should appear in the Device Manager.
User guides and documents
FAQ / Frequently Asked Questions
To ensure a reliable high voltage measurement, annual calibration of the instrument is recommended.
The HVcompact offers the possibility to lock safety-relevant settings, namely the maximum allowed voltage, divider ratio, LVD, dU/dt, scaling and the setting for "Rec Out".