Partial Discharge Testing and Monitoring

Identify and address equipment faults at the earliest possible stage.

Partial discharge (PD) is one of the earliest signs of an emerging fault in electrical systems. Accurately identifying the signs of PD gives you the best chance of mitigating problems before they occur — and the best chance comes from advanced PD measurement and monitoring solutions.

Megger’s portfolio includes tools for accurate partial discharge testing that can identify deteriorating insulation and weak spots in rotating machines, transformers, cables, switchgear, and bushings. Our advanced partial discharge monitoring and measurement solutions can be used to implement condition-based maintenance strategies on-site, or to complete rigorous quality assurance tests to fulfil factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT) requirements.

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All Partial discharge testing and monitoring Bushings, spacers and insulators Cable systems Insulating materials and electronic components Rotating machines Switchgear (AIS/GIS/GIL) Transformers

ICMflex - partial discharge detector, partial discharge fault locator, and loss factor measurement system

Power Diagnostix’s ICMflex provides a deep insight into the insulation condition of your HV asset

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ICMmonitor on-line partial discharge monitor

The ICMmonitor protects your medium and high voltage assets by monitoring partial discharge activities in the insulation

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ICMmonitor Portable - portable partial discharge monitoring system

Monitors your asset for a required period without interrupting your daily business

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ICMsystem versatile partial discharge measurement system

The ICMsystem offers PD and RIV tests according to international standards

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MPAC128 and MPAC128-ATEX Acoustic Imager

MPAC128 and MPAC128-ATEX Acoustic Imaging camera

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Browse all partial discharge services

Reduce downtime and risk:

Partial discharge is one of the most effective ways of detecting insulation degradation at the earliest stage. Megger’s sensitive PD monitoring solutions give you all the tools you need to detect these issues at their inception and adopt condition-based maintenance — key for avoiding disruptions and downtime, minimising operational risks and making the best use of your resources.

Expert support for your needs:

It’s not just our PD testing solutions that are designed to be intuitive and high quality. Our support is too. With the acquisition of PDIX by the Megger group, we draw from the extensive and proven expertise in PD testing and high voltage diagnostics that has made the PDIX brand a global leader for more than 30 years. The Megger team of experts are on hand to share their unrivalled expertise in PD testing, helping you get the full benefit of PD insights — no matter how complex your application is.

Quality you can rely on:

You can be assured of the quality of your asset with Megger’s quality assurance solutions. Whether you’re conducting FAT or SAT tests, maintenance testing or evaluating an asset after repair, our high quality solutions will give you the peace of mind that your asset is ready for operation.

Reliability you can count on:

Equipment can quickly become less reliable over time as insulation ages and PD becomes more common, which in turn accelerates the rate of degradation. Advanced PD monitoring highlights when these faults begin to occur so you can act to improve equipment reliability at the earliest opportunity, without risking unplanned downtime.

What is partial discharge (PD) in electrical systems?

Partial discharge is a dielectric breakdown of a small area in the insulation of electrical systems. It can be caused by discontinuities or imperfections in the insulation system.

Why is partial discharge testing important?

Partial discharge activity is an indicator of an incipient insulation fault which can lead to an insulation breakdown and costly outage of the electrical asset. PD measurements allow reliable defect detection and planning of necessary provisions to prevent breakdowns of the insulation system.

How can partial discharge monitoring prevent equipment failures?

Failures of essential electrical assets can cost millions in loss of income or equipment replacement. Partial discharge monitoring provides an early warning indicator of incipient faults and crucial data for condition-based maintenance before a fatal breakdown.

What tools are used for partial discharge measurement?

Depending on the device under test or monitoring, different sensors and instruments can be used: a combination of GISmonitor or AIAcompact and UHF sensors for Gas Insulated Switchgears (GIS), ICMmonitor, ICMobserver and ICMsystem for transformer/rotating machine monitoring and measurement along with coupling capacitors or bushing adaptors, and cable testing can be performed with ICMflex. Megger offers a wide portfolio including many other instruments for different applications.

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Additional Resources

Take a deeper dive into partial discharge testing with our articles and insights.

On-line partial discharge (PD) spot testing in a European refinery (Part I)

A long-term Megger customer faced a critical 110 kV cable failure, driving efforts to prevent future incidents.

On-line partial discharge (PD) spot testing in a European refinery (Part II)

Routine on-line PD measurements at a European refinery revealed discharge activity near an aging transformer, prompting further analysis to extend its life, manage risks, and optimize costs.