The Megger MEG10-01 is a high voltage d.c. insulation tester, that can be powered by internal rechargeable batteries or by connection to an a.c. supply.

Measurement results are clearly displayed on the custom digital and analogue LCD display as either an Insulation Resistance or a Leakage Current. The measurement range, subject to test voltage, is up to 500 GW on the digital display, and to 1TW at all voltages on the analogue scale. Test voltages of 500V, 1000V, 2500V, 5000V and 10,000V are available and are selected by a two buttons on the front panel.

IEEE43: 2000 "IEEE Recommended Practice for Testing Insulation Resistance of Rotating Machinery" now offers the option of testing machines rated above 12kV at 10 kV instead of the previous 5kV maximum. The 10kV range on the MEG10-01 allows this test to be easily achieved.

An integral timer is started automatically on commencement of a test, which displays elapsed time in minutes and seconds. This timer may also be used to automatically stop an insulation resistance test and an automatic Polarisation Index test. At the end of any test, capacitive loads are automatically discharged and the decaying voltage is displayed until it reaches a safe level. At any point, a flashing LED and segments on the display indicate the presence of a dangerous voltage.

The battery condition is continually monitored while the instrument is switched on and the battery condition is shown by a 5-segment bar graph on the display. Power is provided by an a.c. supply or from an internal rechargeable battery which when fully charged is capable of providing at least 4 hours continuous testing at 10kV before requiring recharge.

For those users who prefer to store their test results for later download, the MEG10-01 has on-board memory capable of storing typically 30 test summaries although this will vary according to the type of test and test duration. This summary information is suitable for reporting purposes. However, if long term testing is required with more detailed data, the MEG10-01 outputs data over its RS232 port every second, in real time. A PC may be used to capture this data and under these circumstances the amount of data is limited by the amount of storage space available on the PC. The volume of data only consumes approximately 2.4 kB for every minute of output. This real time feature allows detailed data to be captured for later analysis.

Manufacturers, users and maintainers of rotating machinery will find the Megger MEG10-01 a perfect every day work tool.