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PD Acceptance Test Pre-Flight Checklist
Twenty-five items that need to be true before an IEC 60270 partial-discharge acceptance test on an HV cable termination delivers a defensible result. Tick as you go — the score at the bottom updates live.
1. Calibration & Measurement Chain
Calibrator pulse injected between DUT and earth verifies the measurement chain.IEC 60270 §6
Calibration certificate valid within the last 12 months for the coupling capacitor and detector.IEC 60270 §7
Detector bandwidth selected per cable length and PD pulse rise-time expectation.IEC 60270 §4.3.3
Background noise floor measured at zero voltage and recorded.IEC 60270 §9
2. Test Termination Interface
Water-filled CTTS conductivity logged inside 0.1–2 µS/cm at test start.CTW PLC log
Termination self-PD verified below 1 pC at 1.5 U0 (no cable connected).Pre-cable baseline
Water temperature within the CTW operating band; reservoir at fill level.CTW manual
No bubbles visible at the cable-to-water boundary after seating.Visual inspection
3. Cable Preparation & Workmanship
Semiconductive cutback position within ± 2 mm of cable manufacturer specification.Workmanship tolerance
No knife gouges deeper than 0.05 mm visible on XLPE insulation surface.Pre-test inspection
No air gaps or voids visible at the semicon-to-mastic boundary.Pre-test inspection
Cable outer diameter measured and within the CTTS model envelope.CTTS spec table
Cable insulation surface cleaned and dried; no contamination visible.Acceptance practice
4. Test Environment
Ambient temperature inside 10–35 °C (preheat required below 10 °C).Field practice
Relative humidity below 70 %.Field practice
Earthing system continuity verified to the CTTS frame and to the measurement bench.Safety + measurement
External RF interference sources (variable-speed drives, comms transmitters) shut down or shielded during the test window.Measurement
5. Test Voltage Sequence
AC source verified at the required test voltage and frequency before stepping up.IEC 60840 §15.4
Voltage ramped up in defined steps with PD sampled at each plateau.IEC 60270 §9
PD inception voltage (PDIV) recorded and confirmed above 1.5 U0.PDIV investigation threshold
PD extinction voltage (PDEV) recorded for diagnostic context.Diagnostic
6. Acceptance Criteria & Reporting
Acceptance limit value documented in writing before the test (typically < 5 pC at 1.5 U0).Utility / IEC 60840
Final PD measurement value recorded at 1.5 U0 with timestamp and ambient conditions.IEC 60270 §9
Tan delta measurement recorded if part of the test scope (target < 0.1 %, tip-up < 0.05 %).Diagnostic
Witness signature (manufacturer / utility / third-party) collected for FAT report.Compliance
Calibration traceability documentation packaged with the test report.Compliance
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Acceptance readiness
Tick each item as you complete it. A complete checklist supports a defensible IEC 60270 test report.