Every electrical product that leaves a factory must demonstrate dielectric integrity. Hipot testing, applying a voltage stress significantly above the operating voltage and verifying that no breakdown occurs, is the standard method for this verification. It is required by IEC, UL, EN, and BIS safety standards across product categories from consumer electronics to industrial equipment to electric vehicle components.
For Indian manufacturers serving domestic and export markets, hipot testing is not optional. It is the test that separates a product that can be shipped from one that cannot.
The Microtest Hipot Platform
Microtest’s hipot tester lineup addresses three tiers of testing complexity:
7630-2-channel hipot tester. The entry point for bench-top safety testing. AC withstand up to 5 kV, DC withstand up to 6 kV, and insulation resistance measurement up to 12 Gohm. Two test channels allow simultaneous or sequential testing of two DUT connections. Programmable ramp time from 0.1 to 10 seconds provides controlled voltage application that avoids false failures from inrush transients.
7631-8-channel hipot tester. Adds internal scanner-based channel switching for multi-winding and multi-terminal DUTs. The same AC 5 kV, DC 6 kV, and IR 12 Gohm specifications as the 7630, but with 8 channels that can route test voltage to different DUT terminals in a programmable sequence. This eliminates manual reconnection between tests on transformers, motors, and multi-output power supplies.
7631HD, 16-channel hipot tester. Extends to 16 channels for complex DUTs with many isolated windings or connections.
Scaling to Production: Multi-Channel Expansion
For high-volume production lines, 8 or 16 channels may not suffice. The 7631 platform supports expansion via the 7508 (8-channel) and 7516 (16-channel) scanner modules, extending the system to up to 72 channels. This enables fully automated safety testing of complex assemblies, automotive wire harnesses, multi-winding transformers, motor stators, in a single test cycle.
Each channel is independently routable, so the system can test every insulation barrier in a complex product without operator intervention: primary-to-secondary, primary-to-ground, secondary-to-secondary, winding-to-frame, and every other combination.
Test Capabilities
| Test | Specification | Application |
|---|---|---|
| AC withstand | Up to 5 kV | Dielectric strength per IEC/UL |
| DC withstand | Up to 6 kV | Components sensitive to AC stress |
| Insulation resistance | Up to 12 Gohm | Insulation quality verification |
| Ramp time | 0.1 to 10 seconds | Controlled voltage application |
| Measurement | True RMS | Accurate leakage current reading |
| Arcing detection | Built-in | Identifies partial discharge events |
True RMS measurement provides accurate leakage current readings regardless of waveform shape, important when testing capacitive loads that draw non-sinusoidal current during AC hipot.
Arcing detection identifies partial discharge and intermittent breakdown events that a simple pass/fail leakage threshold would miss. These arcing events indicate insulation weaknesses that may pass the voltage test today but fail in the field under thermal cycling, humidity, or mechanical stress.
Application Areas
Capacitors. End-of-line voltage withstand and insulation resistance testing for film, ceramic, and electrolytic capacitors.
Inductors and transformers. Primary-to-secondary insulation, interwinding insulation, and winding-to-core hipot testing. Multi-channel capability handles complex winding structures without manual reconnection.
Motors. Winding-to-frame and phase-to-phase insulation testing for BLDC, induction, and universal motors.
NEV high-voltage harnesses. Electric vehicle battery and drivetrain harnesses carry hundreds of volts and require rigorous insulation verification at every connection point. The 72-channel expandability of the 7631 system handles the high pin counts in EV harness assemblies.
PCBs. Board-level isolation testing between high-voltage and low-voltage domains, particularly in power supplies and motor controllers.
Production Integration
Barcode scanner support enables automatic test recipe selection, scan the DUT barcode, and the system loads the correct test sequence, voltage levels, and pass/fail limits. This eliminates operator programming errors and ensures every unit is tested to the correct specification.
Handler interface output provides automated pass/fail signalling to sorting mechanisms, conveyor systems, and manufacturing execution systems.
Availability in India
GSAS is Microtest’s authorized engineering partner in India, providing the 7630, 7631, and 7631HD hipot testers with local installation, training, calibration, and ongoing support. Our team serves manufacturers across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and Visakhapatnam.
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