2/12/25, 9:08 AM Surge Test Methods | Electrom Instruments

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Test and Measurement Methods

Surge Test

This page describes surge testing details, including types of surge testing,
iTIG surge measurement techniques, test conditions, and causes of test
results. For a general description of surge testing using the iTIG, see the
Surge Test Summary.

Why Surge Tests Are Critical

Surge tests are critical because they are the only tests that finds turn-to-turn
insulation weaknesses. These weaknesses start at voltages above the
operating voltage of the motor and are precursors to serious failures and
shutdown of a motor. Surge tests are also used to find hard shorts and a
number of other mistakes in windings and coils.

Most winding failures, including shorts to ground, start with weak turn-to-
turn insulation. Once the weakness causes turn-to-turn arcs, an electrical
closed loop is created. Due to transformer action, current starts flowing in
the loop. This current is dissipated as heat and creates a hotspot. More turns
short out due to the hotspot and subsequently more heat is created.
Eventually the winding shorts to ground.

Surge tests are also known as surge comparison tests when the result from a
coil or phase is compared to the result from another coil or phase. Since
coils are designed to be identical, the surge test results should be nearly

Manage consent
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identical. When windings or phases are not identical, or there is nothing to

which to compare, operators use the pulse-to-pulse surge test.

Learn More About Surge Test Methods

Surge Test Uses
How a Surge Tester Works
What Causes Differences in Surge Test Waves?
The Importance of Surge Pulse Repetition Rate
Pulse-to-Pulse Surge Tests When Windings Are Different
What Can Be Done When the Recommended Surge Test Voltage Cannot Be Reached?
Low Inductance Surge Tests
Are Surge Tests Destructive?
Pass/Fail Guidelines
Surge Test Voltages and Standards
Surge Test Summary

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Surge Test Uses

Capabilities

Three nearly identical waves from a 3-phase motor.

What devices can be tested by a Surge Tester?

Any type of coil is testable – from tiny sensors, antennas, and actuating
coils in relays or solenoids, to the biggest electric motors and generators.
The surge test is a load dependent test so operators must consider test
voltage standards.

Which issues are found only with a Surge

test?
A surge test is the only test that finds weak turn-to-turn insulation. This is
due to higher voltages used in a surge test. Low voltage tests do not
stress the insulation and consequently dielectric weaknesses are not
found.

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A surge test is the only test that finds weak coil-to-coil and phase-to-
phase insulation. A hipot test is sometimes used if coils and phases are
hipot tested individually against the other coils and phases but doing so
is not practical.

Lastly, some connection mistakes are only found with a surge test. An
inductance test is sometimes used but only when the resistance is
correct.

Why Industrial Motor Users Need a Surge and

PD Tester

Why do industrial users need an iTIG III surge and PD t…

t…

Failure Type
Turn-to-turn weaknesses and shorts
Coil-to-coil weaknesses and shorts
Phase-to-phase weaknesses and shorts
Wrong turn count
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Wrong coil or group connections

Short to ground*
High Partial Discharge†
Weaknesses to ground††
Resistive connections internally or externally
All wires not connected with several in hand
Partial blowout of random wound coils when there is no arc-to-
ground or turn-to-turn
Wrong gauge wire in a coil or feeder cable

Found with a surge test

Sometimes found with a surge test
Not found with a surge test

Failure Type Notes

* A short to ground can be found with a surge test, but should be found first
with an IR or hipot test.

† Weaknesses to a high partial discharge can sometimes be found with a

surge test using P-P, but it is better to do a PD test.

†† Weaknesses to ground may be found with a surge test, but using a Hipot test
is recommended.

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How a Surge Tester Works

The Electrom iTIG winding analyzer, or surge tester, is an advanced high voltage
source and measurement unit constituted by a programmable pulse train and
advanced pattern analysis software. The instrument takes normal 115 or 220V
AC power and transforms it to the higher voltage required for the surge test.
The higher voltage is rectified into a DC voltage which charges up a large
discharge capacitor.

The other side of the discharge capacitor is connected to the test load, the
device under test (DUT), through the surge tester’s output leads. The DUT is also
connected to ground in order to have a complete electrical circuit. In the circuit
there are switches that are open during the charging phase of the discharge

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capacitor. These switches are insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) or silicon

controlled rectifiers (SCRs). The switches close some time after the discharge
capacitor is at the desired voltage. The closing speed is very high resulting in a
pulse with a rise time of approximately 100nsec.

The easiest way to think about what happens next is to envision the switches
opening again, trapping the pulse energy in a tank circuit between the tester’s
capacitors and the inductive device under test (DUT). An oscilloscope is
connected to the tank circuit to capture the wave created by the surge pulse. As
the voltage oscillates in the tank circuit it decays to zero volts because of
impedance in the circuit. The scope sends the wave to a computer for in-the-
loop processing and the wave is immediately displayed on a monitor.

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How a Surge Tester Works

2
The whole process of circuitry response, wave decay
and processing is complete within milliseconds, upon
which, successive pulses may be generated and
analyzed in quick succession.

The description presented here is a very simplified explanation of

the how the complex hardware and software of the
Electrom surge tester works.

Above: Electrom iTIG Winding Analyzer and Surge Tester in use.

Lead Switching Matrix

A lead switching matrix in the surge tester connects the output leads to
provide a complete electrical circuit. For a 3-phase stator this is usually
between two phases. One phase is energized, the other phase, or other
two phases are grounded. The result of the test is displayed on the screen.
Next, one of the other phases is energized. Finally, the third phase is
energized, which results in three unique waves, or signatures, on the surge
test screen. Each step in the sequence can be done manually one at a time,
or by a push of a button activating the matrix, all in an automatic sequence.

Each step in the sequence can be done manually one at a time, or by a

push of a button activating the matrix, all in an automatic sequence.

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Wave Difference (Error Area Ratio)

Percentage Calculation
The three surge waves are compared and a percentage of wave difference
(%WD), which is also referred to as error area ratio (%EAR), is calculated for
each wave pair by the surge tester. The WD or EAR is calculated somewhat
differently by different surge tester brands, but the result is similar.

The general approach is to calculate the difference between many points

along a wave pair (points on the two waves with the same x-axis position),
add up all the differences and divide by an average. Electrom Instruments
uses a root mean square (RMS) equation to calculate the %WD. If the %WD
is too high, the surge test failed.

For information on failure limits see Pass/fail Guidelines.

What causes differences in Surge

test waves?
Using the Electrom iTIG, manufacturers can track and trend surge
wave signature properties for any unacceptable changes or
differences from the golden, known-good, master surge wave
signature in each unique stator/coil/winding-based product. Relying
on the tester for simple onsite assessment and to manage quality
and heavy work loads in the service center, the leading industry
MROs can more easily measure, maintain, recondition, overhaul,
rewind and rebuild high value machines and critical components to
like-new standard.

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Why is the wave difference (WD) inspection test so important to

sustain high quality, and what are the defects or degradation failure
mechanisms that causes unacceptable changes and differences in
surge test waves? Using a three phase application as an example,
the three waves in the surge test should be close to identical if the
three phases are designed to have the same impedance.

In three phase machines designed with symmetric impedance, the wave

frequency and zero crossings will be different in the phase(s) affected by a
hard short, or if arcing is occurring due to weak insulation. The amplitude of
the wave may also change.

However, not all machines are designed and manufactured with perfect
balance between the phases. See Pulse-To-Pulse Surge Test for further

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information on how to avoid false positive results in concentric

stators, assembled power transformers and other designs
with asymmetric inductive coupling etc.

What Causes Differences in Surge Test

Waves?
2

The formula for the surge wave frequency is:

1 1 R2
f= [ − ]
2π 4L2
​ ​ ​

LC

R2 1
is small compared to
4L2
​

LC
​

1
so the equation reduces to: f =
2π LC
​

Inductance L
When the insulation is weak, a change in inductance will only show up at
elevated voltages. Consequently, it will not be detected in low voltage tests
and measurements. The surge test reduces false negative results, which is
why the surge test is so valuable. If the surge test is done above the peak
voltage the motor operates at, early warning of problems to come may be
detected. The motor may still run fine for a while if the weakness shows up
at a voltage above the peak sinusoidal operating voltage.

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The inductance, L, will go down when there is a turn-to-turn short in the

windings. L is proportional to the square of the number of turns in the
winding. As L goes down the frequency, f, goes up. An increase in f shifts
the wave’s zero crossings to the left on the surge test screen. Likewise, if
there are other problems in the windings that can be found with a surge
test, the inductance will change. Connection problems, for example, may
add or subtract inductance to the circuit. Or, they may cause the electric
fields generated in the coils during the surge test to oppose each other,
effectively reducing the overall inductance.

Capacitance C
The capacitance does not change much with most turn-to-turn shorts.
However it can contribute to the change with more massive failures.

Resistance R
Note that resistance is not part of this formula, which is why surge tests do
not detect differences in resistance or resistive connections. This is why
accurate winding resistance measurements are important to do in
combination with surge tests, as well as in combination
with megohm and hipot tests which also do not detect winding resistance
differences.

Analysis tools other than the %WD or EAR (error area ratio) exist. These are
all mathematical tools. The %WD/EAR is the most common and best tool,
along with the good old visual inspection, which should always be done
when practical.

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The Importance of Surge Pulse

Repetition Rate
Most high voltage winding analyzers made by Electrom Instruments have 50Hz
surge pulse generators. The surge pulse repetition rate typically varies from
one brand of tester to another. The repetition rate for other testers can be as
low as 1Hz or less. Surge tests with a high repetition rate are an advantage
because they are superior at detecting weaknesses in insulation, as explained
here.

The science behind why surge testers with higher repetition rates detect more
insulation weaknesses than those with lower repetition rates at a given
voltage has to do with ionization of gases in voids in the insulation.
Microscopic voids exist in all insulation systems. A higher repetition rate
creates a higher level of ionization in these gaseous voids.
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The gas or air is ionized because of the electrical fields created by operating
motors. Likewise, when a coil or motor is surge tested, electrical fields are
generated, and they ionize the gas or air.

The Importance of Surge Pulse

Repetition Rate
2

When rotating machinery is running, the dielectric

strength of the insulation surrounding the void must
be strong enough to prevent an arc.

For example, normal air is a very good insulator. Ionized air on the other
hand, is not, it is a good conductor. Consequently, when the gas in a void is
ionized, it takes a lower voltage drop across the void to cause an arc
between turns adjacent to the void. When rotating machinery is running,
the dielectric strength of the insulation surrounding the void must be
strong enough to prevent an arc.

Ionization of a gas dissipates very rapidly when the fast-changing electrical

field creating the ionization is removed, i.e. after the surge pulse
has passed. Higher surge pulse rates therefore maintain a higher level of
ionization. As insulation is weakened, or is damaged somehow, a high
frequency surge tester will find more insulation weaknesses, or find them
at a lower voltage. This is confirmed in lab tests, and also reported by many
customers who have testers operating at different surge pules rates.

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Electrom’s proprietary technology uses high frequency surge pulses. It not

only finds more insulation weaknesses, but automatically gets to the surge
test target voltage quickly. This may seem like an easy task, but requires
complex algorithms since every load or DUT reacts differently to a surge
pulse. A different internal discharge voltage is required to reach the target
voltage in each DUT. The result of Electrom’s proprietary technology is a
very quick set of 3 surge tests for a 3-phase motor.

Compromises must sometimes be made. The higher the surge test voltage,
the longer it takes to charge the discharge capacitor in the surge pulse
generator, or the bigger and heavier the power supply has to be.
Portability, size and weight are obviously important. Therefore, lower surge
test pulse rates are sometimes used in exchange for a tester with lower
weight, a smaller physical size and consequently lower cost.

Pulse-To-Pulse (P-P) Surge Tests

When Windings Are Different
Assembled Motors, Concentric Windings, etc.

Motor windings and coils are not always physically identical. An

example is concentric wound coils where the size of the coils are
different. Another example is when coils are connected such that the
stator is not symmetrical from an inductance point of view.

Assembled motors (with the rotor installed) may have stators that
are lap wound and electrically symmetrical. However, the rotor may
cause the inductance in the stator phases to be different because of
the transformer action between the stator and rotor.

To address these situations the Pulse to Pulse Surge Test was

designed.

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When should the Pulse-To-Pulse test be used?

1. Concentric wound stators with a %WD above expectations
2. Assembled motors (rotor installed) with rotor influence on the
stator inductance that creates different surge test waves in the 3
phases
3. Single phase motors
4. Any test where there is nothing to which to compare the
standard surge test
5. Any time the surge test results are questionable or in the “gray
zone”
6. To find the inception voltage in Partial Discharge (PD)
Measurements

Pulse-To-Pulse (P-P) Surge Tests When

Windings Are Different
Assembled Motors, Concentric Windings, etc.
2
Best Practice:
The pulse-to-pulse surge test should be used in
combination with accurate winding resistance
measurements any time it is uncertain whether the
standard surge test result is a pass or fail.

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iTIG displaying good pulse-to-pulse surge test results.

iTIG displaying failed pulse-to-pulse surge test results.

How the P-P Surge Test Works

Instead of rapidly going to the surge test design voltage and recording the
surge wave after the voltage is achieved, the P-P surge test raises the surge
voltage in small steps up to the design test voltage. At each step a surge
wave is recorded, and the difference between this wave and the wave from

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the previous step is calculated. This means that the winding under test is
compared to itself as the surge test voltage is raised. Since the comparison
is to itself, it does not matter that the phases are different, or that there is
rotor influence in an assembled motor. Hence for an assembled motor the
rotor does not have to be turned during the test.

When the pulse-to-pulse surge test is completed the P-P %WD numbers for
all voltage steps are stored, and the highest P-P %WD displayed. With
the iTIG surge tester the results from all the voltage steps are available in a
bar graph.

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If there is an arc or flash over at some voltage step, the P-P %WD will be
significant for that step because the wave frequency is different from the
previous step. For information on failure limits see Pass/Fail Guidelines.

Since the P-P surge test is looking for a change during the voltage ramp, it
may not see hard shorts in the windings if the insulation around the hard
or welded short is stable and strong. In such a case there is no change or
arc during the voltage ramp. Accurate micro ohm winding resistance
measurements or inductance measurements may be used to find such
faults.

The other alternative for assembled 3-phase motors is to turn the rotor
between each surge test so that all 3 waves line up. If they cannot be made
to line up properly, there is a failure. Turning the rotor may not always be
possible or practical making the P-P surge test a valuable tool.

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What can be done when the

recommended Surge Test voltage
cannot be reached?
The surge tester is rated based on the maximum voltage it can generate
internally (12kV for example). This rated voltage is not the highest voltage
generated in every device under test (DUT). The voltage that results in the DUT
from any surge pulse voltage applied by the surge tester depends on the
characteristics of the DUT. For example: 12kV may be generated by the surge
tester, but 9kV may be the voltage reached in a large motor. This means that if
a motor is “too large” for the tester, the desired test voltage will not be
reached. It also means that if the inductance in the DUT is “too low”, such as in
a Surge Test of Large Motor single low inductance form coil, the desired surge
test voltage will not be reached. Click here for information on low inductance
surge tests of coils and DC motor armatures.

The energy required to reach a given surge test voltage in a DUT increases
with several factors including the line to line operating voltage, HP or kW,
frame size and number of poles. The capacitance of a motor plays a significant
part in DUT peak voltage as motor capacitance must be overcome by the
energy available from the surge tester. This is one reason why frame size
matters. Likewise, when motors are tested from a motor control center, the
capacitance in the power cables is added and the voltage reached in the
motor will be less.

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What Can Be Done When the

Recommended Surge Test Voltage
Cannot Be Reached?
2
The energy available from the surge tester is:

1
E= CV 2
2
​

For guidelines on the motor sizes Electrom Instruments surge

testers can handle, please contact us.

If a surge tester cannot reach the desired surge voltage for the DUT,
options for getting to a higher voltage are to use a tester with:

1. Higher charge capacitance

2. Higher max output voltage
3. Both 1 and 2

A Power Pack can be added to any iTIG surge tester taking the max voltage
to 18kV, 24kV, or 30kV. Power Packs have their own output leads but are
controlled by the surge tester. Electrom Power Packs can be added at any
time. They are calibrated independently and can be used with multiple iTIG
surge testers.

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Another alternative for getting to a higher voltage in a large DUT is to break

the DUT down into individual phases, or, if possible, individual groups. The
smaller the section that is energized by the surge tester, the higher the
voltage will be. When a DUT is broken down for testing, portions of the DUT
that are not being energized should be shorted to ground.

The final alternative is to test to whatever voltage the surge tester can
reach. You may be able to record results obtained at a voltage higher than
the peak voltage normally seen by the motor while operating.
(Peak = RMS voltage x 1.41)
In this case, while you cannot know the condition of the motor at the
voltage recommended in the standard, you will still get data important for
finding weak insulation before it degrades to the point where turn to turn
failures occur at the operating voltage of the motor.

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Low Inductance Surge Tests

Generally, low inductance coil/winding applications are those with a low turn-
count and an inductance below a value between 20µH and 40µH. Some
examples of typical low inductance Devices Under Test (DUTs) include DC motor
armatures, interpoles, form coils with one or a few turns. The lowest
applicable inductance depends on how accurately the voltage in the DUT is to be
measured by the surge tester.

The challenge with these coils is that there is almost no impedance in the test
circuit, i.e. the instrument output is nearly shorted. A very high amount of
current is required to generate a voltage across such a low impedance. This is by
design since these types of coils are made for high current. The surge tester
may not have sufficient current available to reach the desired test voltage if the
impedance is too low.

The other challenge with low inductance is that the output lead inductance of
the surge tester may compete with the inductance in the DUT and therefore
create a significant voltage divider. This means that the voltage generated and
displayed by the surge tester will be partly dropped in the output leads, and
partly across the DUT.

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Low Inductance Surge Tests

2

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To solve these challenges when voltages up to 1400V are required,

Electrom uses a “booster box.” The Electrom Instruments ABT connects to
the iTIG surge tester. The output voltage from the surge tester is stepped
down in the ABT, and its output current increased. The ABT is a 4-wire
system, which eliminates the effect of the lead inductance. The iTIG surge
tester measures and displays the real voltage across the DUT. Learn more
about the ABT.

When higher voltages are required, a tester with higher output voltage and
energy may have to be used. It is also possible to connect two or more coils
in series to increase the inductance to make it easier to reach the desired
voltage.

For more information on specific applications, contact Electrom.

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Old, brittle, or otherwise damaged winding insulation is more likely to carbon

track. Because cracks in the damaged insulation may become contaminated,
they can provide “food” for carbon tracking.

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Are Surge tests destructive?

Since surge testers find weak windings by detecting an arc from one turn in
the winding to another turn, people sometimes ask what such an arc does to
the insulation. Even if there is no arc, they may wonder whether surge test
pulses weaken the insulation.

The question also comes up due to misconceptions, some of which are

addressed below.

Most winding insulation failures start as a turn-to-turn weakness, which

can be found before it is too late only with an over-voltage surge test.
Because the insulation still has some dielectric strength, the flaw cannot be
found with low voltage measurements.
Over-voltage surge tests are not destructive when done correctly. The
voltages used for testing are far below what a motor is designed to handle
both when new and old. See results of 8000V surge tests on an old 460V
motor below.
Motors typically see voltage spikes routinely during normal operation.
These routine spikes are significantly higher than the peak operating
voltage and often higher than the surge test voltage.

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With Electrom iTIG motor testers the surge test process is automatic. The
voltage and number of surge test pulses are controlled by the tester rather
than the operator.

Are Surge tests destructive?

2

Winding Failures
The root cause list for weak insulation is long and includes
age, over-heating, vibration, large frequent voltage spikes,
voltage spikes from variable speed drives, humidity, dirt and
grease or oil where it should not be, and manufacturing
defects to mention some.

It is estimated that about 80% of winding insulation failures

in motors are the result of turn-to-turn weaknesses or
shorts. A turn-to-turn failure typically starts with a turn-to-
turn insulation weakness that progresses to a short. The
turn-to-turn short then progresses to multiple shorted turns,
and eventually to a ground fault that is listed as the reason
for the failure. This progression happens because a shorted
turn creates a loop in which current is circulating, and the
energy is transferred to heat. The heat weakens the
insulation further and eventually excessive heat will cause a
ground fault.

Finding Insulation Weaknesses

Windings and coils have to be tested to a voltage higher than
the operating voltage of the equipment to find weaknesses
before it is too late and the motor has a catastrophic failure.
This is what a surge tester does. A weakness is a condition
where the motor runs for the time being, but has a “defect”
that will lead to electrical failure.

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A turn to turn arc caused by the higher test voltage is the

result of an insulation weakness that will eventually lead to a
catastrophic failure.

Normal Voltage Spikes During Operation

Motors see steep voltage spikes during normal operation all
day long. They come from breakers and contactors being
opened and closed, starters, power circuits being switched,
VSDs or inverter drives etc. They can also come from
lightning strikes, faulty breakers or malfunction of switching
gear. Many of these spikes can be much higher in voltage
than what is used during a surge test.

Use of Surge Testers versus Low Voltage

Testers
Surge testers have been used in some form or another since
the 1950s and became common in the 1990s. They are used
worldwide in increasing numbers by the vast majority of
motor shops and motor and coil manufacturers. They are
considered critical to their operations. Industrial users of
motors and generators use surge testers for predictive and
preventive maintenance purposes and reliability programs.
Not finding turn-to-turn, coil-to-coil or phase-to-phase
weaknesses or faults result in critical motors failing while in
operation with major ramifications, both financial and other.

Low voltage measurements and tests are used by industrial

end users to analyze and monitor the condition of rotating
equipment. Some argue that they can be a substitution for
surge tests. This has been proven wrong by people using
both low voltage and high voltage test equipment. Low
voltage measurements are very useful in various
applications, but they can be difficult to interpret, and they
can produce false results when used to find winding
insulation weaknesses. There is no substitute for tests
performed at high voltages. Weaknesses are found that
simply cannot be detected or measured at low voltages.

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Over-Voltage Surge Tests Are Not

Destructive When Done Correctly
When an inter-turn weakness is found, there will be
arcing or discharges from one turn to another. If the
surge test is run for too long (too many pulses are
applied) while arcing, carbon tracking could result and
the arc-over will occur at a lower voltage next time.

However…

This is not the way surge tests should be done. The

surge voltage should be taken up to the test voltage
fairly fast and the test should be terminated quickly.
The IEEE 522 standard requires a minimum of 5
pulses at voltage.
All Electrom Instruments iTIG Surge Testers
automatically control and limit the surge voltage and
the number of pulses using our proprietary
technology.
If a weakness is detected, the insulation is not good
in the first place. The test has served its purpose and
found a fault or weakness during testing. The motor
should be scheduled for repair or replacement or
considered for a rewind.

Results from an Arc Test

Experiment
In one typical example Electrom repeatedly tested a 35 year
old used 460V 4-pole motor (made in 1980, picture below).
Normal test voltage for surge and DC hipot for this motor is
1920V.

The surge test voltage was raised until the windings

arced. Arc voltage: 8000V

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5 tests were done before the arc voltage dropped to

7500V.
This was followed by 4 tests that did not arc at 6500V.
DC hipot tests were done successfully to 7000V after
the surge tests.

Bottom Line
A surge test does not shorten the life of a winding because
the test pulses produce only a small percentage of all the
spikes a motor is designed to absorb during its lifetime. Also,
the surge test voltages are far below those for which new
and used windings are designed.
If a weakness is found, the tester has served its purpose of
detecting a serious defect in the motor that will lead to a
catastrophic failure later unless the situation is fixed.

If high voltage surge testing were proven to cause a

problem, or motors’ lives were shortened as a result of the
stresses from surge testing, the practice would have been
discontinued long ago.

Do not hipot or surge test working motors unless

the megohm insulation resistance meets one of
the following:
EASA recommendations
IEEE recommendations
Your own higher requirements

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winding analyzers are used worldwide in Toll Free: +1
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