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Level 3 Diploma in Electrical Installations (Buildings and Structures) Unit 304 Handout 8

304: Electrical Installations: inspection, testing and commissioning

Handout 8: Insulation resistance
Learning outcome
The learner will:
5. Understand the requirements for testing before circuits are energised.
Assessment criteria
The learner can:
5.4 specify the procedures for completing insulation resistance testing
5.5 state the effects on insulation resistance values that the following can have:
a) cables connected in parallel
b) variations in cable length.
Range
Procedures: Precautions to be taken before conducting insulation resistance tests, Methods of
testing insulation resistance, the required test voltages and minimum insulation resistance values
for circuits operating at various voltages, identifying typical voltage sensitive devices, Particular
requirements for testing where there are voltage sensitive devices and/or surge protection devices
installed.

Insulation resistance (643.3 – page 232)

As soon as a cable is manufactured its insulation starts to age. As it ages, its insulating properties
will progressively deteriorate. If cables are installed in harsh environments, especially those with
temperature extremes and/or chemical contamination, the aging will accelerate. This deterioration
can result in dangerous conditions relating to power reliability and personnel safety. As such, it's
important to identify this deterioration quickly, so that corrective steps can be taken; this is why we
carry out insulation resistance testing.
Factors that affect insulation resistance values
There are two main factors that affect the insulation resistance:
 length
 parallel circuits.
Length: The insulation resistance of a length of cable is the resultant of a number of small
individual leakage paths or resistances between the conductor and the cable insulation. These
leakage paths are distributed along the cable. Hence, the longer the cable the greater the number
of leakage paths, and the lower the insulation resistance.

This is because each resistance, although very high in value, is in parallel with the others. As you
will remember from electrical science, the more resistors connected in parallel the lower the total
resistance.

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Level 3 Diploma in Electrical Installations (Buildings and Structures) Unit 304 Handout 8
Parallel circuits: If two final circuits have a L-N insulation resistance of, say, 100MΩ each and an
insulation resistance test is carried out on each individually, the reading will obviously be 100MΩ
for each circuit.

If the two final circuits are connected together in parallel, as they would be in a consumer
unit/distribution board, their combined insulation will be less than that for one circuit; in this case
50MΩ.

The more circuits connected to the consumer unit/distribution board the lower will be the insulation
resistance.
This is not usually a problem with domestic and small to medium commercial and industrial
premises, but with large premises where there are hundreds or even thousands of final circuits, the
insulation resistance reading can be very low, even below the minimum value stated in the
Regulations. In this case the installation can be split into sections normally of 50 circuits with each
section being tested separately. The following example shows how combining circuits reduces the
insulation resistance.
Example: A small domestic installation has six circuits connected into the consumer unit as
follows: Cooker (Ins res – 150MΩ), Immersion heater (Ins res – 160MΩ), ring 1 (Ins res – 180MΩ),
ring 2 (Ins res – 170MΩ), lighting 1 (Ins res – 140MΩ) and lighting 2 (Ins res – 120MΩ).
Calculate the overall insulation resistance.

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Level 3 Diploma in Electrical Installations (Buildings and Structures) Unit 304 Handout 8
Insulation resistance tests
Insulation resistance testing is a fundamental test for inspectors.
BS 7671:2018 requires that “The insulation resistance shall be measured between live conductors
and between live conductors and the protective conductor connected to the earthing arrangement”.
These tests are to verify that the insulation of conductors provides adequate insulation, is not
damaged and that live conductors or protective conductors are not short-circuited.
Type of test instrument
An insulation resistance tester should be used, which is capable of providing a DC voltage, as
specified in Table 64 below. This Table also specifies the minimum permitted value of insulation
resistance.
BS 7671:2018 Table 64 (page 232): Minimum values of insulation resistance
Circuit nominal voltage Test voltage DC Minimum insulation
resistance
(V) (V) (M)
SELV and PELV 250 0.5
Up to and including 500V with the exception of 500 1.0
the above systems
Above 500V 1000 1.0

Pre-test checks
Before commencing with insulation resistance tests, a number of checks should be made, with
precautions taken as follows:
 that the protective conductor of an item (switchgear or cable, etc) is connected to the main
earthing terminal
 that pilot or indicator lamps, and capacitors are disconnected from circuits to avoid an
inaccurate test value being obtained
 that voltage-sensitive electronic equipment such as dimmer switches, touch switches, delay
timers, power controllers, electronic starters for fluorescent lamps, emergency lighting, RCDs
and similar equipment are disconnected so that they are not subjected to the test voltage.
The tests should be carried out with the main switch off, all fuses in place, switches and circuit-
breakers closed, lamps removed, and fluorescent and discharge luminaires and other equipment
disconnected. Where the removal of lamps and/or the disconnection of current-using equipment
are impracticable, the local switches controlling such lamps and/or equipment should be open.

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Level 3 Diploma in Electrical Installations (Buildings and Structures) Unit 304 Handout 8
Insulation resistance test of the whole consumer unit.

Where a circuit contains two-way switching, the two-way switches must be operated one at a time
and further insulation resistance tests carried out to ensure that all the circuit wiring is tested. This
diagram shows the insulation resistance test Line to Neutral; further tests required are
Line to Earth and Neutral to Earth making three tests in total.
Insulation resistance test of a final circuit.

Notes:
a) The test may initially be carried out on the completed installation.
b) Earthing and bonding connections are in place.
For an installation operating at 230/400V, although an insulation resistance value of only 1MΩ
complies with BS 7671:2018, where an insulation resistance of less than, say, 2MΩ is obtained,
the possibility of a latent defect exists. In these circumstances, each circuit should be tested
separately.
For a circuit containing two-way switching or two-way and intermediate switching, the switches
must be operated one at a time and the circuit subjected to additional insulation resistance tests.

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Level 3 Diploma in Electrical Installations (Buildings and Structures) Unit 304 Handout 8
For circuits/equipment vulnerable to the test voltage, the test is made with the line and neutral
conductors connected together and earth. It is essential that the incoming earth connection is
connected to the installation main earthing terminal (and that this is connected to the means of
earthing) for these tests.
For a three phase board the following tests must be carried out:
Table 2.3 (Guidance Note 3, page 52)
Test 1 L1 to L2
Test 2 L1 to L3
The lowest value of these tests is recorded as
Test 3 L2 to L3 ‘between live conductors’
Test 4 L1 + L2 + L3 (connected
together) to neutral
Test 5 L1 + L2 + L3 (connected
together) to earth) The lowest value of these tests is recorded as
‘between live conductors and earth’
Test 6 neutral to earth
Note: It is essential for test 5 and 6 that the cable earth is connected to the installation earthing
terminal.

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