When using a megohmmeter to test the...

When using a megohmmeter to test the...

Question 1 of 270705eccefa4bacbc34ba4d48402

When using a megohmmeter to test the dielectric strength of wire insulation, a continuous series of slight downscale kicks by the pointer results. What does this indicate?

Question 1 of 27070

Q

When using a megohmmeter to test the dielectric strength of wire insulation, a continuous series of slight downscale kicks by the pointer results. What does this indicate?

🔍 Key Concepts

• Megohmmeter (megger) behavior when testing insulation • Difference between steady reading vs repeated small pointer kicks • How capacitance and leakage paths on insulation surfaces affect readings

💭 Think About

• Think about what a megohmmeter actually applies to the circuit under test and how a winding or length of cable might react when voltage is first applied and then held. • Ask yourself: would a good, clean, dry piece of insulation cause the pointer to move repeatedly, or would it move once and settle? • Consider which of the listed phenomena would naturally cause a cycling or pulsing motion of the pointer rather than a single deflection.

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which option describes a normal, stable condition vs a transient or surface effect. • Decide whether capacitance would cause just one initial kick or a continuous series of small kicks. • Consider whether surface contamination (dirt, moisture, tracking) would tend to produce fluctuating leakage current instead of a single stable reading.