KEWTECH
KT35 digital multi function tester
Instruction manual
Contents
1 Safety Notice 1
2 Features and Principles of Measurement 2
3 Instrument Layout 5
4 Specifications 6
5 Functions 8
6 The nature of insulation resistance 9
7Preparation for measurement 12
8Insulation resistance testing 12
9 Continuity Testing 13
10 General 14
11 Battery and fuse replacement 14
12 Servicing & Calibration 15
1 Safety Notice
Electricity can cause severe injuries even with low voltages
or currents. Therefore it is extremely important that you
read the following information before using this Insulation
Tester.
1.1 This instrument must only be used by a competent trained
person and in strict accordance with the instructions.
Kewtech will not accept liability for any damage or injury
caused by misuse or non-compliance with instructions or
safety procedures.
1.2 This instrument must not be used on live circuits. Ensure
all circuits are de-energised before testing.
1.3 Never open the instrument case except for battery or
fuse replacement.
1.4 Always inspect your Insulation Tester and test leads before
use for any sign of abnormality or damage. If any abnormal
conditions exist (broken test leads, cracked case, display
faulty, inconsistent readings, etc) do not attempt to take
any measurements. Return to Kewtech for rectification.
1.5 Never replace the protective fuse inside the instrument
with any other than the specified or approved equal
(0.5A/600V) fast acting ceramic to IEC127.
1.6 This meter has been designed with your safety in mind.
However, no design can completely protect against incorrect use. Electrical circuits can be dangerous and/or lethal
when a lack of caution or poor safety practice is used. Use
caution in the presence of voltages above 50V as these
pose a shock hazard.
1.7 Pay attention to cautions and warnings which will inform
you of potentially dangerous procedures.
1.8 If at anytime during testing there is a momentary degradation of reading, this may be due to excessive transients or
discharges on the system or local area. Should this be
observed, the test should be repeated to obtain a correct
reading. If in doubt always contact Kewtech.
1.9 Never assume an installation circuit is not live. Confirm it is
de- energised before commencing testing.
1.10 Replace worn and/or damaged leads with new ones
approved by Kewtech immediately.
1.11It is essential to understand and follow the safety rules
contained in this manual. They must always be observed
when using the instrument.
1.12 Warning: This product is an insulation/continuity tester and
is designed for use on de-energised systems. It
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incorporates voltage warning circuits in case of accidental
connection to an AC voltage. On no account should the
product be used to measure voltage. Voltages should be
measured with a dedicated voltage measuring instrument
and it is recommended that fused test leads are always
used for personal safety when measuring such voltages
especially on high energy circuits.
Note: This product is supplied with ACC020 unfused leads.
Thes can be converted to fully fused types by attaching the
optional ACC040 fused module.
1.13 Users of this equipment and or their employers are
reminded that Health and Safety Legislation require them
to carry out valid risk assessments of all electrical work so
as to identify potential sources of electrical danger and risk
of electrical injury such as from inadvertent short circuit.
Where the assessments show that the risk is significant
then the use of fused test leads constructed in accordance
with the HSE guidance note GS38 Electrical Test
Equipment for use by Electricians should be used.
1.14 Always keep your hands and fingers behind finger guards
on test leads used with this instrument. For safety reasons
always use the accessories approved by Kewtech. The use
of other accessories is prohibited as they may not have the
same safety features built in.
2 Features and Principles of Measurement
2.1 Features
▲ 3 1/2 Digit Microprocessor Controlled Insulation Tester
▲ Three Insulation test voltages 250V, 500V, 1000V
▲ Three continuity ranges, 20Ω, 200Ω and 2000Ω
▲ Three insulation resistance ranges 20MΩ, 200MΩ,
2000ΩM
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▲ 200mA continuity short circuit test current
▲ 1mA test current at the minimum load on insulation ranges
▲ Bar graph indicates test voltage-rise and decay can be
observed during insulation tests
▲ Warning of external voltage presence
▲ ‘Press to test’ button with lock down feature. Releasing the
test button automatically discharges the capacitance of a
circuit under test
▲ Auto null feature
2.2 Principles of Measurement
An Insulation/Continuity Tester performs two basic functions.
As a continuity tester the instrument can be used to measure
low values of resistance between two points in an electrical circuit. In this mode the instrument acts as a low voltage current
source. The resistance is calculated from the measurement of
the voltage and the current through the conductor. Careful
temporary
link
Typical arrangement for measuring the continuity of protective
conductors. Before proceeding with tests conductors must be
test at socket
between L and E
proved to be de-energised.
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connection to the circuit under test is essential to avoid measurement errors. Circuits connected in parallel to the circuit
under test may also effect the accuracy of the measurement.
Possible insulation resistance measurement errors may be
caused by the circuit under test being wet and/or dirty. Errors
may also occur when testing large installations where the insulation resistances may effectively be in parallel.
All fuses in or circuit
breakers closed
Mains switch open
Main
switch
open
Note: Insulation testing must only be undertaken on
de-energised circuits.
Equipment disconnected
Switches
closed
4
Lamps out
Reading not less
than 0.5 MΩ
3 Instrument layout
1
2
6
5
1 Crocodile Clip
2 Prod
3 Range Switch
4 Function Switch
5 Test Button
6 LCD Display
4
3
5
4 Specifications
Insulation Resistance Measurement Specification
Test Voltage 250V 500V 1000V
0 -20M Ω 0 -20M Ω 0 -20MΩ
Measuring Ranges 0 -200M Ω 0 -200M Ω 0 -200MΩ
0 -2000M Ω 0 -2000M Ω 0 -2000MΩ
Nominal Output 250V DC min. 500V DC min. 1000V DC min.
Voltage (UN) at 0.25MΩ at 0.5MΩ at 1MΩ
Nominal Output 1mA DC min. 1mA DC min. 1mA DC min.
Current (In) at 0.25MΩ at 0.5MΩ at 1MΩ
20MΩ
200Mz
Intrinsic
Accuracy
Continuity Resistance Measurement Specification
Measuring Ranges 0 -20Ω 0 -200Ω 0 - 2000Ω
Open circuit voltage (Uq)
on the 20Ω range
Nominal output current (In)
on the 20Ω range
Intrinsic accuracy 0 -20Ω 0 -200Ω+0 - 2000Ω
Reference Conditions
Ambient Temperature: 23 ± 5°C
Relative Humidity: 60 ± 15%
Supply Voltage: 9 V
Altitude: Less than 2000m
2000MΩ
0 to 1GΩ
1G to 2Gz
±(5% rdg + 5 dgt)
±(10% rdg + 3 dgt)
4 - 9V
200 mA
±(1.5% rdg+ 5dgt)
±(3% rdg + 3 dgt)
±(1.5% rdg+ 3dgt)
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Insulation Resistance Operating Error
Range Operating Range Compliant with
EN 61557-2 Operating Error
20MΩ 0.2MΩ to 20MΩ
200MΩ 2MΩ to 200MΩ
2000MΩ 20MΩ to 1000MΩ
Continuity Resistance Operating Error
Range Operating Range Compliant with
EN 61557-4 Operating Error
20Ω 0.2Ω to 20Ω
200Ω 10Ω to 200Ω20Ω
2000Ω 100Ω to 2000Ω
The influencing variations used for calculating the
Operating Error are:
Operating Temperature: 0°C to 40°C
Relative Humidity: 85% maximum
Supply Voltage: 7V to 9V
General Specification
Storage Temperature: -10°C to 50°C
Storage Relative Humidity: 85% maximum
Power Supply: 6 X 1.5V batteries type AA or
equivalent
Fuse (user replaceable): 500mA/600V fast acting ceramic
Weight (minus batteries): 538g
Possible number of operations during battery life:
When the following resistance is connected to a measuring
terminal alternating between 5 seconds loading and
intervals of 25 seconds, the number of measurements that
it is possible to make, until the battery voltage falls 7.0V
shall be:
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250V Range 0.25MΩ approx.1200 times or more
500V Range 0.5MΩ approx.1200 times or more
1000V Range 1MΩ approx. 400 times or more
20Ω Range 1Ω approx. 300 times or more
Applied Standards
Operation: EN 61557-1/2/4
Safety: EN61010 Cat.III 300V
Protection: IEC60529 (IP40)
Accessories
ACC020
Test Leads Pouch
5 Functions
5.1 Bar Graph
While conducting insulation resistance tests, the LCD will display the value of insulation resistance. The bar graph will dis-
play the DC test voltage present across the ends of the
test leads. This means that the user can verify that the circuit
is being stressed by the full DC test voltage (250V, 500V or
1000V).
For circuits that have a large capacitance the bar graph will rise
more slowly than for those with low capacitance. When used in
the Trac mode the bar graph will display the real time fluctuations in insulation test voltage and show breakdown. This can
be used to indicate good and bad circuits as a rapidly fluctuating
bar graph indicates unstable conditions.
5.2 Auto Null
When conducting continuity tests it is important to remember
that the measured resistance includes the resistance of the test
leads. An electronic leads null function is provided which auto-
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matically subtracts the test lead resistance before displaying the
real continuity resistance value. A full description of how this
feature can be used will be found in paragraph 9.2.
6 The Nature of Insulation Resistance
Live conductors are separated from each other and from earthed metal by insulation, which ensures that the current flowing
between conductors and to earth is kept to an acceptably low
level. In simple theory, insulation is perfect, so that its resistance
is infinite and there is no current flow through it at all. In practice, there will always be a current between conductors and to
earth. And this is known as leakage current. This current is
made up of three components.
6.1 Capacitive Current
The insulation between conductors at different voltages
behaves as the dielectric of a capacitor, the conductors behaving as the capacitor plates. When a direct voltage is applied to
the conductors, charging current will flow to the system but
will quickly die away (usually in much less than one second) as
the effective capacitor becomes charged. If an alternating voltage is applied, there will be alternating charge and discharge
currents so that there will be a continuous flow of alternating
current to the conductors.
Insulation (acting as dielectric)
Conductor
(acting as
capacitor
plates)
Capacitive effect
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6.2 Conduction Current
The resistance of the insulation is not infinite, so a small current
flows through it. Ohms's Law applies, so the leakage current
can be found from:
Leakage Current (µA) =
Insulation (acting as resistance)
Conductors
Resistance effect
applied voltage (V)
insulation resistance (MΩ)
6.3 Surface Leakage Current
Where the insulation is removed, for connection of conductors
and so on, current will flow across the surfaces between the
bare conductors. If the surfaces are clean and dry, the amount
of leakage current is very small indeed, but it may become significant in wet and dirty conditions.
Insulation
Conductors
Surface leakage current
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6.4 Total Leakage Current
The total leakage current is effectively the sum of the capacitive, conduction and surface leakage currents described above.
Each current, and hence the total leakage current is affected by
factors such as ambient temperature, conductor temperature,
humidity and the applied level of voltage. If a circuit is fed with
an alternating voltage, the capacitive current (6.1) will always be
present, and can never be eliminated. This is why direct voltage
is applied to test insulation, the capacitive current quickly falling
to zero so that it has no effect on the measurement. A high
voltage is used because this will often break down poor insulation or surface leakage paths and thus show up insulation faults
which would not be present at lower voltage levels. The insulation tester measures the applied voltage and the resulting leakage current flow, displaying the resistance which is obtained by
an internal calculation based on Ohm's Law:
Insulation Resistance (MΩ) =
As the effective capacitance of the system charges up, so the
leakage current reduces. A steady insulation resistance reading
indicates that the system capacitance is fully charged and that
the capacitive component of current has fallen to zero. It
should be noted that the system charges up to the test voltage
used (250V, 500V, or 1000V). Thus, it can be dangerous for
people or animals to make contact with an electrical installation
which is under test. Even when the test voltage is removed, the
wiring system may remain charged for a significant time unless
steps are taken to provide a path for discharge current. The
KT35 automatically connects a discharge resistor across the circuit when the test button is released to provide a path for discharge current.
If a wiring system is wet and/or dirty, the surface leakage component of test current will be high, giving a low insulation resis-
Test Voltage (V)
Leakage Current (µA)
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tance reading. If an electrical installation is large, its individual
circuit insulation resistances are all effectively connected in parallel. so that the total insulation resistance will be lower than
that of each individual circuit. The greater the number of circuits connected, the lower will be the overall insulation resistance.
7Preparation for Measurement
7.1 Before testing always check the following:
The ‘battery low’ indicator is not showing.
There is no visual damage to the tester or test leads.
Test Lead Continuity.
Select the continuity function and 20Ω range. Short the test
leads together.
An overrange (OR) indication will mean that the leads are
faulty or instrument fuse is blown. (see fuse replacement
section 12).
8 Insulation Resistance Testing
Warning: Insulation tests should be conducted on circuits
that are de-energised. Ensure circuits are not live before
commencing testing.
8.1 Select the required test voltage (250V, 500V or 1000V) by
rotating the function dial.
8.2 Select the required range (20M, 200M, 2000M) by rotating
the range selector.
8.3 Attach the test leads to the instrument and to the circuit to
be tested. If the voltage warning bleeper sounds, do not press
the test button and disconnect the instrument from the circuit.
The circuit is live and should be de-energised before further
testing. The KT35 indicates the presence of external AC voltage
on the LCD by showing a flashing symbol and the actual value
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of AC system voltage.
8.4 Select either Trac mode or Lok mode as required and press
the test button. The value of insulation resistance in megohms
will be displayed. The bar graph will display the insulation test
voltage. If in Lok mode the bar graph will rise and then decay
to zero with the insulation resistance reading remaining on the
LCD for as long as the test button is depressed. The insulation
test voltage is only applied for as long as indicated by the bar
graph.
Caution: Never turn the function dial whilst the button is
depressed. This may damage the instrument. Never
touch the circuit under test during insulation testing.
When testing is complete ensure that the test button is
released before the test leads are disconnected. This is because
the system may be charged up and it must be allowed to discharge through the tester's internal discharge resistor. The
KT35 will show this discharge as a decaying bar graph.
9 Continuity Testing (Resistance Tests)
Warning: Ensure circuits are not live before commencing
testing.
9.1 Select the continuity test by rotating the function dial.
9.2 Select the 20Ω range by rotating the range selector and
connect the test leads to the instrument. Short the tips of the
leads. Press and hold down the test button by twisting it a
quarter turn clockwise. The display will show the resistance of
the test leads.
The KT35 has an auto null function which enables the tester to
automatically subtract this resistance before displaying the system continuity resistance. To enable this function, turn the function dial to the Auto null position whilst still pressing the test
button and shorting the leads. Wait for the display to stabilise
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(at least 3 test bleeps) When this happens release the test button by turning it anti-clockwise and turn the function dial back
to the continuity position. Whilst still shorting the test leads
press the test button and ensure the display reads zero before
proceeding. A flashing Ω symbol on the display indicates that
Autonull is on. Remember the auto null procedure has to be
repeated if the tester function dial is switched to OFF or is
rotated past the OFF position.
9.3 Connect the test leads to the circuit under test. Ensure the
circuit is not live by checking that the live circuit bleeper does
not sound. The KT35 will indicate the value of external AC
voltage (see section 8.3).
Note: On the 20Ω range the end of test bleep has a
lower tone for resistances less than approx. 5Ω.
10 General
If at any time the display shows OR this means that the value
being measured is greater than the range selected. Switch to a
higher range in this case. The test button can be locked down
for ease of use. Do not forget to release the test button first
before disconnecting the test leads from the system otherwise
the circuit may be left in a charged state. Each Time the tester
makes a measurement and updates the display end of test
bleep will sound.
11 Battery and Fuse Replacement
Caution: Always disconnect the test leads from the
instrument before attempting battery or fuse replacement.
11.1 Battery Replacement
When the LCD shows the low battery flag, the batteries need
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replacing. Six batteries (AA or equivalent) are required. Alkaline
types are recommended. Open the battery compartment lid on
the back of the instrument by unscrewing the metal screw.
Detach the battery holster and replace all six batteries with
new ones observing the correct polarity as marked on the holster. Close the battery compartment lid and replace the metal
screw before using the tester.
11.2 Fuse Replacement
If the fuse has blown or is suspected of being faulty (see section
8.1) replace it using the recommended type or its approved
equal-a quick blow ceramic fuse to IEC 127 is required. Open
the battery compartment lid as per 12.1. Remove the old fuse
and replace with the new one. Screw the battery compartment
lid back on before using the tester.
12 Servicing & Calibration
If this product requires cleaning use a damp cloth to wipe it. Do
not use strong cleaning agents as these may damage the plastic
surfaces. Ensure that it is perfectly dry before switching on. If
this tester should fail to operate correctly, return to Kewtech
marked for the attention of the Service Department, stating
exact nature of fault. Make sure that:
a) Operating instructions have been followed
b) Leads have been inspected
c) Fuse has been checked
d) Batteries have been checked
e) The unit is returned with all accessory leads
Regular re-calibration is recommended for this instrument. We
recommend that with normal use this unit is calibrated at least
once in every 12 month period. When the unit is due for re-calibration, return to Kewtech marked for the attention of the calibration department and be sure to include all accessory leads
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as they are part of the calibration procedure.
Kewtech reserve the right to improve specifications and designs
without notice and without obligations.
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Case, strap, shoulder-pad and test lead pouch assembly
Assemble the shoulder strap through the case lugs and the test
lead pouch in the following sequence:
1 Pass the strap down through the
first lug, under the case and up
through the other lug.
2 Slide the shoulder pad onto the
strap
3 Feed the strap down through
the slots in the back of the test
lead pouch.
4 Pass the strap through the buckle,
adjust the strap for length and
secure.
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Distributor
Kewtech Corporation Limited
76 St. Catherine’s Grove
Lincoln LN5 8NA
www.kewtechcorp.com
92-1614 04-03
KEWTECH
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