HEMPEL

Code of Practice

Code of
Practice

HEMPEL's
Code of Practice No. 0005-1
Pinhole Detection

An important part of the anticorrosive properties of most coatings is

their ability to form a barrier
between the substrate and the
surroundings.
This barrier in most cases also
constitutes an electrical insulator
and the continuity of such coatings
can therefore be checked by applying
a suitable voltage across the fully
applied coating system and thereby
detecting possible porosity through
e.g. an acoustic response of the
current
passing
through
discontinuities in the coating system.
Types of Pinhole Detection
Two different types of
detection are employed:

pinhole

* Wet Sponge Low Voltage

Pinhole Detection.
* High Voltage Pinhole Detection.
They differ both with respect to the
equipment being employed and the
objective of the testing.

Low voltage pinhole detection is

carried out with a sponge wetted in

tap water with a few droplets of
tenside added. The voltage applied
over the coating is typically 9 volts
from a dry battery but also 67 volts
or 90 volts are sometimes used. Only
9 V voltage is recommended by
HEMPEL.

The voltage to use must be carefully

selected as a too high voltage may
destroy also a fully intact and
correctly applied coating. Therefore
the compliance with the specified
dry film thickness must be checked
before testing.
Various shapes of probes are
available. Metal-filled rubber cloth is
suitable for plain surfaces and
wire-probes are the most suitable for
irregular surfaces and inside pipes.
When to use
For general corrosion protective work
a limited number of pores are
unavoidable. To check that pores are
within a reasonable limit - which
should be specified beforehand random checks using the low voltage
pore tester may be employed
If porosity is not acceptable high
voltage pore testing is used. The
coating must be fully cured, the test
voltage specified, the control will be
100% and all pores should be
repaired.
Some coatings like zinc-rich primers
are electrical conductive and cannot
be poretested. MIO-, aluminium- and
graphite-pigmented coatings may
also be conductive.
References:

Pores i.e. discontinuities all through

the coating are detected. Every time
a pore is detected, the sponge has to
be lifted and moved to a new place
in order to break the water film.

Various international references are

available. Some of these are:

High voltage pinhole detection does

ASTM D 5162-91 Standard Practice

for Discontinuity (Holiday) Testing of
Nonconductive Protective Coating on
Metallic Substrates.

not make use of water. The voltage

which can be applied to the probe
can typically be varied from 1-15 kV
and conditions during testing must
be dry.

NACE RP 0188-90: Discontinuity

(Holiday)
Testing
of
Protective
Coatings.

Issued September 2000/Group TSD

Centre/EMi
Code of Practice

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HEMPEL

Code of Practice

Code of Practice No. 0005-1

HOW TO SPECIFY AND EXECUTE PINHOLE DETECTION
The recommendations given below are Hempel-recommendations.
Other recommendations exist, see References overleaf.

LOW VOLTAGE WET SPONGE PINHOLE DETECTION

Specification:
Acceptance:

1 check of 1 sqm pr 100 sqm area,

3 pores pr sqm plate and 3 pores pr m edge/weld
Water

Voltage

Coating
Condition

Environments

Type of
Check

Recommended

Tap water
with 0.2%
tenside

9V

Fully cured
/ dried.
Dry surface

Typically
Random Spot
ISO 12944-2
Checks
C2-C5
atmospheric
environments

NOT
Recommended

Distilled
water,
Solvents

67 V and
90 V

Less than
fully cured.
Humid or
wet surface

Interior Tank
Coatings,
Pipelines,
ISO 12944-2
IMM 1-3

100 % Check

Note:
Zinc-rich primers and other electrically conductive coatings will react as
pores and can therefore not be tested. Coatings on top of such primers can only be
tested down to the primer.
Zinc-silicate primers may cause popping of topcoats. 20-25 pores pr sqm plate and
pr m edge/weld are acceptable under these circumstances.

HIGH VOLTAGE PINHOLE DETECTION

Specification:
Test Conditions:

100% control, all pores to be marked and repaired.

Surface must be clean and dry, RH max. 80%.
Dry Film
Thickness
micron

Recommended

NOT
Recommended

Voltage
kV

Coating
Condition

200-300
minimum
1
300-400
1 month old,
2
400-500
or as speci3
500-600
fied and
4
600-700
accepted on
5
700-800
beforehand.
6
800-900
7
900-1000
Dry surface
8
(DFT-200)/100
>1000
< 200

Too high
voltage

Environments

Type of
Check

Interior Tank
Coatings,
Pipelines,
ISO 12944-2
IMM 1-3

100 %

Less than 1 ISO 12944-2

C2-C5
month old.
Humid or wet atmospheric
environments
surface

Random
Spot
Checks

Note: Zinc-rich coatings and other electrically conductive coatings will react as
pores and can therefore not be tested.

Code of Practice

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