TRAX

Transformer and Substation Test System

Application Note
Current transformer testing
This application note gives examples on how to per-
Wiring check and visual inspection
form some typical tests on current transformers (CTs)
with TRAX Manual control. These tests are common 1] Check that the primary and secondary side
to perform for instance during commissioning. are connected for correct ratio according to
system requirements.

Important 2] Check the tightness for secondary connec-

Read and comply with the safety instruc- tions, including grounding and shorting links.
tions in the User's manual. 3] Check that each core is connected to correct
load according to drawings.
Tests 4] Check that each core are grounded in only
one point on secondary side and close to
Ratio, phase and polarity test with AC current
CT location. For CT secondaries connected
Polarity and ratio test with AC voltage together the grounding shall be done at
Burden impedance test relay point, for example cores connected to
differential protection.
Secondary resistance test (RCT) with DC current
Excitation curve test knee point Current transformer data
Demagnetization
Primary injection test with load connected
Voltage withstand test

Required equipment for testing

This applications guide target the TRAX.

Relay core 5P and 10P

Measuring core 0.3 B
n Accuracy limit factor (ALF) for relay cores
Safety factor (SF) for measuring cores

Note If DC tests are planned to be performed it is

recommended to make those first and then
demagnetize the CT, either by performing the
excitation curve test or a demagnetization.

Subject to change without notice. Printed matter No. ZR-AJ01E Doc. AJ034139AE V01a 2017

Ratio, phase and polarity
test with AC current
Ratio and polarity test is made to confirm the mark-
ing on the CT (primary and secondary) and verify it is
matching with the drawing. To verify the polarity is
important when it comes to directional and differen-
tial protections.
To reduce the amount of connection changes the po-
larity test can be done with voltage (AC) if knee-point
is known or after CT-magnetization. See "Polarity and
ratio test with AC voltage."
Ratio test
1] Always make sure that the CT is demag-
netized before performing ratio tests.
2] Isolate the CT secondary from the load and
make connections as shown in the figure
below.
IMPORTANT
CT-cores not included in test should be
shorted.
Make sure that one side of primary and
secondary windings are connected to
ground at all times. Otherwise, the mea-
surement results will be affected and the
instrument may be damaged.
3] Select 200/800 A generator.
2 TRAX ZR-AJ01E
4] Select line frequency.
5] Activate Int Gen I, configure it to Freq.
6] Activate Channel Ch 1, configure it to Cur-
rent (A) and Freq.
7] Check the transducer check box and enter
CT ratio.
8] Activate the "Hold" function.
9] Press
10] For Ratio use calculation 1, select / (divi-
sion) between Gen I and Ch 1.
11] For Polarity use calculation 2, select Phase
between Gen I and Ch 1.
12] Short circuit all secondary cores that are not
measured.
13] Select an appropriate test current, best ac-
curacy is achieved at about 75% of nominal
current but any value between 10% - 100%
of nominal is considered to be ok.
14] Start the generating.
15] Wait for results to stabilize
16] Press stop and read results.
Ratio should be close to 1 and polarity should
be close to 0 deg.
17] Repeat the test for all phases and cores.
AJ034139AE


Polarity and ratio test with
AC voltage
Polarity test and ratio test
1] Isolate the CT secondary from the load and
make connections as shown in the figure
below.
IMPORTANT
Make sure that one side of primary and
secondary windings are connected to
ground at all times. Otherwise, the mea-
surement results will be affected and the
instrument may be damaged.
11] For Polarity use calculation 2, select Phase
between Gen U and Ch 1.
12] Select an appropriate test voltage, best accu-
racy is achieved at about 75% of saturation
voltage.
13] Start the generating.
14] Wait for results to stabilize
15] Press stop and read results. Ratio should be
close to 1 and polarity should be close to 0
deg.
16] Repeat the test for all phases and cores.
Tip!
If saturation voltage is unknown: start
energizing with a low voltage, approxi-
mately 1% of generator max voltage.
Increase the voltage slowly until excita-
tion current starts increasing considerably
(e.g. to 100 mA) and the lower voltage to
about 75% of its value result in high cur-
rent. Now a high accuracy measurement
of ratio with voltage is achieved.

2] Select 0-250 V or 0-2200 V generator pending

the expected saturation voltage of the CT.
3] Select frequency, for highest accuracy, 55 Hz
test frequency is recommended.
4] Activate Int Gen U, configure it to Freq.
5] If excitation current is of interest, also acti-
vate Int Gen I and configure it to AC RMS.
6] Activate Channel Ch 1, configure it to Volt-
age (V) and Freq.
7] Check the transducer check box and enter CT
ratio.
8] Activate the "Hold " function.
9] Press
10] For Ratio use calculation 1, select / (divi-
sion) between Gen U and Ch 1.

AJ034139AE ZR-AJ01E TRAX 3



Burden impedance test 9] Wait until current and voltage reach stabile
value.
A burden test is made to ensure that the load (VA) is
10] Stop the test
not more than specified on nameplate.
11] Evaluate that the measured VA is below the
1] Connect according to picture below.
VA rating for the CT.

IMPORTANT 12] Repeat the test for all phases and cores.
Make sure that one side of primary and
secondary windings are connected to
ground at all times. Otherwise, the mea-
surement results will be affected and the
instrument may be damaged.

2] Select 0-10 A AC generator.

3] Select line frequency.
4] Activate Int Gen I, configure it to Freq.
5] Activate Channel Ch 1, configure it to Volt-
age (V) and Freq.
6] Activate the Hold function.
7] Press
For Burden use calculation 1, select U*I S
(VA) multiplying Gen I and Ch 1.
Optional:
For Impedance use calculation 2, select /
division Ch 1 by Gen I.
8] Inject current into the burden loop. A recom-
mended value is 100% of secondary nominal
current Is (normally 1 A or 5 A).

4 TRAX ZR-AJ01E AJ034139AE



Secondary resistance test 10] Wait until the resistance value

(RCT)
Secondary resistance test is made to verify continuity
and the value is used for calculating knee-point.
1] Connect according to picture below.
(Displayed as Custom1) is stable.
11] Press data capture button to save a data
point.
12] Stop the test.
13] Repeat the test for all phases and cores.

Note Always demagnetize the CT after a winding

IMPORTANT
Make sure that one side of primary and
secondary windings are connected to
ground at all times. Otherwise, the mea-
surement results will be affected and the
instrument may be damaged.
resistance test. If a knee-point measurement
is performed after this measurement, it is au-
tomatically taken care of. If not, simply apply
an AC voltage on the secondary winding until
saturation is reached.

2] Select 16 A DC output.
3] Activate Int Gen I and make sure it is set to
DC.
4] Activate R R1 and make sure it is set to DC.
5] Activate the Hold function.
6] Press
7] For winding resistance use calculation 1,
select / division R1 and Gen I.
8] Set the current to 10% of secondary nominal
current rating, Is normally 1 A or 5 A.
9] Start the generating.

AJ034139AE ZR-AJ01E TRAX 5



Excitation curve test

An excitation curve test is performed to confirm the
magnetization characteristics of a CT and to identify
the knee-point voltage.
This test shall be conducted before ratio test and after
secondary resistance and polarity test, since residual
magnetism left in the core after DC test (polarity,
resistance) otherwise gives error in the ratio test.
1] Estimate the knee-point voltage along with
the formulas:
Protection core Vslv=Is * ALF (Rct + (VA/Is2))
Measuring core Vslv=Is * FS (Rct + (VA/Is2))
Where:
Is Rated secondary current
Rct CT secondary resistance
VA Rated CT burden
ALF Accuracy Limit Factor
Fs Safety factor

Note The formulas only allow a rough estimation.

The theory behind the formulas is just source
voltage, source impedance and load. It is not
based on any magnetic core behavior.
2] Connect as shown below. The primary of the
CT should be open during test.
IMPORTANT
Make sure that one side of primary and
secondary windings are connected to
ground at all times. Otherwise, the mea-
surement results will be affected and the
instrument may be damaged.
3] Select 0-250 V or 0-2200 V generator pending
the expected saturation voltage of the CT.
4] Select frequency, typically 50 or 60 Hz.
5] Activate Int Gen U, configure it to RMV*.
6] Activate Int Gen I configure it to AC RMS*.
7] Set a start voltage level at about 1% of max
generator voltage, 2.5V and 22V for respec-
tive generator.
8] Start the generating.
9] Slowly increase voltage until knee point is
reached, or until a certain current level is
achieved e.g. 500 mA.
10] Press data capture button to save a data point.
11] Slowly decrease voltage in steps and after let
current stabilize, capture data points.
12] Press stop.
13] Evaluate the Knee-point
IEC 61869-2:2012; Knee-point voltage is the
point where 10% voltage increase results in
50% current increase.

ANSI/IEEE C57.13-2016; Knee-point voltage

is the point where an intersection of either a
45 deg tangent (ANSI 45) or 30 deg tangent
(ANSI 30) line.
14] Repeat the test for all phases and cores.
* As stated in IEC 61869-2: 2012 and IEEE C57.13

6 TRAX ZR-AJ01E AJ034139AE



Demagnetization Primary injection test

Demagnetization should always be done after iDC
tests if no excitation curve has been performed.
1] Connect according to picture below.
IMPORTANT
Make sure that one side of primary and
secondary windings are connected to
ground at all times. Otherwise, the mea-
surement results will be affected and the
instrument may be damaged.
with load connected
This test is to ensure the CT circuits are properly con-
nected with respected cores and there is no mix up
in the circuit (phase identification). The ratio test can
also be done here.
Note High impedance relays shall be shorted during
the primary injection test.
1] Check that all links are closed in secondary
circuits for all cores included in test.
2] Single point grounding shall be verified for
CT circuits, before starting this test.
3] Start injection, between L2 phase and earth,
at zero current and slowly increase current.
Measure in phase L2 for all cores that current
is flowing and then continue to 10% of rated
primary current.

2] Select 0-250 V or 0-2200 V generator pending

the expected saturation voltage of the CT.
3] Select frequency, typically 50 or 60 Hz.
4] Activate Int Gen U, configure it to RMV*.
5] Activate Int Gen I configure it to AC RMS*.
6] Set a start voltage level at about 1% of max
generator voltage, 2.5V and 22V for respec-
4] Measure secondary current at all points of CT
tive generator.
circuits (protections and measuring devices).
7] Start the generating.
5] Repeat test for connection L1-L2 and L2-L3,
8] Slowly increase voltage 10-20% over the see figures below.
knee-point voltage and then slowly turn
knob anticlockwise down to zero.
9] Repeat the test for all phases and cores.

* As stated in IEC 61869-2: 2012 and IEEE C57.13

AJ034139AE ZR-AJ01E TRAX 7


Note Secondary current should only be observed
at respective phase and neutral leads during
phase to earth injection.
Secondary current should only be observed at
respective phases and no current on neutral
during phase to phase injection.
Connection L1-L2
Connection L2-L3
8 TRAX ZR-AJ01E
Core identification
When one CT has several cores used for different
purposes the cores can be identified during primary
injection test.
6] Select 200/800 A generator suitable to not go
over the nominal current of the CT.
7] Select line frequency.
8] Activate Int Gen I, configure it to Freq.
9] Connect high current generator output to
primary winding or windings according to
the connection examples above.
10] Set current to 10% of rated primary current
between phase to earth (ground) with all
burdens connected.
11] Start the generating.
12] Short one of the cores at the CT terminal.
13] Check that that the current in the protective
relay measurement for the connected load
has been considerable lower or zero.
14] Make the same verification for the other
cores.
AJ034139AE


Voltage withstand test 6] Start the generator.

7] Wait for results to stabilize.
Tests you can perform on a CT:
8] Press stop and read results.
TRAX red terminal TRAX black terminal
A) Always CT Secondary CT Primary/Ground
Note The test mode is GST-GND which means that
B) If applicable CT Secondary CT Secondary (if more
than one core) the total current to ground will be measured.
The test result will be affected by all stray
capacitors including e.g. cables and surface
IMPORTANT current. To estimate the effect of cables (typi-
Make sure that one side of primary wind- cally 50-100 pF), measure the cables without
ing is connected to ground at all times. connecting to the specimen.
Otherwise, the measurement results will
be affected and the instrument may be
damaged.

1] Connect according to picture below. Solid

lines for connection according to "A" above.
For test according to "B"connect as dashed
lines.

2] Select 2.2 kV generator and 55 Hz.

3] Select Gen I and GenU measurement chan-
nels set to Freq.
4] If insulation properties are to be measured,
press X and select e.g. Cp and PF.
5] Set the test voltage as high as possible with
respect to the test object. In most cases 2.2kV
is used.

AJ034139AE ZR-AJ01E TRAX 9

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