Lab No.

03
MEASUREMENT OF LEAKAGE CURRENT

An electric current is a flow of electric charge. In electric circuits this charge is often carried by
moving electrons in a wire. It can also be carried by ions in an electrolyte, or by both ions and
electrons such as in a plasma.

The SI unit for measuring an electric current is the ampere, which is the flow of electric charge
across a surface at the rate of one coulomb per second. Electric current is measured using a device
called an ammeter.

Electric Current can be subdivided into following two types

1. Conduction current
2. Leakage current

Conduction current:

The current that is intended to flow as per need through a defined electrical
path is called conduction current.

Following characteristics of conduction current be deduced from its definition

 Its flow is always desirable.

 Its magnitude is much more than that of leakage current.
 Its magnitude can be controlled.
 It flows through a well-defined path.
 Always flow through a conductor.
Leakage current:

The current that always flows as the conduction current flows and that can’t be
controlled in its magnitude. It is sometimes referred as creepage current.

Following characteristics of leakage current be deduced from its definition,

 Its flow is always undesirable.

 It cannot be finished.
 Its magnitude cannot be controlled.
 It may follow any path through the air.
 It always flows over an insulator.

Methods Of Measurement of Leakage current:

An insulator has high resistance of the order or of mega-ohms but it can never be infinite so a
small amount of current will always be present following over it ,that can be measured using
sensitive ammeter.

Following arrangement shows the method applied in the lab.

Insulator
Object
HV Source

To ground To ground
Note:

Care must be taken in making the connection of ammeter as it must be connected in between the
insulator and ground as connecting it directly to HV source might burn it out.

Observation Table:

Sr. Type of insulator Leakage Current

No.
1. Disc insulator 160µA
2. Polymer insulator (Fresh sample) 10 µA
3. Polymer insulator (30 years aged) 38 µA
4. Insulated Rod 36 µA
5. Full page sample 33 µA
6. Half page sample 20µA