DIN 53481 Electrical Insulation Materials - Determination of Electrical Breakdown Voltage and Electrical Power

EUROLAB, with its state-of-the-art accredited laboratories and expert team, offers precise and rapid testing services within the scope of DIN 53481 test. Under normal conditions, dielectric materials do not allow electric current to pass through them, even if there is a potential (voltage) between them. However, if the applied potential is high enough, all materials will eventually conduct current. The process by which this occurs is called dielectric breakdown (insulation breakdown). The value of the electrical potential at which this occurs is called breakdown voltage.

The dielectric strength is important because the breakdown voltage becomes larger for thicker materials and smaller for thinner materials, but the dielectric strength remains theoretically unchanged. Therefore, dielectric strength is considered more of a material property and breakdown voltage more of a system property.

The breakdown voltage of an insulator is the minimum voltage that causes a portion of the insulator to experience electrical breakdown and become electrically conductive. In the DIN 53481 standard published by the German Standardization Institute (DIN), a test method is defined for the determination of electrical breakdown voltage and electrical power in relation to electrical insulating materials. Materials are generally grouped as conductors or insulators according to their resistivity. A conductor is a substance that moves freely in the material and contains charged particles. Insulators are materials that resist the flow of a current.

Dielectric strength is measured as the maximum voltage required to produce dielectric breakdown in a material. It is expressed in Volts per unit thickness. For a plastic material, dielectric strength varies between 1-1000 MV/m. Higher dielectric strength corresponds to better insulating properties. The breakdown voltage is the threshold voltage at which the breakdown occurs.

EUROLAB assists manufacturers with DIN 53481 test compliance. Our test experts, with their professional working mission and principles, provide you, our manufacturers and suppliers, the best service and controlled testing process in our laboratories. Thanks to these services, businesses receive more effective, high-performance and quality testing services and provide safe, fast and uninterrupted service to their customers.