Home Electrical Insulation Testing

Insulation Testing

A large percentage of testing done on electrical power systems (maybe 80%) is related to insulation testing. Companies like Megger provide equipment to do this.

Background to AC (Mains) Electricity

The current system of AC electricity we have today was devised by Nikola Tesla. His AC electric designs were licensed by entrepreneur and engineer, George Westinghouse.

AC electricity runs normally at 50 Hz (UK, India, China, France, Germany, Italy) or 60 Hz (USA, Canada, Brazil, South Korea). Japan is one country that has both 50Hz and 60Hz due to the conflicting influence of Britain and the United States.

AC vs. DC

This was a cause of great debate in the so-called War of Currents in the late 1880s (Thomas Edison being the foremost proponent of direct current).

Circuit Breakers
 
Electrical switches designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage by overload (excess current causing excess heat) or short circuit (where electricity goes on an unintended path).

Parallel versus Tapered Threads

Threads

Limescale Removal

Calcium carbonate (limescale) dissolves in a range of mild acids.

Rust and WD40

WD40 stands for Water Displacement, 40th attempt (name used by the chemist who developed it in 1953). Norm Larsen was trying for a formula to prevent corrosion, achieved by displacing water. WD40 has no expiration date. It also cleans and degreases and can be used to lubricate the chain on a bike. WD40 cans contain carbon dioxide as a propellant.

You can remove rust with a wire brush and coat with WD40 to prevent rust.

Soap

The earliest evidence of soap-making comes from Ancient Babylon around 2800BC. A formula for soap consisted of water, alkali and cassia oil ("false cinnamon"). Recipes for soap have existed through the centuries. Only till about the 1850s did industrial production of soap commence. The Latin word "sapo" means soap.

Industrial Uses of Gold and Recycling

Gold has some useful properties that make it usable in electronics. Gold is highly conductive (lots of free electrons) and also resistant to corrosion and oxidation. Some people have tried to remove gold from household electronics.

Some experiences:
"I am using nitric acid and getting a good amount of what looks like gold"

What is Chicken Stock?

Chicken stock is the remaining water in which you boiled chicken, containing fats and oils. Sometimes used to cook rice.