Quality Switch recently opened the “Horace H. Sewell High Voltage Testing & Research Center” in 2016. This high voltage lab is dedicated to product development and R&D and includes a new 1.2 MV Impulse Generator test set from High Volt in Dresden, Germany. The lab is also equipped with a 700 kV hi-pot test transformer that is rated for continuous maximum applied voltages that was acquired from Phenix Technologies in Accident, Maryland. This allows us to measure partial discharge with our Omicron test set on test samples up to 700 kV and mimic the 1 hour test levels specified in the industry standards. At 700kV, the lab was found to have 2 pC or less of background partial discharge. Many of the test samples are tested in transformer oil, so the lab is equipped with GlobeCore oil processing equipment.

Additionally, Quality Switch can perform temperature tests on our switches with capabilities of 3500 amps continuous current application. The facilities are equipped with data collection methods for thermal tests, which include the functional life test that Quality Switch helped develop with the IEEE Transformers Committee. This life test to determine contact stability is now detailed in the IEEE guide C57.12.157-2015. Quality Switch also has capabilities to set up various mechanical endurance tests as well.