RELAY TESTS

Introduction

Complexities that arise due to arrangement and

type of faults in the power system necessitate
that relays must be in a good state to attend or
clear the faults. Hence the ‘Relay Tests’.
Classification of Relay Tests

 Factory tests
 Type tests
 Commissioning tests
 Occasional maintenance tests
The tests that can be conducted on relays generally include the followings:
 Periodic maintenance verifications
 Electrical type tests
 Functional tests
 Rating tests
 Thermal withstand tests
 Relay burden test
 Insulation resistance test
 Electromagnetic compatibility tests
 D.C interrupt test
 D.C. Ramp down/ramp up test
 Fast transient test
 Surge immunity test
 Power frequency interference test
 Electrostatic discharge test
 Conducted and radiated emissions tests
 Steady state magnetic field tests
 Product safety type tests
 Dielectric voltage withstand
 Insulation withstand for overvoltages
 Single fault condition evaluation
 Ground bonding impedance
 CE marking
 Environmental type tests: humidity, temperature, mechanical
enclosure protection
 Software type tests
 Static unit testing
 Dynamic testing
 Unit testing environment
 Software/hardware integration testing
 Dynamic validation type testing
 Insulation tests
 Protection relay setting verifications
 Test blocks/plugs for secondary injection devices
 Secondary injection testing
 Test circuits for secondary injection testing
 Primary injection tests
 Primary injection testing of protection relay elements
 Testing of protection configuration logic
 Tripping and alarm annunciation tests
 Periodic maintenance tests
 Frequency of inspection and testing
 Maintenance tests
 Test Terminal Block
To
Torelay
relaycoils
coils

A B C A B C N A BC N
ToToCTCT test
test ToTomain
main To
Tomain
mainVT
VT
windings current
current
windings
(if any) transformers
(if any) transformers
 Test Switch and Sockets
To relay coils

A A
Current B Voltage
test B
test
sockets C C sockets
N N

Test selector switch

Make before break
on CT Circuits

To main current To main VT

transformers
Current Transformer
Polarity Check
P2 P1

- S2 S1 +

Push
button
switch
- +
A

Battery
 Current Transformer
Ratio Check
A B C Test plug
insulation
A2
Temporary
short 51
circuit
51
P1
S1
51

64
P2 S2
Relay or test block
A1 contact fingers

Primary injection
test set
250V AC supply
 Testing Current Transformer
Magnetizing Curve
A B C Test plug isolating
current transformers
from relay coils
Variable
transformer
250V 8A
A
250V
To relay AC
P1 coils supply
S1 V

S2
P2
Main circuit Step-up transformer
breaker open if required
 Voltage Transformer
Phasing Check
A
B
C A
V1

V2 C B

VN
V
VL
V1

V2

A B C Phase rotation
meter
 Sensitivity Check on
Biased Differential Relay

B B
OP

Test plug
fingers

To main current
Over current transformers
test set

250V
A.C. supply
OP Relay operating coil
B Relay bias coil
 Testing Bias Characteristics
(Using Overcurrent Test Set)
B B
OP
I1+I2 I1 I2
Test plug
fingers
A1 A2

R
To main current
transformers
Overcurrent
test set

250V A.C.
supply
 Testing Relay Bias Characteristic
(Using Resistances)

B B
OP
I1+I2 I1 I2
Test plug
fingers

A1 A2

R1 To main current R2
transformers

250V A.C. A1 and A2 Ammeters

supply OP Relay operating coil
B Relay bias coil
 Sensitivity Test
Feeder isolated
A
B
C

Test Relay
plug contact
Overcurrent 250V fingers
A.C. supply
test set

B B
OP OP

Pilots
 Testing Sensitivity of Negative
Phase Sequence Relay

A
To main
current B
Relay
transformers C 46
250V coil
A.C.
supply N
Overcurrent
test set
Test plug Filter
in test block network
 Test Equipment for Directional Relays

Supply switch
A
440V
B
3 phase
C
4 wire supply
N
Variable Choke
transformer
for current Relay
67
control current coil

Range adjusting CT
440/110V
phase shifting A PA
transformer

PA Relay
V 67
voltage coil

Variable transformer
for voltage control
To other voltage coils V Voltmeter
of relay under test A Ammeter
(if required) PA Phase angle meter
 Primary Check on
Main Current Transformers
Temporary three-
phase short circuit
A
Primary 51
injection
test set B
250V 51
A.C. supply
C
51

51 Overcurrent relay
64 Earth fault relay A 64
A Ammeter
Sensitivity Test on Earth Fault Relay
250V
A.C. Primary injection
supply test set

A
51
B
51
C
51

64
 Test Plug Link Connections to
Reverse Current seen by Relay
To relay

20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Test plug

To main VT and CT
Load Test on Directional Earth Fault Relay
ABC P1 P2 Loadcurrent
Load
current
S1 S2

V1
Temporary
IA short circuit V2
connections

A Insulating strips in
51 relay or test block V V
51 51 P
PA contact fingers V
A L N
P
PA
A
A Ammeter
V Voltmeter Directional earth
PA Phase angle meter fault relay
 Testing Sensitivity of Generator Differential
Protection Using Primary Injection Test
87 Generator differential relay
Primary injection
250V A.C. supply V Voltmeter
test set A Ammeter

A Isolating links
Generator
A
B
C

87 87 87
V
Testing Sensitivity of Generator Differential Protection Using
Generator to Supply Primary Current

Temporary
short circuit
Isolating
Generator links
A
B
C

87 87 87
V

87 Generator differential relay

V Voltmeter
 Checking Stability of Generator
Differential Protection
Temporary
Isolating short circuit
Generator links
A
B
C

A A A

87 87 87

Shorts across relay/

stabilising resistors 87 Generator differential relay
A Ammeter
 Earth Fault Sensitivity Check on Transformer
Differential Protection
Temporary
short circuit

A A
B
Primary
injection
test set
C
250V
A.C.
supply Bias coils

Operating 87 87 87
coils
 Phase Fault Sensitivity Check on Transformer
Differential Protection
Temporary
A short circuit
A
Primary
injection
B
test set
C
250V
A.C.
supply
Bias coils

Operating 87 87 87
coils
 Stability Check on Transformer
Differential Protection
Generator Temporary short circuit

~
Bias coils
A

87 87 87
Operating coils
Instantaneous current distribution for three-phase short
circuit with phase A current at maximum
 Sensitivity Check of Restricted
Earth Fault Protection
250V A.C.
supply A

Primary
injection
test set A
B
C

64 Earth Fault Relay 64

A Ammeter
V Voltmeter V
 Stability Check of Restricted Earth Fault
Protection

250V A.C. supply

A Temporary short circuit
Primary
injection
test set
A
B
C

64 Earth Fault Relay

A 64
A Ammeter
Sensitivity Check of Negative Phase Sequence
Relay
A B C
Temporary
short circuit
Filter
network 46

Primary injection
test set

250V 46 Negative phase sequence relay

A.C. supply A Ammeter