What Is Leakage Current?
Leakage current refers to the phenomenon where a minuscule amount of current flows outside the circuit in which it should normally flow. Normally, leakage current is a very small amount of current, but it occurs more easily when wires and circuit components inside electrical equipment are damaged or have deteriorated. If these problems are not dealt with, the leakage current may cause short circuits and fire. Measuring this minuscule amount of current is important for guaranteeing the safety of electrical equipment.
Why does leakage current occur?
Leakage current primarily occurs for the following reasons:
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Deterioration of insulating material: Insulation deteriorates due to long-term usage and environmental factors
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Connection problems: Loose connecting parts and inappropriate wiring inside electrical equipment
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Effects of humidity: Usage in a high-humidity environment reduces insulator performance, which causes leakage current
Measuring leakage current
Clamp a clamp meter around the wire to measure. Using a clamp meter allows you to measure the amount of leakage current without cutting the wire.
The following two methods can be used to measure leakage current:
- (1)
Clamp multiple wires that supply power
The clamp meter measures two currents at the same time, which cancel each other out, resulting in 0 A. - (2)
Clamp the ground wire
Current that leaks through the insulation of the load equipment flows to ground.
