Why Metrology Engineers Trust the Vitrek 4700 for High-Voltage Accuracy and Traceability

About Customer: Ken Sams, Metrology & QC Engineer

Ken works for a leading global provider of electrical insulation test equipment that serves a variety of sectors, including high-power cable applications.

The company offers important electrical insulation measurement tools ranging from insulation testers to dielectric breakdown testers. Ken's responsibilities encompass both internal quality and field service.

Image Credit: Vitrek, LLC

Challenge

Obtaining high voltage measurements throughout production testing and calibration operations, including specialized testing.

Even minor measurement errors can cost time and money in these difficult testing circumstances and harm brand reputation. Most conventional digital multimeters (DMMs) can only measure up to 1000 volts DC or AC.

Above that, technicians have historically used voltage dividers, which complicate measurements by introducing impedance problems, divider inaccuracies, and complex non-linearity tables.

Resistive and capacitive dividers frequently require reference tables and external computation to maintain verifiable accuracy, which introduces room for human error and slows down operations.

Solution: The Vitrek 4700

Vitrek's 4700 device maintains calibration data within the probe itself. The customer chose to install four Vitrek 4700 Precision High Voltage Meters and four HVL-series Smart Probes^™ (HVL-100 and HVL-150) for everyday usage by production and repair teams.

The durable Vitrek 4700 addresses the limitations of traditional multimeters and dividers:

• Direct ±0.03% Accuracy: From low voltage to 10,000 V
• Probe Intelligence: HV Smart Probes^™ extend measurement up to 140 kV DC
• Frequency Bandwidth: Accurate down to 0.1 Hz
• Ease of Use: Intuitive color touch screen with AC/DC info and chart mode
• Portability: Lightweight, compact, and field-ready (optional battery pack)
• Automation Ready: integrates via Ethernet, RS-232, or GPIB

“The Vitrek 4700 has direct measurement capabilities that are higher than most other metering solutions at the accuracy we need. And they store the divider ratio in the HV probes. This is amazingly convenient. It removes the inherent uncertainly that results when using an HV probe with an inexact divider ratio.” - Ken Sams, Metrology & Quality Assurance Engineer

Benefits and Results

Initially, veteran technicians familiar with divider-based workflows were resistant to adopting the Vitrek 4700. However, after seeing the advantages — a simple, intuitive interface, real-time crest factor display, and built-in frequency readouts — they now rely on the 4700.

The small unit makes it suitable for the company's field technicians, who may transport it as carry-on luggage to important service calls involving test systems up to 140 kV.

Higher Efficiency and Accuracy with Probes

Traditional probes, such as the Fluke 80K-40, presume preset divider ratios (e.g., 10,000:1), which are simply estimates. Vitrek's HVL probes record and communicate the exact calibration ratio to the 4700.

This "plug and play" invention enhances measurement accuracy, simplifies setup, and saves operator workload. This functionality was very useful to the customer when servicing insulation testers and cable fault equipment, both of which have output voltages ranging from 25 kV to 140 kV.

Low-Frequency and Niche Application Measurement

The customer's equipment comprises low-frequency (VLF) devices that operate at 0.1 Hz. However, standard DMMs are not designed for such frequencies.

Their developers created programs that simulated waveform readings by averaging DC samples, which is a time-consuming and untraceable workaround. The Vitrek 4700 replaces this process with direct, spec-rated measurements, significantly enhancing efficiency and audit compliance.

Portability and Ease-of-Use 

The 4700's user interface makes operations easier for technicians. Features like real-time crest factor display, simultaneous AC/DC readout, and frequency measurement have also eliminated the need for human computations. As a result, the accuracy, consistency, and technician satisfaction have all increased.

Calibration and Support 

The customer delivers all units to Vitrek's ISO 17025-certified calibration facility for annual calibration. Vitrek routinely meets the needs of the company's industrial lab in terms of turnaround time and support. The 4700 HV meters have grown so important to the organization that work is planned around their annual calibration visits.

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Vitrek, LLC.

For more information on this source, please visit Vitrek, LLC.