How Much Insulation Makes a Product Safe?
The amount of insulation required in the isolation barrier depends on several factors:
• Working Isolation Voltage (voltage across the isolation barrier) – larger isolation voltages require more insulation.
• Air Pollution – insulation can be reduced by contaminants in the air. Dirtier environments require more insulation.
• Transient Voltage (temporary voltage spikes across the isolation barrier) – insulation strong enough to withstand the normal working voltages of the circuit can break down under large transients. Therefore larger
transients will require more insulation.
• Single-Fault Current Path – if the insulation breaks down, can the shorted current go through a human body? If so, a larger amount of insulation is required.
The amount of insulation required in the isolation barrier depends on several factors:
• Working Isolation Voltage (voltage across the isolation barrier) – larger isolation voltages require more insulation.
• Air Pollution – insulation can be reduced by contaminants in the air. Dirtier environments require more insulation.
• Transient Voltage (temporary voltage spikes across the isolation barrier) – insulation strong enough to withstand the normal working voltages of the circuit can break down under large transients. Therefore larger
transients will require more insulation.
• Single-Fault Current Path – if the insulation breaks down, can the shorted current go through a human body? If so, a larger amount of insulation is required.