1. VisiVolt™ Passive Voltage Indicator OEM Presentation
GPMM Tomasz Komalski 2011
VisiVolt™ Passive Voltage Indicator OEM Presentation
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 1

2. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator Increased safety
Electric accidents belong to the most frequent and serious ones
Medium voltage distribution systems are the most prone to accidents
Typical reasons:
false belief in voltage absence originating from lack of communication, mistake etc.
not following the safety procedures
Picture courtesy of
Prevention of electric accidents is one of very important aspects of operation of power distribution systems. Even though, electric accidents do happen, and, among other type of accidents, are those of high rate of serious consequences.
The medium voltage power distribution systems feature very dangerous voltage levels of several thousand volts and in the same time relatively easy accessibility of conductors under voltage. This is why, in such systems, the rate of serious consequences of accidents is believed to be the highest.
On the other hand, typical reasons of accidents are not complex. It is most of the times just a momentary distraction of a worker, misunderstanding in communication or a mistake which leads to false belief that the voltage is not present on the system when it actually is.
A possible way of preventing such situations from happening is to provide a broadly applicable system of making the presence of voltage visible on the serviceable systems.
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 2

3. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator VisiVolt™ - Introduction
Previously used neon indicators
VisiVolt™ installation
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 3

4. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator VisiVolt™ - Introduction
Product name:
PL: Pasywny Wskaźnik Napięcia
EN: Passive Voltage Indicator
RU: Пассивный Индикатор Напряжения
FR: Indicateur Passif de Tension
DE: Passiver Spannungsanzeiger
ES: Indicador Pasivo de Tensión
Previously known as (prototype and pilot products):
PVI
PassVI
VisiVolt™ is an indicator of voltage presence
For permanent installation
Current-bar mounted type (belongs to the primary circuits)
To be used on not screened (not ground-shielded) conductors
Passive
Outdoor and indoor application
For systems of nominal voltages from 3kV/6kV to 36kV
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 4

5. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator IEC standards
Hot stick mounted indicators for line testing
IEC Live working - Voltage detectors – Part 1: Capacitive type to be used for voltages exceeding 1 kV a.c.
IEC Live working - Voltage detectors – Part 2: Resistive type to be used for voltages of 1 kV to 36 kV a.c.
Low voltage indicators
IEC Live working - Voltage detectors – Part 3: Two-pole low-voltage type
Indicators installed permanently (e.g. in switchgear)
IEC Live working - Voltage detectors - Part 5: Voltage detecting systems (VDS)
IEC High-voltage prefabricated switchgear and controlgear assemblies – Voltage presence indicating systems (VPIS)
Threshold voltages: indication at >45% of nominal voltage; no indication at <10% of nominal voltage
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 5

6. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator Type tests
Test of voltage thresholds
Dielectric tests
Short-time withstand current and peak withstand current tests
Moisture ingress test
Sun radiation test
Low- and high-temperature functionality tests
Configuration of measurement
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 6

7. Conductor under AC voltage
VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator Global intellectual property protection
AC electric field
Conductor under AC voltage
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 7

8. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator Specification application and threshold voltages
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 8

9. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator Threshold Voltages - Example
VisiVolt™ type: VV-B
System Un = 15 kV
45% Un = 6.75 kV
Lack of indication
Area of transition
“Presence of voltage” indication
Point of normal operation
1.5kV
45% Un
Un/√3
phase-earth or phase-phase voltage [kV]
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 9

10. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator Withstand voltages
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 10

11. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator Installation – current conductors and bars
On a circular-section conductor of small diameter
On vertical current bar using spacers
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 11

12. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator KIPTS (Koeberg Insulator Pollution Test Station)
South Africa
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 12

13. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator ABB SECTOS outdoor switch-disconnectors, Poland
December 2006, May 2007
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 13

14. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator Aquarina – Testing station in Florida
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 14

15. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator 110/15kV Substation, Niepołomice, Poland
March 2007
15kV busbar bridge /0.4kV auxiliary transformer
(voltage not present yet)
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 15

16. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator Advantages of VisiVolt™
Differentiating features of the product:
Both indoor and outdoor application possibility
Reflective display of good visibility under all lighting conditions (from dim indoor to bright outdoor)
Large display size – visibility from long distance (e.g. on a pole mounted equipment)
No electronic circuit – display element is the sensitive element
All polymer components – no steel parts – no risk of corrosion
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 16

17. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator Main functions & marketing points
Warning function – increased safety
Higher level of safety of operating and servicing the system.
Check of voltage status
Without using any additional equipment, the personnel can check the status of voltage presence.
Confirming of equipment operation
At equipment with no visible gap (e.g. Sectos switch disconnector) VisiVolt confirms the correct operation of the switch and disconnector.
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 17

18. VisiVolt™Passive Voltage Indicator To prevent accidents
Engineered for
Safety
Follow the leader.
We know how important safety is for you. That’s why ABB Medium Voltage Products puts your safety- and the safety of your personnel – first.
VisiVolt can prevent accidents by providing visualization of voltage presence at service points
In an unexpected situation can warn the personnel about the presence of voltage before it is too late.
Discourage the personnel from breaking the safety rules (e.g. working unprotected to close to a live system)
VisiVolt was part of the US ABB campaign: „Engineered for Safety”
© ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 18

19. © ABB Group
April 20, 2017 | Slide 19