HIOKI IR5050 - Portable 5 kV high voltage insulation tester

Key Specifications

Typical Applications

The IR5050 is a portable high voltage insulation tester for insulation measurements on cables, motors, transformers, and other high voltage equipment. It offers five insulation test voltage ranges from 250 V to 5 kV and seven insulation resistance ranges from 10 MΩ to 10 TΩ. 

Its compact, lightweight design is intended for mobile use in high voltage installations and other electrical systems. The included hard case protects the instrument against dust and water in IP65 environments. With a maximum rated voltage of 2000 V in measurement category CAT III, the IR5050 is designed for testing high voltage systems in this classification. After the measurement, the automatic discharge function dissipates residual voltage in the test object. Shielded test leads and guarding reduce interference for stable measurement results. 

Diagnostic functions for insulation assessment

Insulation resistance values are useful for an initial assessment, but they are not sufficient for evaluating aging, moisture ingress, or contamination in detail. In addition, insulation resistance varies with temperature, humidity, and the time dependent behavior of the insulating material, so a single measurement has only limited value for condition assessment. For this reason, the IR5050 complements standard insulation resistance measurement with diagnostic functions that allow a more detailed evaluation of insulation condition. 

Polarization Index evaluates the change in insulation resistance over time and provides information about aging, moisture, and contamination. Dielectric Absorption Ratio follows the same principle with shorter time intervals and is suited to applications in which readings stabilize more quickly. The Dielectric Discharge function is used to assess multilayer insulation and helps identify degradation within the insulation material. 

Tests with changing test voltage

In the Step Voltage test, the test voltage is increased in defined steps. This makes it possible to assess whether insulation resistance decreases disproportionately as electrical stress increases. Such behavior can indicate weak points in the insulation system that may not be visible when testing at only one fixed voltage.

In the Ramp test, the test voltage is increased continuously. This allows observation of how insulation behavior changes across a voltage range and at which level irregularities begin to appear. This is useful when insulation condition needs to be assessed not only at one fixed test point, but under increasing electrical stress.

Data storage and documentation 

Measurement data can be stored directly in the IR5050 and retrieved later for review, reporting, or transfer to external systems. This supports documentation workflows even when no mobile device or PC is connected during the measurement itself. 

For wireless data handling, the instrument can be combined with the optional Z3210 Bluetooth adapter. This allows measured values to be sent to smartphones or tablets for mobile documentation and further processing. When used together with the free GENNECT Cross app for iOS and Android, the IR5050 can be integrated into field documentation workflows. The Z3210 also supports HID operation, so measured values can be transmitted as keyboard input to Excel or other applications.

For computer based documentation, stored data can be transferred using the optional DT4900-01 communication package. Its optically isolated interface provides galvanic separation from the PC and also supports changing instrument settings from the computer. Measurement control is not available via DT4900-01. 

The IR5050 was developed in Japan and is manufactured in HIOKI’s own production facilities in Japan.