Advantage:

1. Non-destructive test. The test voltage can be as low as 30V or 100V.
2. Assess any damage of the cable sheath by measuring the Remaining Currents of the outer screen during no voltage application.
3. Assess the insulation condition between the conductor and the (inner) screen.
4. Assess the insulation condition between the inner screen and the outer screen, in case of double screens.
5. For oil-paper cable, moisture-in-paper will be evaluated by this PDC Technique.

Disadvantage:

• It is an Off-line test.

Application:

PDC analysis is applicable for any insulation type of power cables. For Practical experience, please see these technical papers:

• The New Technique for Reliability Assurance of In-Service XLPE Power Cables
• On-Site Applications of Advanced Diagnosis Methods for Quality Assessment of Insulation of Power Transformers