3.1 This test method is most commonly performed using a negative polarity needle or a sharp defined point to an opposing grounded sphere (NPS). The NPS breakdown voltage of fresh unused liquids measured in the highly divergent field in this configuration depends on the insulating liquid composition, decreasing with increasing concentration of aromatic, particularly polyaromatic, hydrocarbon molecules in liquids of petroleum origin and decreasing with ester molecular structure, either natural or synthetic.

3.2 This test method may be used to evaluate the continuity of composition of an insulating liquid from shipment to shipment. The NPS impulse breakdown voltage of an insulating liquid can also be substantially lowered by contact with materials of construction, by service aging, particulate matter, and by other impurities. Test results lower than those expected for a given fresh liquid may also indicate use or contamination.

3.3 Although polarity of the voltage wave has little or no effect on the breakdown strength of an insulating liquid in uniform fields, polarity does have a marked effect on the breakdown voltage in nonuniform electric fields.

3.4 Transient voltages may also vary over a wide range in both the time to reach crest value and the time to decay to half crest or to zero magnitude. The IEEE standard lightning impulse test (see 2.2) specifies a 1.2 by 50-µs negative polarity wave.