Spark Testers for Insulated Cable & Wire

A spark tester checks wire and cable insulation for pinholes, thin spots, and other defects by passing the wire through a high-voltage electric field — any break in the insulation lets current arc through and gets flagged as a fault. Proton Products' InteliSENS spark testers come in four types: high-frequency (fastest line speeds, meets UL1581/EN50356/IEC62230), mains-frequency AC (single-wire, multi-wire, and remote-head configurations), DC (single-wire applications), and dedicated multi-wire/flat cable testers — available with bead chain or brush electrodes.

Spark Testing FAQ's

Why choose a high-frequency tester over mains-frequency?

HF testing supports significantly faster line speeds. It's especially important for UL1581 compliance, where the standard's 9-cycle requirement would need an impractically long electrode at mains frequency. HF also generates a full ionization cloud at lower voltage for complete wire-surface coverage.

What standards do Proton's spark testers meet?

UL1581, UL2556, EN50356, and IEC62230/EN62230, depending on model.

What electrode options are available?

Bead chain or brush-type, both quick-change on most models.