Deciphering Partial Discharge Test Results

February 20, 2025 Michael Traskos

Partial discharge testing serves as a valuable tool for assessing the health and reliability of wire and cable systems. Understanding the implications of PD test results, including PDIV, PDEV, and factors influencing their values, is essential for ensuring the safety and longevity of critical EWIS components. In this article, we discuss what PD test results mean at the component and system levels. Read more

Selection of Zones for Degradation Testing

June 26, 2020 Michael Traskos

Maintenance zones within an aircraft are not homogeneous. They vary from the extreme Aircraft areas within the aircraft (engines) to more benign areas (inside pressure and temperature-controlled areas). And because of this, the components within each of these zones will age at different rates. Naturally, different components are selected for each of these zones; those components better able to handle the severe environments are installed in those environments, and lower requirements are placed on those parts installed in benign environments. Read more

Common Questions About Kapton® Wire

June 12, 2019 Michael Traskos

Love it or hate it, the fact is that Kapton® insulated wires will be on aircraft for at least another couple of decades, and because of this, we should learn to live with the insulation type. Part of living with it is understanding it. If you have questions that you would like to see answered, please send them to Lectromec or add them to the comments section below. We plan to add to this article as the questions arise. Read more

Signs of an Aging Wiring System

May 1, 2017 Michael Traskos

All components wear out over time, but the rate at which they degrade will vary depending on the quality of the product, how is it handled, and the environmental conditions in which the component is installed. To consider all the potential ways that an EWIS can fail, it can be overwhelming. As a brief list […] Read more

Impact of Corona on Electrical Systems

February 3, 2017 Tristan Epp Schmidt

Corona is an area of electrical systems that many have some knowledge, but often only to the point of knowing that there is a voltage that should not be exceeded. It is common knowledge that factors, such as pressure, have an impact on when and how corona will happen, though the source of corona is […] Read more

Ampacity Improvements

October 24, 2016 Michael Traskos

When electrical current flows down a conductor, it gets warm due to resistive heating. The more current that flows, the warmer the conductor gets. Depending on the wire gauge, conductor conductivity, and ambient temperature of the wire location, the conductor temperature reaches the maximum certified temperature. This maximum electrical current is where the outward heat […] Read more

Aircraft wire degradation and looking in the arc

August 15, 2014 Michael Traskos

Those who have witnessed electrical arcing and aircraft wire degradation first hand know the feeling of the intense heat radiating from the arc location, the screeching sound (AC arcs), and the bright flash that leave you visually stunned for several moments. The problem with recording these events is that the arc flash is often so bright […] Read more

The “Big 3” aircraft wire system degradation assessment options

April 9, 2014 Michael Traskos

If you have concerns about aircraft wire system degradation and need to assess the condition of an aircraft’s wire system, there are several options. For those looking for opens and shorts type faults, HiPot and/or Time Domain Relectometer (TDR) equipment are great options. To determine the impact of wire problems with the fleet, maintenance logs […] Read more

Basic concepts in understanding aircraft wire degradation

July 19, 2011 Michael Traskos

Aircraft wire degradation often means a reduction in a wire insulation’s ability to withstand physical, electrical, or chemical strain. Such reductions can lead to insulation breaches, which can result in system interruption. All modern wire insulations are long chains of molecules called polymers. Over time, due to various types of stress, there is wire degradation. […] Read more

XL-ETFE aircraft wire degradation

May 30, 2011 Michael Traskos

XL-ETFE insulated wires can be found on many commercial and military aircraft built since the 1980s and need to be included in the study of XL-ETFE aircraft wire degradation. As such, some aircraft have been operating for 30 years with the same wiring. The question that becomes more important with each passing day is the […] Read more