Withstand voltage

In electrical and electronic equipment, even in insulated parts, if the applied voltage is increased, a phenomenon called dielectric breakdown occurs and current flows. When dielectric breakdown occurs, current flows through the high-resistance insulator, which may cause malfunction or fire due to heat generation. Dielectric strength refers to the magnitude of voltage that can be withstood without causing dielectric breakdown. It is usually expressed as the magnitude of voltage that can be endured when a specified voltage waveform is applied for a specified period between two designated points of the equipment. The higher this voltage, the better the insulation performance.