Difference between the Breakdown Voltage, Dielectric Withstand Voltage and Rating Voltage

[Angus_Lai]

Sometimes, you may find the following three voltage ratings mentioned in test reports for certain products.
For example, the test report for Samtec cable SEAC-040-06-12.0-TU-TU:

General Definitions

Breakdown Voltage: The failure voltage of the product. It is also called the Failure Voltage.

Dielectric Withstand Voltage: 75% of the Breakdown Voltage. It is the non-destructive voltage that the product should be tested at. It is also called the Withstand Voltage or Test Voltage.

Rating Voltage (1/3 of DWV): The maximum continuous voltage that the product should be used at. It is also called the Working Voltage or Operation Voltage.

Other related information:

Dielectric Withstanding voltage

Sometimes, you may find a specification called “Dielectric Withstanding Voltage” in connector testing reports, such as the EXTreme Ten60Power™ testing report from Samtec. [image] Dielectric Withstanding Voltage (DWV) is the attribute that defines the high voltage limit for a device under evaluation, whether it is a connector, socket, cable or cable assembly. DWV is just a simple measure of the voltage that the dielectric material in conjunction with the conductive material can withstand while…