leakagevirtoihin

Leakagevirtoihin is a Finnish term used in electrical engineering to describe leakage currents—unwanted currents that escape from a conductor or system through insulation or across surfaces, rather than delivering power to a load. In practice, leakage currents occur in both AC and DC equipment and are typically small, often ranging from microamperes to milliamps, depending on voltage, humidity, surface contamination, and insulation quality.

Causes and forms include dielectric leakage through insulation, surface leakage across damp or contaminated surfaces, aging or damaged insulation, and parasitic paths created by capacitive coupling in EMI filters and power supplies. At higher voltages, corona discharge at edges can also contribute. Moisture, dirt, and material impurities can exacerbate leakage, while design features such as EMI suppression networks can introduce controlled leakage paths that are nonetheless subject to safety limits.

Measurement and standards: Leakage current is assessed during safety testing and design reviews. Methods include insulation resistance testing (Megger) and hipot tests, as well as direct leakage current measurements under rated voltage. Standards such as IEC 60364 and IEC 61010 specify acceptable leakage levels and the required creepage and clearance distances to ensure safety and reliability.

Impact and mitigation: Excessive leakage can pose electric shock risks, interfere with sensitive electronics, or cause energy loss. Design strategies to mitigate leakage include robust insulation, protective earth grounding, or the use of Class II (double-insulated) designs, conformal coatings, humidity control, and careful selection of EMI filter components. In some cases, Y-capacitors are used to improve EMI performance but must be sized to keep leakage within safe limits.

Term usage: In Finnish technical literature, leakagevirtoihin is used to discuss leakage currents and their implications for safety, reliability, and regulation, with overlap to concepts such as insulation resistance and creepage distances.