IR Guide
Safeguarding Electrical Systems Across Sectors
Understanding insulation resistance (IR)
Electrical insulation is fundamental to the safety, performance, and longevity of any power or control system. Across subsea, marine, industrial, rail, and renewable environments, insulation resistance (IR) is a critical indicator of electrical health. When IR degradation goes unseen, it can lead to electrical faults, unplanned downtime, asset damage, and increased safety risk.
At Viper Innovations, we help customers stay ahead through an intelligence-led approach to electrical integrity. Our technologies and expertise support five essential stages of lifecycle management:
What is insulation resistance?
Insulation resistance measures how effectively a cable’s insulation prevents leakage current between conductors or to earth. High IR indicates healthy insulation, while declining IR signals degradation. In demanding environments, factors such as moisture ingress, pressure, thermal cycling, ageing, and mechanical stress all contribute to gradual deterioration.
As insulation weakens, leakage currents increase. Over time, this can lead to copper corrosion, intermittent faults, short circuits, and ultimately system failure if left unmanaged.
Why IR monitoring matters
MONITOR: Insulation resistance rarely fails suddenly. It degrades progressively, often over months or years. Continuous IR monitoring provides operators with early visibility of this decline, enabling informed intervention before faults become critical.
Unlike periodic spot testing, which captures only a snapshot in time, online monitoring reveals trends and rates of change. Viper’s V-LIM and V-SLIM technologies deliver precise, real-time IR measurement with intelligent alarms, helping operators move from reactive response to proactive control.
Five things you should know about IR monitoring
The risks of waiting
ASSESS & PREVENT: Many electrical systems are designed to continue operating after an initial insulation fault. While this offers short-term continuity, it also masks degradation. If a second fault occurs, leakage currents can rise rapidly, increasing safety hazards and accelerating failure.
Viper’s philosophy is built on early assessment and early intervention. Acting before insulation reaches critical levels helps reduce unplanned shutdowns, protect infrastructure, and extend asset life.
Sector-wide benefits
Insulation resistance is a universal concern wherever electrical reliability matters. From offshore and marine assets to rail infrastructure, industrial facilities, and renewable energy systems, IR monitoring plays a vital role in safety, availability, and lifecycle management.
Viper’s sector-agnostic technologies and data-driven insights provide a consistent, scalable approach to managing electrical integrity across diverse environments.
V-LIFE usage and IR philosophy
Drawing on decades of global subsea deployment and operational experience, Viper has developed clear guidance on how insulation resistance should be interpreted and acted upon in submerged electrical systems.
Healthy subsea systems typically operate with insulation resistance well above 10 MΩ. IR values approaching this level indicate early-stage degradation, where continuous monitoring and preventative assessment are essential. As IR declines further, the risk of accelerated copper degradation, overcurrent events, and system failure increases.
V-LIFE is most effective when applied early, before insulation reaches critically low levels. Early application improves recovery success, preserves conductor integrity, and prevents escalation to irreversible faults. Waiting until a short or open circuit occurs significantly reduces recoverability and increases operational risk.
This guidance forms part of Viper’s wider IR Philosophy, developed through long-term field application and continuous refinement.
From Safeguarding People & Systems To Protecting Asset Life
Intelligent solutions for system visibility
