Insulation inspection instrument

A continuity tester for detecting defects in stator windings in a stator of an electric machine, said stator windings including conductive bars extending from a stator core, said tester comprising:

• a power supply including a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is electrically coupled to the stator windings;
• an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter including an input electrically coupled to the first terminal of the power supply;
• a brush assembly including a plurality of electrically conductive bristles being configured to contact the stator windings;
• a controller electrically coupled to the A/D converter;
• and
• an automated device for moving the brush assembly relative to the stator windings, said A/D converter providing a signal to the controller in response to a low signal at the input when the conductive bristles make electrical contact with the stator windings, wherein a size of the conductive bristles is effective to make electrical contact with defects formed in an insulating layer of the stator windings.

A continuity tester for detecting defects in an electrical device, said tester comprising:

• a power supply including a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is electrically coupled to the device;
• an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter including an input electrically coupled to the first terminal of the power supply;
• a brush including a plurality of electrically conductive bristles being configured to contact the device;
• a system for moving the brush over the device in an automated process;
• and
• a controller electrically coupled to the A/D converter, said A/D converter providing a signal to the controller in response to a low signal at the input when the conductive bristles make electrical contact with the device.