Transformer & Substation Testing Equipment in Saudi Arabia: Choosing Battery, Bluetooth and Printer Options

Quick answer: Hightest transformer and substation testing equipment from Measuremart covers every core test on site: the TRAN analyser, SUWI multifunction set, HARE micro-ohmmeter, VABO vacuum bottle tester, CIBRE circuit breaker analyser, TRIORES winding resistance tester and TURA turns ratio tester. Most of these instruments include a built-in printer, so the real decision is how they are powered and how they connect. Choose a battery model (“B”) if you test where mains power is unreliable or absent. Choose a Bluetooth model (“BLUE”) if you want cable-free control and data transfer to a laptop. Choose “B BLUE” if your work covers both.

Picture a commissioning crew in a substation yard outside Riyadh on a July afternoon. The auxiliary supply isn’t live yet, the laptop sits on a toolbox in the shade, and a USB cable runs across the gravel to the tester. Somebody trips on it, and the test has to be repeated. It’s a small problem, but it’s exactly the kind of problem the right feature choice on your test equipment prevents.

This guide explains what each Hightest instrument tests, which power and connectivity options it offers, and how to match the version to your work across the Kingdom.

TRAN-203: transformer analyser (turns ratio + winding resistance)

The TRAN-203 combines a three-phase turns ratio tester and a 20 A winding resistance tester in one instrument. It measures the turns ratio of single-phase and three-phase transformers from 0.8 to 50,000 at 0.08 % precision, with test voltages up to 250 V. It also reports excitation current, phase angle, polarity, ratio error and magnetic balance, and it detects vector groups automatically. On the winding resistance side, it applies up to 20 A DC and measures from 0.1 µΩ to 100,000 Ω without reconnecting test cables between primary and secondary windings. It can also control the OLTC, demagnetise the transformer after testing, and measure full-load resistance during heat run (temperature rise) tests.

Options: TRAN-203B adds a 14.4 V, 6.9 Ah Li-ion battery. TRAN-203 BLUE adds Bluetooth, and TRAN-203B BLUE has both. Every version has a 2.28-inch printer and a 7-inch colour touch display.

Best for: Commissioning and maintenance teams who want one instrument for both transformer tests, so there’s one case to carry and one cable set to connect.

👉 View the TRAN-203 three-phase transformer analyser

SUWI: substation multifunction test set

SUWI, the “Substation Wizard”, is an all-in-one substation test set. It handles four jobs that usually need four separate instruments:

• Relay timing: automatic testing of overcurrent, overvoltage, directional overcurrent and frequency relays, with current output up to 110 A AC / 150 A DC and voltage output up to 150 V AC

• Turns ratio: 0.8 to 33,000 at 0.08 % precision, using the ANSI/IEEE C57.12.90 method, for current, voltage and power transformers

• Contact resistance: micro-ohmmeter testing up to 150 A DC, including dual-ground measurement

• Circuit breaker timing: three-phase O, C, O-C, C-O and O-C-O operations with coil current measurement

Options: A built-in battery is available as an option. SUWI stores results in 8 GB of internal memory or on a USB flash drive.

Best for: Substation maintenance crews who want to reduce the number of instruments they transport between sites.

👉 View the SUWI substation multifunction tester

HARE: high-current micro-ohmmeter

The HARE series measures the contact resistance of circuit breakers, shunts and disconnectors from 0.1 µΩ to 5 Ω. It comes in three current ratings, so you can match the test current to the equipment:

• HARE 100A: up to 100 A

• HARE 200A: up to 200 A

• HARE 300A: up to 300 A

Options: HARE ships with a rechargeable battery, weighs only 3 kg and stores around 1,000 records. It’s the lightest instrument in this lineup and the easiest to carry up to switchgear.

Best for: Breaker and busbar joint checks where portability matters more than multifunction capability.

VABO-80: vacuum bottle tester

A vacuum circuit breaker only interrupts reliably if its vacuum is intact. The VABO-80 applies an adjustable DC test voltage from 10 kV to 80 kV in 1 kV steps and measures leakage current to evaluate vacuum interrupter integrity.

Options: The VABO-80 is mains-powered. The VABO-80B adds a 14.4 V, 3.6 Ah battery. Both have a built-in printer, a sunlight-readable 4.3-inch touch display and 200-record memory, and the battery model weighs 4 kg.

Best for: Medium-voltage switchgear maintenance, especially during outage windows when site power is isolated.

CIBRE: circuit breaker analyser and timer

The CIBRE family tests circuit breaker contact timing for O, C, O-C, C-O and O-C-O operations, with 0.05 % rdg ± 0.1 ms timing accuracy. The analyser models also run motion tests for transducer speed, stroke and bounce. Slow contact speed can reduce breaking capacity, while excessive speed can damage damping components, so motion analysis matters.

• CIBRE-30: 3-contact analyser

• CIBRE-60: 6-contact analyser

• CIBRE-L3 and CIBRE-L6: 3- and 6-contact timers for contact timing work

Options: The CIBRE-30 is available in four versions (CIBRE-30, 30B, 30 BLUE and 30B BLUE), with a 14.4 V, 6.9 Ah battery and/or Bluetooth. All versions have a 2.28-inch printer and a 7-inch touch display.

Best for: Utilities and contractors who commission or maintain HV and MV breakers.

TRIORES-20: three-phase winding resistance tester

The TRIORES-20 is a fully automatic three-phase winding resistance tester with up to 20 A of test current. It connects all three phases at once, so you don’t have to swap leads phase by phase, which saves time on large power transformers.

Options: It has a built-in printer for on-site records.

Best for: Transformer manufacturers, service workshops and commissioning teams that test many three-phase units.

TURA: transformer turns ratio testers

The TURA-03 measures turns ratio from 0.8 to 50,000 at 0.08 % precision, using the ANSI/IEEE C57.12.90 method with test voltages up to 250 V. It also reports excitation current, phase angle, polarity and ratio error, detects vector groups automatically and can control the tap changer. It weighs 7.1 kg and stores up to 102 records, with unlimited storage via a USB flash drive.

Versions:

• TURA-03: mains-powered, USB

• TURA-03B: built-in 14.4 V, 3.6 Ah battery

• TURA-03 BLUE: built-in Bluetooth

• TURA-03B BLUE: battery and Bluetooth

For other applications, see the TURA-X true three-phase TTR, or the single-phase TURA-01 and TURA-01 BLUE.

The printer: an on-site record before you leave

The TRAN, CIBRE, TURA, VABO and TRIORES instruments all include a built-in printer. That puts a printed result in the engineer’s hand before the crew leaves the site, which helps when a client representative wants a signed record of the test. Results are also stored on the instrument and can be transferred to Hightest’s DMP software for analysis and reporting on a PC.

Battery: for sites without a socket

A battery is the feature that lets a test happen when there is no electricity. It earns its place on new substations before the supply is energised, on remote or pole-mounted transformers, and during outage windows when site power is isolated. That is common on large infrastructure and utility projects across the Kingdom.

It matters less in a service workshop or a substation with a reliable auxiliary supply. Battery runtime isn’t published for most models, so ask Measuremart how it will hold up against your usual test schedule before ordering.

Bluetooth: fewer cables, same data

USB is fitted as standard, so Bluetooth is a convenience rather than a requirement. On the BLUE versions of TRAN, CIBRE and TURA, the operator can control the tester and record results over a wireless link. That keeps the laptop away from the test leads and removes a trip hazard from a busy work area.

If your routine is to print results or save them to a USB drive, Bluetooth may add little. If your team builds digital reports on a laptop at every site, it saves time. Site safety rules still apply: a wireless link doesn’t change clearance requirements around energised equipment.

If you can’t predict your sites, start with the battery. It’s the one feature that can stop a test from taking place, while Bluetooth only changes how convenient the test is.

Built for Saudi conditions

The TRAN, SUWI, HARE, VABO and CIBRE instruments are rated for working temperatures from -10 °C to +60 °C and IP67 protection with the case closed. The upper temperature limit is worth checking for summer field work in Saudi Arabia, where outdoor temperatures in substation yards can approach it.

Before you order

• Decide on battery and Bluetooth at purchase, since they are factory-fitted versions.

• Match the test current to your equipment: 100, 200 or 300 A for HARE, and 20 A for TRAN and TRIORES winding resistance work.

• Consider TRAN-203 or SUWI if you’d rather carry one instrument than several.

Browse the full Hightest Technology range at Measuremart Saudi Arabia.

Frequently asked questions

What does the B in Hightest model names mean?
It means a built-in battery, so the tester can run without a mains supply. Examples include TURA-03B, CIBRE-30B, TRAN-203B and VABO-80B.

What does BLUE mean?
It means built-in Bluetooth for a cable-free connection to a PC. It’s available on the TRAN-203, CIBRE-30 and TURA-03 families.

Which instrument tests both turns ratio and winding resistance?
The TRAN-203 transformer analyser does both in one unit.

Which instrument covers the most substation tests?
SUWI combines relay timing, turns ratio, contact resistance and three-phase circuit breaker timing.

What’s the difference between CIBRE analysers and timers?
CIBRE-30 and CIBRE-60 analysers add motion tests (speed, stroke and bounce) on top of contact timing. CIBRE-L3 and CIBRE-L6 timers focus on contact timing.

How do I check a vacuum circuit breaker’s interrupters?
Use the VABO-80 vacuum bottle tester, which applies up to 80 kV DC and measures leakage current.

Do battery and Bluetooth change measurement accuracy?
No. The published measurement specifications are the same across the versions of each model.

Does Measuremart supply Hightest equipment in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. The Hightest range is available through Measuremart Global Company, with rental and calibration services also offered.

To compare versions or request a quotation, call or WhatsApp +966 54 713 3788 or email sales@measure-mart.sa.