Somebody has been using search engines to try to find information on “thumpers” used for cable fault location. Whoever you are, I feel your pain. However, if you’d send me an e-mail I will gladly discuss what I know about the subject. I’ve used them. I know how to build one which will work with a DC hipot. I’ve also used a couple of different manufacturer’s units.

If you’re looking for a thumper, then you already know what a DC hipot is, but for the rest of you, it’s a bit of electrical test equipment which takes a standard 120 volt AC supply (like in your wall socket) and steps it up and changes it to direct current for testing various types of electrical aparatus insulation. The ones we typically use will put out 75-80 THOUSAND volts. This is necessary for testing cables up to the 15kV range.

Anyway, whoever you are, I’m here to help…