D. Barry Holst received a B.A. degree in physics from Colgate University, Hamilton, N.Y.  He did post‑graduate study in Electrical Engineering at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA.  He worked in design and development of high voltage products, including partial discharge test equipment, for several years with Biddle Instruments.

Following this design experience, he transferred into Biddle Instruments marketing department, where he held various marketing and sales responsibilities for many high voltage products including partial discharge test systems, capacitance & dissipation factor [i.e. power factor or Tan d] test systems, high voltage AC & DC dielectric test systems, impulse [BIL] generators and other test and measuring equipment.  During this period he learned techniques for successfully marketing highly technical products for specialized applications.

In the course of his responsibilities with Biddle Instruments, then AVO International, he traveled both nationally and internationally to test labs, factories and field installations of major industrial power apparatus manufacturers and electric utilities.  This included manufacturers of large power transformers, distribution transformers, instrument transformers [PT’s & CT’s], bushings, insulators, switchgear, surge arrestors, rotating machines, power capacitors, power cables, etc.  In addition to the power apparatus industry, D. Barry Holst also worked with the aerospace & defense industry and its suppliers of high quality electronic components.  In these industries, partial discharge testing is used as a design & development tool, a production quality assurance tool and as a preventive maintenance tool. 

During this period, he worked closely with Engineering Managers, Quality Control Managers and Test Engineers of client companies to specify and configure test systems suitable for a wide variety of testing applications.  He also worked extensively with client’s engineers on installation, commissioning, minimizing interference and optimizing the grounding for these test systems. 

D. Barry Holst has expertise from 40 years experience in the areas of Partial Discharge measurements; recognition & interpretation of partial discharge signal patterns; recognition of interference patterns; the application of on-line partial discharge monitoring techniques to rotating machines; RIV [Radio Influence Voltage] testing of power apparatus; BIL [Basic Impulse Level] testing of power apparatus; Power Factor [i.e. Dissipation Factor or Tan d] testing of power apparatus; techniques for optimizing the layout and grounding of HV test areas; techniques to control and minimize damaging voltage transients in HV test areas; techniques to control and minimize interference with partial discharge measurements. 

In the course of his work at Biddle & AVO International, Mr. Holst has been involved with the application of software techniques to Biddle & AVO products.  When working with BIL test equipment, he became familiar with techniques for recording and analyzing BIL waveforms.  In the course of working with IRIS, a manufacturer of on-line partial discharge measuring systems for rotating machines, he became familiar with on-line partial discharge measuring systems and the software used to analyze and diagnose the condition of a rotating machine. 

Mr. Holst was a member of the lecturing staff of the Biddle Technical School for over 20 years, during which time he presented the course material concerning the recognition of partial discharge signal patterns, recognition of interference patterns and techniques for controlling interference in HV test areas.  The Biddle Technical School Course on Partial Discharge Testing was presented twice a year to classes ranging in size from 15 to 25.  The students were tuition paying attendees from companies around the world. 

Mr.Holst is a Life Member of IEEE, and has served on IEEE, IEC and ICEA working groups for drafting partial discharge [corona] test specifications.  This includes IEC60270 Partial Discharge Measurements, ICEA T-24-380 Guide for Partial Discharge Test Procedure & IEEE 436-1977 Guide for Making PD Measurements on Electronics Transformers.  He has also authored and coauthored several papers on topics dealing with high voltage testing techniques including: 

“Partial Discharge Testing of High-Voltage Insulation”

“Insulation Testing Large Rotating Machines”

“Partial Discharge Testing Liquid-Filled Transformers”

“Partial Discharge Testing Dry-type Transformers”

“Partial Discharge Measurements in 400Hz Systems”

“Partial Discharge Tests- new detector facilitates routine testing”

“The Reasons for Transient Ground Potential Rise and Recommended Control Techniques”

In his retirement, Mr. Holst has founded the company “HV Test Technology, Inc.” [HVTT] which seeks to provide technical assistance to clients involved in the high voltage test industry with a special emphasis on support of Biddle Partial Discharge [Corona] Test Systems.