MEV®-8 Insulation Monitoring Equipment for Medical IT Systems
MEV®-8 provides continuous insulation monitoring for medical IT systems, ensuring uninterrupted power during the first fault, early detection of insulation failures, and maximum electrical and patient safety.
How the MEV®-8 Insulation-level Monitoring System works:
The operating room’s electrical power network is separated from the public grid by a medical isolation transformer.
The MEV®-8 system continuously monitors all electrical devices connected to this transformer.
It supervises:
- insulation resistance of the IT system
- transformer load
- transformer temperature
- Protective Earth (PE) continuity – 24/7
- The system detects faults and abnormal conditions early, preventing dangerous situations from arising.
MEV®-8 System Overview
MEV-8 Insulation monitoring device (Core unit)
Mandatory according to standards
Continuous Insulation Monitoring for Medical IT Systems
The MEV®-8 is the core safety unit of the medical IT system. It continuously monitors the insulation resistance of a floating IT network (leakage current) and provides early warning of incipient insulation faults before they develop into a safety risk.
In addition to insulation monitoring, MEV-8 supervises:
- Transformer load (A)
- Transformer temperature (°C)
- System status and alarms — for immediate response in critical areas
Why MEV-8 is essential
- Ensures an uninterrupted power supply during the first fault
- Allows safe fault localisation without interrupting clinical work
- Reduces the risk of electric shocks, electrical fires and equipment malfunction
- Supports the reliable operation of sensitive biomedical equipment
- Protects both patients and personnel from electrical hazards
- Prevents unnecessary downtime
- Extends the service life of surgical and medical equipment
The MEV®-8 is designed for 24/7 continuous operation in the most demanding medical environments and forms the central safety unit of the entire MEV®-8 system.
Standard compliance:
IEC 60364-7-710 · IEC 61557-8 · IEC 61557-9
SP-8 – System Monitoring Panel (Alarm Indication Panel)
Mandatory according to standards
Clear and Immediate System Status Visibility for Clinical Staff
The SP-8 system monitoring panel provides centralised visual and audible alarm indication for the medical IT system. It ensures that both clinical and technical staff are immediately informed of any abnormal system condition.
SP-8 indicates:
- Insulation level alarms
- PE conductor continuity (LC-8) alarms
- Test lead faults
- Transformer overload
- Transformer temperature alarms
Why SP-8 is essential
- Ensures immediate awareness of the electrical system status
- Supports a rapid and controlled response to developing faults
- Improves patient safety and operational reliability
- Acts as the primary user interface between the medical IT system and hospital staff
- Enables safe and uninterrupted operation of operating rooms and ICUs
The SP-8 is designed for continuous 24/7 operation and is typically installed in operating rooms and technical control areas.
LC-8 – PE Conductor Continuity Monitoring Device (Line Controller)
Not required by the standard, but strongly recommended
Continuous Protective Earth (PE) Monitoring – 24/7
A medical IT system ensures an uninterrupted power supply during a first fault, while also reducing electromagnetic interference (EMI) affecting sensitive biomedical equipment.
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) can cause medical monitors and other hospital devices to malfunction. The consequences of such malfunctions can range from minor disturbances to serious patient safety risks.
Continuous Protective Earth (PE) monitoring is essential for:
- maintaining controlled and reliable grounding
- suppressing interference currents (EMI)
- ensuring both electrical safety and measurement reliability
- preventing undetected loss of protective grounding
- guaranteeing that insulation monitoring can function correctly
LC-8 continuously supervises the integrity of the PE conductor from the distribution board to the last socket outlet — 24/7, automatically and without manual testing.
FI-8 – Insulation Fault Locator Unit
Not required by the standard — but strongly recommended by PPO
Fast and Accurate Fault Localisation in Medical IT Networks
The FI-8 identifies and locates insulation faults in a floating medical IT network — quickly and accurately, without interrupting clinical operations.
Why FI-8 matters
- Enables fast fault localisation without shutdowns
- Reduces troubleshooting time and maintenance costs
- Minimises downtime in critical medical areas
- Improves maintenance efficiency
- Increases overall system reliability
- Supports the safe and continuous operation of operating rooms and ICUs
Why Continuous PE Continuity Monitoring Matters – 24/7
The new-generation MEV system includes continuous monitoring of Protective Earth (PE) continuity.
This enables round-the-clock 24/7 supervision of the grounding path, helping to:
- Prevent dangerous hidden faults
- Reduce manual inspection costs
- Maintain controlled grounding
- Support EMI suppression
- Ensure reliable insulation monitoring
If the PE conductor is broken or disconnected, insulation monitoring cannot function reliably.
A missing or faulty PE conductor may also prevent the automatic operation of protective devices, increasing the risk of electric shock and equipment malfunction.
Background, Compliance & Development of the MEV®-8 System
The MEV®-8 insulation monitoring system safeguards electrical safety in Group 2 medical locations, such as operating rooms and ICUs, where defective electrical equipment can cause serious incidents.
For more than 45 years, MEV systems have helped protect patients, personnel and valuable medical equipment in Finnish hospitals.
The current fifth-generation MEV®-8 system has been developed in close cooperation with hospital engineers and international partners. It fully complies with all key global standards, including IEC 60364-7-710, IEC 61557-8 and IEC 61557-9, which mandate insulation monitoring in medical IT systems.
The new-generation MEV® system meets international market requirements without compromising durability or reliability.
Key advancements include:
- FI-8 insulation fault localisation
- LC-8 continuous PE continuity monitoring
These features enable safety levels beyond basic standard compliance.
Key Benefits for Hospitals
- No power interruption during the first fault
- Safe fault localisation
- Reduced shock and fire risk
- Reliable biomedical measurements
- Less downtime
- Longer equipment lifetime
- Lower lifecycle costs
Quality, Reliability & Track Record
The MEV®-8 system forms a complete safety ecosystem
A fully supervised medical IT safety system that not only meets international standards, but goes beyond them to maximise:
Patient safety · System reliability · Uptime · Long-term performance
Some examples of our projects in Finland
Finnish hospitals still have older generations of equipment, such as MEV-4, in their operating rooms. This shows that our MEV system is durable, reliable, and long-lasting. Constant quality control and meticulous manufacturing ensure the quality and reliability of our equipment.
Contact information
Managing Director Timo Ohtonen, +358 9 566 09210, timo.ohtonen@ppo-elektroniikka.fi
More detailed information about techniques
Kimmo Konttinen, tel. +358 9 566 0920 or ppo@ppo-elektroniikka.fi
Our MEV team is specialised in medical insulation monitoring
Our MEV® team has 45 years of experience in insulation monitoring. PPO-Elektroniikka Oy is a reliable partner. We have received the highest possible Dun & Bradstreet Creditworthiness Classification and the highest credit rating by Asiakastieto.
PPO-Elektroniikka Oy is a member of the Association of Finnish Hospital Engineering.
Articles in International Publications
Our experts have contributed to several international publications in healthcare engineering, focusing on electrical safety, insulation monitoring, and operating room infrastructure.
IFHE Digest
Published annually by the International Federation of Hospital Engineering
- IFHE Digest 2026 / Sivut 71-73. Electrical safety in critical care: Global insights
into medical insulation monitoring. - IFHE Digest 2024 (pages 68-72) Raising safety standards in healthcare facilities
- IFHE Digest 2022 (pages 68-70). Training operating room staff in electrical safety
- IFHE Digest 2019 (pages 19-22). Operating rooms and their electrical safety
- IFHE Digest 2017 (pages 51-53): Insulation monitoring in operating rooms
HEJ Healthcare Estate Journal 9/2020: Insulation monitoring brings safety and cost-savings Pages 69-72 / Authors Mr Timo Ohtonen and Mr Petri Pelkonen
We are happy to give more information about our MEV® Insulation Monitoring System and electrical safety in medical G2 premises.
MEV® is a registered trademark of PPO-Elektroniikka Oy.
