Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering

ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9 Copyright °c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg

TRACKING AND EROSION OF COMPOSITE INSULATORS AND

SPACERS – A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TEST METHODS
Darcy R. De Mello1*, Ricardo W. Garcia1 and Jorge R. de Mendonça1
1
CEPEL – Electrical Energy Research Center,
Av. Olinda s/n, Adrianópolis, Nova Iguaçu, RJ, Zip Code 26053-121, Brazil
*Email: darcy@cepel.br

Abstr act: A comparison among the results obtained with the application of the tracking wheel test
and 5000 h test to the same composite insulators for overhead lines and a discussion about
approval criterion are presented. The 5000 h tracking and erosion test in a small compact
distribution line is also presented. The results obtained are discussed principally with reference to
three phase polymeric spacers and, as a result, a new tracking and erosion test for three phase
spacers is presented.

1. INTRODUCTION of them for 15 kV, to be tested at the same time, as can

be seen in Figure 1.
The necessity to make tracking and erosion tests on
composite insulators as design tests following several
IEC standards (IEC 61109 [1] and IEC 61952 [2])
obliged the test laboratories to mount special structures
to fulfil the standards. There were two possibilities to
make this test: the 1 000 h test and the multiple stresses
test that was better known as 5 000 h test. Due to the
long time of the 5000 h test, a special test chamber was
built in order to testing, at the same time, several 15 kV
composite insulators for overhead lines, composite line
post insulators, polymeric pin post insulators and
polymeric lightning arresters. When IEC 62217 [3] was
published, it presented one new test method (wheel
test) and changed the test arrangement and the voltage
level of the 5 000 h test, reducing the number of the
samples to be tested at the same time. These
modifications made the laboratories to mount the
wheel test and, during its implementation, several tests
were made on the same composite insulators for
overhead lines that had been tested with the 5 000 h
test. The results obtained with this comparison are
presented in this paper and permit an evaluation of
what test is the best to evaluate the tracking and
erosion characteristic of a polymeric insulator. Figur e 1: Plan view of the 5000 h test facility

This paper also presents a 5000 h test made on 2.2. Wheel test facility
insulators and cables for distribution compact lines to
The testing was conducted at the same special chamber
evaluate the tracking and erosion characteristic
of the 5000 h test as seen in Figure 2.
between them. The necessity to evaluate polymeric
three phase spacers for compact distribution lines made
the laboratory to develop a new tracking and erosion
test with a three phase energization that is presented in
this paper.

2. COMPARISON BETWEEN TRACKING

AND EROSION TEST METHODOLOGIES

2.1. 5000 h test facility

This test was mounted at the CEPEL’s High Voltage
Laboratory, in a chamber with 5.20m x 4.60m x 4.60 m
height, that let to install 24 composite insulators for
overhead lines and 63 composite line post, polymeric
pin post insulators or polymeric lightning arresters, all
Figur e 2: View of the wheel test facility
Pg. 1 Paper E-13
 Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering
ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9 Copyright °c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg

2.3. Test samples 2.4. Test results

The main characteristics of the 15 kV composite The photos showing the results after the 5000 h test
insulators for overhead lines used in the comparison and after the wheel test can be seen in Figures 3 to 5.
test can be seen in Table 1. At each figure, the sequence showed is:

Table 1: Composite insulators main characteristics. A) first, the insulator when new (1 sample);

Dry arc Creepage Voltage for B) second, the insulator after 5000 h test
Insulator (1 sample);
distance distance wheel test
number
[mm] [mm] [kV]
1 260 682 23.,8 C) third, the insulator after wheel test
2 240 524 18,3 (4 samples).
3 224 590 20,6

A) B)

C)

Figur e 3: Insulator number 1

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 Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering
ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9 Copyright °c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg

A) B)

C)
Figur e 4: Insulator number 2

A) B)

Sample 1 Sample 2

C)

Sample 3 Sample 4

Figur e 5: Insulator number 3

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 Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering
ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9 Copyright °c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg

2.5. Test comments system and propagates on the cable semiconducting

housing.
The insulators number 1 and number 2 were approved
in 5000 h test but all samples of the same insulators
submitted to wheel test were disapproved. The
insulator number 3 presented non conductive erosion
with 1 mm depth in 5000 h test and can be considered
approved but in the wheel test all samples failed.

The test results permits to consider that the use of the

creepage distance, in the determination of the test
voltage value, is the factor that makes a test able to best
evaluate the tracking and erosion characteristics of a
polymeric insulator. The revision of IEC 61109 and
IEC 61952, published in 2008, indicates the use of IEC
62217 for tracking and erosion tests. This standard
considers the leakage distance also for the 5000 h test
but considering the test duration (more or less 7
months for 5000 h test and 1600 h for wheel test), the
wheel test can be considered the best option. Another
option for tracking and erosion test, presented by IEC
62217, is the 1000 h test that uses also the creepage
distance but an inquiry made by IEC consider it the
less severe among the three test options as can be seen
in Figure 6.

Figur e 7: Compact line test arrangement

Figur e 6: Results of IEC inquiry

3. COMPACT LINE TRACKING AND

EROSION TEST

The electrical companies had related several failures in

the assemblages polymeric pin insulator + cable and
polymeric spacer + cable.

As there are no standards for polymeric pin insulators Figur e 8: Test result with XLPE cable, polymeric ring
and polymeric spacers, it was decided to make 5000 h and polymeric pin insulator
test to evaluate the tracking and erosion withstand
capability of the assemblages. To do this test, a small
compact distribution lines using the arrangement
present in Figure 7 was mounted.

Some test results are presented in Figures 8 to 10 and

one can be seen that the main problem is the dielectric
compatibility between the cable, the polymeric
insulator and the tie system or between the cable and
the tie system (in the case of porcelain insulators). The
tie system must have its resistivity similar to the cable
resistivity to avoid the current circulation in their
interface due to the potential difference between them. Figur e 9: Test result with HDPE cable, polymeric
It was also observed that the failure begins on the tie preformed tie and polymeric pin insulator
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 Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering
ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9
Figur e 10: Test result with XLPE cable, polymeric
preformed tie and porcelain pin insulator
The results obtained in laboratory showed fails similar
to the fails obtained in field for the cable – insulator
arrangement (see in Figure 11) but the results with
polymeric spacers were not the same because it has a
three phase configuration and the test has only a one
phase test source.
Figur e 11: Cables mounted with polymeric insulators
danified in field
4. TRACKING AND EROSIN TEST ON
POLYMERIC SPACER
A test circuit to evaluate the capacity to withstand
tracking and erosion of three phase polymeric spacer
and the dielectric compatibility between spacer, cable
and tie was developed when was verified that there are
no international standards for this equipment. To verify
the results the same polymeric pin insulators and cable
tested in 5000 h were mounted in a configuration
similar to a small 15 kV compact distribution line.
4.1. Test facility
The first problem is the necessity to use a three phase
test transform to energize the test circuit in order to
verify the leakage currents between phases, as can be
verified in the field. The second problem is the
necessity to heat and refresh the test object and the
third problem is the dimension of the test circuit. After
several trials the test circuit showed in Figure 12 was
approved with the following test methodology:
• the test voltage is twice the nominal voltage of
the compact line;
• test duration of 30 days continuously;
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Copyright °c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg
• the circuit is heated until 60º C by induction
using a current transformer;
• to refresh is used rain (precipitation of
1 mm/min and conductivity of 750 µS/cm) in
a cycle of 5 min with rain and 15 min without
rain.
4.2. Test results
The results obtained showed tracking similar the
observed in field with the spacers (see in Figure 13),
including also its destruction by flame due to a short
circuit between phases (see Figure 14). With the pin
post insulators it was observed a tracking similar to the
result obtained in 5000 h test made with cable (see
Figure 15) and the appearance of tracking signals in the
region where the metallic pin is introduced into the pin
post insulator, as can be seen in Figure 16. This type of
tracking was observed in the field and is a great
problem to the maintenance team due to its position.
Figur e 12: Compact line test arrangement.
Where:
1 → three phase test transformer
2 → voltage divider
3 → rain structure
4 → polymeric pin insulators
5 → voltage regulator
6 → current transformer
7 → composite line insulators
8 → auxiliary cables for heating
9 → cable under test
10 → polymeric spacer
(a) in field (b) in laboratory
Figur e 13: Tracking in polymeric spacers
Paper E-13
 Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering
ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9
Figur e 14: Polymeric spacer burning during a test
Figur e 15: Damage in the connexion cable - insulator
a)
b)
Figur e 16: Polymeric pin post insulators danified
(a) in field (b) in laboratory
5. CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained permits to consider that the wheel
test is more rigorous than the 5000 h test and 1000 h
and it can be considered the best tracking and erosion
test. Considering the its duration, the tracking wheel
test needs much less time than 5000 h test and a few
more time than 1000 h test, but as theirs costs are the
same due the automation the tracking wheel is the best
choice.
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Copyright °c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg
The dielectric compatibility between cable - insulator -
tie and between cable - spacer - tie is a problem that
must be evaluated in the future for compact lines.
The new tracking and erosion test permits to represent
the failures observed in the field and in the 5000 h test.
It is the single test that can be made with three phase
polymeric spacers and can represent the leakage
current movement between phases. Although the new
tracking and erosion test had obtained good results in
the fail representation for pin post insulators its use
with this insulator is only advisable for dielectric
compatibility evaluation.
6. REFERENCES
[1] IEC 61109, “Composite suspension and tension
insulators for a.c. overhead lines with a nominal
voltage greater than 1 000 V - Definitions, test
methods and acceptance criterion”, 2004.
[2] IEC 61952, “Composite line post insulators for a.c.
overhead lines with a nominal voltage greater than
1 000 V - Definitions, test methods and acceptance
criterion”, 2004.
[3] IEC 62217, “Polymeric insulators for indoor and
outdoor use with a nominal voltage greater than
1 000 V – General definitions, test methods and
acceptance criterion”, 2004.
[4] D. R. de Mello, R. W. S. Garcia, C. E. M.
Malheiros and R. L. Silva, “Evaluation of compact
distribution networks”, ISH, 2003.
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