scope:

This IEC Technical Report presents the important material properties of polymeric materials used in outdoor insulation and, where applicable, lists the standardised test methods including the minimum requirements. If no standardised tests are available, the test methods reported in literature are summarised. This report is valid for insulating materials having polymeric insulation, which are used in outdoor high voltage electrical applications with a system voltage greater than 1000 V AC and 1500 V DC (several tests are only defined for AC, which are not applicable for DC). Such applications include where the housing is an integral part of the device e.g. in surge arresters and cable terminations. The scope of this report is limited to the insulation materials only and is not generally intended for coating materials (coating materials are i.e. thin layers applied on glass and porcelain insulators). Some tests mentioned in the document are applicable for coating and are under consideration of CIGRE. The performance of insulators in service depends on several factors such as the type of material, the design, environmental conditions etc.. Consequently, the choice of materials that fulfil the requirements listed in Table 1 is a necessary condition but does not guarantee satisfactory performance when used in outdoor insulation.