scope:

This guide lists the various field test methods that are currently available or under development with guidance on HOW to perform each test. The Guide covers shielded, insulated power cable systems rated 5 kV through 500 kV unless these voltages are modified by the specific "point" document. A complete tutorial or debate forum for one method versus another is not being attempted. A brief listing of "advantages" and "disadvantages" is included, but the users should avail themselves of the technical papers that are referenced, the material listed in the bibliography in Annex B, manufacturers' literature, and recent research results to make decisions on whether to perform a test and which test method to use. In making such decisions, consideration should be given to the performance of the connected cable system, including joints, terminations, and associated equipment. (The manufacturers of the associated equipment should be consulted, or their instruction bulletins read, for the applicability of the chosen test to that particular type of equipment.)

This Guide does not propose to cover, but may apply to , communication cables, control cables, high-frequency cables, and other special purpose cables, or unshielded power cables.

Purpose

The purpose of this Guide is to provide an overview of the various tests available for evaluating the insulation of cable systems in the field, and to set the stage for a series of guides covering each test method.