Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
(OP)
We have some post insulators on site that we are considering to re-using. Others that were installed at the same time seem to work with no problems. But these things are likely 20+ years old. Is there a way to test them? Or is there a longevity chart on stuff like this? Or is this in general, just a bad idea to re-use something this old?
Attached is a picture of one of them.
Attached is a picture of one of them.






RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
I think you got your money's worth.
RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
Some of ours were quite old. Mechanical integrity was beginning to deteriorate in too many of them. the cement between the various cap elements and the cap to pin junction starts failing. When this happens you get some interesting electrical effects in the gaps.
We never tested them, just replaced them wholesale.
old field guy
RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
2)How many pin insulators are in the substation?
3) History of total failure and how many associated with insulators?
4) There is a plan for modernize this facility any time soon? Any estimate capital available at this time?
5) if the target insulator is replaced with new post insulator that will improve the overall reliability of this substation?
Judging by the picture provided, I do not see how changing a single insulator by a new post type or pin type insulator will make any significant difference in the overall reliability of the substation.
RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
I am disagree with you regarding that questions above are not safety related.
For example, failure, redundancy, level of SC vs. mechanical withstand of insulator, history of failure and consequences among others are indirectly related with safety to me.
My main concern is changing a few insulators leving other old insulators in operation may not change the overall facility reliability or safety related issues.
Assuming that all insulators are replaced by post type insulators, how this will resolve all safety related issues in the substation?
RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
Who said anything about guessing? I'm not familiar with IEC testing, but if the tests are electrical in nature I doubt they would catch every pending mechanical failure. But even if they could be proved mechanically sound doesn't mean I would put a device with a such a poor record back in service.
RE: Is there a way to test post insulators? Is there an expected life
The second picture in the attached .pdf is of the cement that holds the two bells together, that is apparently per this thread and vendor's info - the potential point of failure. By inspection it doesn't look like this would give way and these insulators have a good track record at this plant.
But the advice here will be heeded. There is no sense in risking it to save relatively speaking little $. Thanks for the answers.