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Insulation Fundamentals
The fundamental understanding of cable insulation properties forms the foundation for assessment of cable operability. These same fundamentals provide the basis for evaluating whether various e le ctrical and physical te sts and measurements are meaningful, cost-effective, and warranted, and are a basis for evaluation of present or conventional cable test practices against the critical properties of concern for: Cable operability Life extension Retention of the original environmental qualification, and The adequacy of environmental qualification.
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of the cable. For unshie lde d cable , the insulation resistance has a complex relationship to volume and surface resistivity because there is no shield for a return path.
The electrical equivalent circuit of a good run of cable is shown in Figure 2 . If the insulation were perfect, the parallel resistance RPwould not exist and the insulation would appear as strictly capacitance. Since no insulation is perfect, the parallel or insulation resistance exists. This is the resistance measured during a test using a Megger Insulation Tester. Tester
Current flowing through this resistance is measured when performing a DC Hipot Test as shown in Figure 1 . The combined inductance (L), series resistance (RS), capacitance (C) and parallel resistance (RP) as shown in Figure 2 is defined as the characte ristic impe dance (Z0) of the cable .
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Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation is subject to a condition termed tre e ing . It has been found that the presence of moisture containing contaminants, irregular surfaces or protrusions into the insulation plus electrical stress provides the proper environment for inception and growth of these trees within the polyethylene material. Testing indicates that the AC bre akdow n stre ngth of these treed cables is dramatically reduced. Damage caused by lightning, fire, or overheating may require replacement of the cable to restore service.
At this location the insulation or parallel resistance has been drastically reduced and a spark gap has developed. See Figure 5 . Occasionally a series fault shown in Figure 6 can develop due to a blown open phase
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