The Cold Fog Test

The electrical performance of outdoor insulation degrades severely during combinations of factors that include surface contamination (C), ice (I), fog (F) and an ambient temperature that rises through 0 C (T{sub 0{degree}}). Failures at operating voltage on 115-kV, 230-kV and 500-kV systems occur with increasing probability under these conditions. A new CFT{sub 0{degree}} or cold-fog test method has been developed to reproduce the flashovers at all three voltage levels. Three options are identified for improving CFT{sub 0{degree}} performance: use of semi-conductive glazes, substitution of silicone for porcelain and use of silicone coatings on existing porcelain insulators.