Norma IEEE 1523-2018

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IEEE Guide for the Application,
Maintenance, and Evaluation of
Room-Temperature Vulcanizing
(RTV) Silicone Rubber Coatings for
Outdoor Ceramic Insulators
IEEE Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society
Sponsored by the
Standards Committee
IEEE IEEE Std 1523™-2018

3 Park Avenue (Revision of IEEE Std 1523-2002)
New York, NY 10016-5997
USA
IEEE Std 1523™-2018
(Revision of IEEE Std 1523-2002)

Sponsor
Standards Committee
of the
IEEE Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society
Approved 30 October 2018
IEEE-SA Standards Board

Abstract: The various important aspects that need to be considered for satisfactory long-term
performance of room-temperature vulcanizing (RTV) silicone rubber high-voltage insulator coatings
(HVIC) are outlined in the guide. Methods of application, pre-coated applications, maintenance
issues on coated applications, factors affecting long-term performance, erosion resistance,
temporary loss of hydrophobicity, aging, laboratory accelerated tests, partially coated insulation,
and functional outdoor evaluation are described.
Keywords: applications, evaluation, IEEE 1523™, maintenance, RTV silicone rubber coatings,
tests
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Participants
At the time this IEEE guide was completed, the DEIS Outdoor Insulation Technical Committee Working
Group had the following membership:
Refat Ghunem, Chair
E. A. Cherney S. Ilhan I. Ramirez

A. El-Hag Luiz Meyer K. Siderakis
R. S. Gorur M. Marzinotto N. Vasudev
The following members of the individual balloting committee voted on this guide. Balloters may have voted
for approval, disapproval, or abstention.
Demetrio Bucaneg Jr. Randall Groves Ion Radu

Robert Christman Werner Hoelzl Lakshman Raut
Paul Gaberson Jim Kulchisky Bartien Sayogo
Michael Garrels Chung-Yiu Lam Jerry Smith
Edwin Goodwin William McDermid John Vergis
Christopher Petrola
When the IEEE-SA Standards Board approved this guide on 30 October 2018, it had the following membership:
Jean-Phillipe Faure, Chair

Gary Hoffman, Vice Chair
John D. Kulick, Past Chair
Konstantinos Karachalios, Secretary
Ted Burse Xiaohui Liu Robby Robson

Guido Hiertz Kevin Lu Dorothy Stanley
Christel Hunter Daleep Mohla Mehmet Ulema
Joseph Koepfinger* Andrew Myles Phil Wennblom
Thomas Koshy Paul Nikolich Philip Winston
Hung Ling Ron Petersen Howard Wolfman
Dong Liu Annette Reilly Jingyi Zhou
*Member Emeritus
6
Introduction
This introduction is not part of IEEE Std 1523-2018, IEEE Guide for the Application, Maintenance, and Evaluation of
Room-Temperature Vulcanizing (RTV) Silicone Rubber Coatings for Outdoor Ceramic Insulators.
One of the most promising methods of helping prevent the flashover of outdoor insulation under contaminated
and wet conditions, room-temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone rubber high voltage insulator coating
(HVIC) has been applied to conventional (ceramic) and polymeric (non-ceramic) insulation to help
preventative maintenance activities. The use of RTV coatings began on a trial basis during the 1970s and large-
scale application of the coatings began in the 1980s. The work on an application guide began in the early 1990s
with round robin tests in several laboratories and concurrently with user experience, the first IEEE application
guide was issued in 2002. Since that time considerable advances have been made in the understanding and use
of RTV HVIC. From early beginnings of a maintenance coating, present day applications are often applied as
an original equipment manufacturer product. This revision of the guide incorporates the knowledge obtained
over 15 years of experience on the application, maintenance, and evaluation of RTV silicone rubber coatings
for outdoor ceramic insulators, since the existing guide was issued in 2002.
Acknowledgments
The author thanks the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for permission to reproduce
Information from its International Standards. All such extracts are copyright of IEC Geneva, Switzerland. All
rights reserved. Further information on the IEC is available from www.iec.ch. IEC has no responsibility for the
placement and context in which the extracts and contents are reproduced by the author, nor is IEC in any way
responsible for the other content or accuracy therein.
7
Contents
1. Overview�� 9
1.1 Scope�� 9
1.2 Purpose�� 9
2. Normative references�� 9
3. Definitions�� 10
4. Background�� 10
5. Types of RTV coatings�� 11
6. Application guidelines�� 12

6.1 Test for adhesion�� 12
6.2 Application on de-energized equipment or lines�� 12
6.3 Application on energized equipment and lines�� 14
6.4 Safety and handling�� 15
6.5 Quality control after application�� 15
7. Pre-coated insulators�� 16

7.1 Advantages of pre-coated insulators�� 16
7.2 Packaging and shipment of pre-coated Insulators�� 16
7.3 Installation of pre-coated insulators�� 17
8. Maintaining RTV coated insulators�� 17

8.1 Audible detection of partial discharges�� 17
8.2 Visual detection of partial discharges�� 17
8.3 Water washing of coated insulators�� 17
8.4 Re-coating of Insulators�� 18
9. Factors that influence coating performance and life�� 18

9.1 Loss of hydrophobicity�� 18
9.2 Dry band arcing and erosion�� 18
9.3 Corona�� 18
9.4 Ultraviolet�� 19
9.5 Severe environments�� 19
10. DC applications�� 19
11. Partially coated insulators�� 19
Annex A (normative) Tests for evaluating electrical properties of RTV coatings�� 20
Annex B (informative) Bibliography�� 23
8
1. Overview
1.1 Scope
This guide is based on the knowledge and more than 25 years of experience on the use of room-temperature
vulcanizing (RTV) silicone rubber coatings that are used to improve the contamination performance of outdoor
high-voltage (HV) insulators. This guide discusses various important aspects that are needed for satisfactory
long-term performance of HV insulator coatings (HVIC); namely, various application methods, pre-coated
insulators, partially coated insulators, maintenance issues on coated insulators, factors affecting long-term
performance, the question of aging, laboratory accelerated tests, and functional outdoor evaluation. However,
it must be clear that for any specific application, judgment and experience are required to analyze and balance
the many characteristics, which are discussed to obtain satisfactory performance and reliability.
1.2 Purpose
This guide is intended for the use of RTV coatings on ceramic insulation. In this context, ceramic is used to
denote wet process porcelain and toughened glass insulators.
2. Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document (i.e., they must
be understood and used, so each referenced document is cited in text and its relationship to this document is
explained). For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the
referenced document (including any amendments or corrigenda) applies. (See Annex A for more information.)
ASTM D 149-09 (2013), Standard Test Method for Dielectric Breakdown Voltage and Dielectric Strength of
Solid Electrical Insulating Materials at Commercial Power Frequencies.
ASTM D 150-11, Standard Test Methods for AC Loss Characteristics and Permittivity (Dielectric Constant)
of Solid Electrical Insulation.
9
IEEE Std 1523-2018
IEEE Guide for the Application, Maintenance, and Evaluation of Room-Temperature
Vulcanizing (RTV) Silicone Rubber Coatings for Outdoor Ceramic Insulators
ASTM D 257-14, Standard Test Methods for DC Resistance or Conductance of Insulating Materials.
ASTM D 495-99, Standard Test Method for High-Voltage, Low-Current, Dry Arc Resistance of Solid
Electrical Insulation.
ASTM D 2303-13, Standard Test Methods for Liquid-Contaminant, Inclined-Plane Tracking and Erosion of
Insulating Materials.
IEC 60587:2007, Electrical insulating materials used under severe ambient conditions—Test methods for
evaluating resistance to tracking and erosion.
IEC 62217, Polymeric HV insulators for indoor and outdoor use—General definitions, test methods and
acceptance criteria
IEC TR 62730:2012, HV polymeric insulators for indoor and outdoor use tracking and erosion testing by
wheel test and 5 000h multi-stress test.
IEEE Std. 516™-2009, IEEE Guide for Maintenance Methods on Energized Power Lines.1
IEEE Std. 957™-2005, IEEE Guide for Cleaning Insulators.
ISO 2409, Paints and varnishes, cross-cut test, 1994.
3. Definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply. The IEEE Standards Dictionary
Online should be consulted for terms not defined in this clause. 2
erosion: An irreversible and nonconducting degradation of the RTV coating that occurs by loss of material.
This can be uniform or localized. Shallow surface traces can occur on coatings.3
hydrolysis: The chemical reaction between the ions of water and polymer materials resulting in loss of
adhesion or depolymerization and a possible change of electrical and mechanical properties.
hydrophobicity: The physical property of a surface with the tendency to water repellence. Water on
hydrophobic surfaces will exhibit a high static contact angle, typically 115° or greater.
room-temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber: A silicone elastomer formed by vulcanization at room

temperature of a liquid silicone polymer.
tracking: An irreversible degradation by formation of conducting (or carbonaceous) paths starting and
developing on the surface of the RTV coating. These paths can be conductive even under dry conditions.
Tracking can occur on surfaces in contact with air and on the interfaces between different insulating materials.4
4. Background
Although the first theories of flashover caused by contamination did not emerge until the 1930s, it was realized
even in the infancy of outdoor power transmission that a combination of airborne contaminants with moisture
on the surface of the insulator could result in uncontrolled leakage current leading to flashover. Leakage
1
IEEE publications are available from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (http://standards.ieee.org/).
2
IEEE Standards Dictionary Online is available at: http://dictionary.ieee.org.
3
From IEC 62217:2012. Copyright © 2012 IEC Geneva, Switzerland. www.iec.ch.
4
See Footnote 2.
10
IEEE Std 1523-2018
current leads to increased watts loss, electromagnetic interferences, pole cross-arm fires, accelerated corrosion
of metallic harness, and other safety concerns. It was understood that in order to help prevent flashover and
to reduce these other drawbacks, the leakage current must be reduced. The practices used by utilities to help
prevent flashover, with varying degrees of success, can be classified into the following groups:
a) Removing accumulation of contamination by periodic cleaning or washing

b) Minimizing accumulation of contamination on the insulator surface with the use of aerodynamic
profiles
c) Increasing insulator creepage length by increasing length or by using creepage extenders, which also
help prevent cascading of water droplets and hence provide a better utilization of leakage or creepage
distance
d) Keeping a large area of the insulator dry for a long time during natural wetting either by the use of
resistive glaze or the use of a fog bowl design, which has a profile that is difficult to wet the underskirt
area
e) Helping prevent water filming on the insulator surface by coating insulators with water-repellent
compounds, for example, grease or RTV silicone rubber
f) Helping prevent wetting on the insulator surface by replacing hydrophilic ceramic insulators with
hydrophobic polymer insulators
This guide deals specifically with RTV silicone rubber coatings. As all the methods mentioned are successful
to various degrees (see also Gorur, et al, [B3], the decision to use a particular method is normally based on
factors such as location, number of insulators, and total life-cycle costs involved.5
5. Types of RTV coatings

Commercially available RTV insulator coating systems are of three types.
Type I coating, and the longest in use, is a solvent based coating. This type typically consists of a base silicone
polymer, extending fillers such as alumina tri-hydrate, ground quartz or a combination of the two fillers, or no
extending fillers, a catalyst, reinforcing filler, pigment, an adhesion promoter, and a cross-linking agent. These
systems are dispersed in a solvent such as naphtha, or a non-flammable solvent. The solvent merely acts as a
carrier medium to transfer the RTV rubber to the insulator surface. As the solvent evaporates from the surface,
moisture from the air triggers vulcanization forming a solid rubber coating. The speed at which this takes place
depends on the type of solvent, the cure system chemistry, temperature, and humidity (see Gorur, et al. [B3]).
Extending fillers displace the silicone polymer thereby lowering the cost of the composition. Normally, an
appropriate loading of filler helps resist erosion under dry-band arcing, the degree of which is proportional to
the amount and type of filler.
Type II coating is a solvent-less coating which basically has the same ingredients as Type I coating without
the carrier solvent. In most cases, reduced extending filler in a Type II coating compared to a Type I coating is
necessary to render low viscosity for spray application, but this is not necessarily true in all cases.
Type III coating is a water-based coating having entirely different cure chemistry. Essentially, the polymer is
suspended in water, with little or no extending fillers, and the evaporation of the carrier water triggers the cure
chemistry. This type of coating has very little experience as an insulator coating and will not be addressed in
this guide.
The electrical and physical properties of the coating systems vary depending on their formulation. These
properties are the result of the amount of extending fillers, degree of cross linkage, and adhesion promotion.
5
The numbers in brackets correspond to those of the bibliography in Annex B.
11
IEEE Std 1523-2018
The formulation could play an important part as well. The properties of adhesion to surfaces, retention of
hydrophobicity under wet ambient conditions, and the dry-band arc degradation resistance are of paramount
importance to coating performance.
6. Application guidelines

6.1 Test for adhesion
Adhesion to the insulator or apparatus surface is of paramount importance and must be checked prior to
application particularly if the insulator substrate is unknown or if a new coating system is being applied for
the first time. Improperly adhered coatings can result in moisture developing between the coating and the
insulator surface giving rise to blisters, cracks and eventually tearing of the coating by wind or during high-
pressure water-washing maintenance. In the case of a composite substrate the efficiency of the test is still
under investigation.
To test for adhesion, a boiling water test is suggested. An insulator sample, prepared in the prescribed way, is
first coated using the equipment that is at hand and the coating is allowed to properly cure. The sample is then
immersed in water, boiled for 100 h and removed. Coating that is either not bonded or weakly bonded to the
surface will show bubbles and blisters as the water migrates into the interface between the sample substrate
and the coating.
A second method to test for good adhesion is to high pressure wash the coated insulator at full pressure of 6.90
MPa (1000 lbf/in2) at a distance of 2 m. Coating that is adhered well to the surface can withstand this test for
3 min. Coating that is not bonded or weakly bonded will be blown off the surface with this test. However, this
test is not quite as good as the boiling water test as it requires the skill of the operator to check for adhesion
particularly on the ribs on the bottom surface of the insulator.
6.2 Application on de-energized equipment or lines

Application of RTV coatings is recommended in the insulator factory or a separate facility that is located
as close as possible to the field site in order to reduce the possibilities of damage to the coating during
transportation or over spraying wastage or flashover. Coating application performed at the insulator factory,
or in controlled facilities, helps ensure a higher level of coating application quality due to greater control
and optimization of surface preparation, ambient conditions, coating application processes, and curing of the
coating. As such, pre-coating, either done in a factory or in a controlled facility near the field site, has become
the most commonly employed method for overhead lines. However, application of RTV coatings may be
often needed on equipment or lines that have been already commissioned. In such conditions, proper surface
preparation is essential to coating performance. This can easily be assured under de-energized conditions; this
method of application has become the predominant method for station equipment. System can be re-energized
after the coating process is complete and sufficient time has been passed for the solvent to evaporate.
6.2.1 Insulator surface preparation
All surfaces must be clean and dry. This is mandatory for proper adhesion of RTV to the insulator surface.
Soot or other deposit remaining on the surface after flashover must be removed before coating. More
tenacious contaminants, such as cement dust, will likely require a dry abrasive cleaner. The abrasive cleaning
compounds often consist of ground corncob mixed with ground walnut or pecan shells with limestone added.
Previously greased insulators can be prepared by first wiping away the bulk of grease. The surface is then hand
wiped with cloth rags and oil-less solvent to remove all grease residues. Generally, RTV silicone coatings are
applied directly to ceramic insulators without primers. For other insulators, a test for adhesion must be done,
or alternatively, the manufacturer should be contacted for specific recommendations.
High-pressure water washing is an effective cleaning method to remove common contaminants, such as
accumulated dust and salt. Insulators washed with water should be allowed to fully dry. Residual molecular
12
IEEE Std 1523-2018
moisture should be removed just prior to coating application with cloth rags using a polar solvent such as
isopropyl alcohol, ethanol or acetone. Selection of the polar solvent will be dictated by ambient temperature.
The colder the ambient temperature, the more volatile a polar solved that should be employed.
Live line washing has been performed using deionized water and soft inorganic grains, in order to help prevent
fauna from landing in the substation. Satisfactory experience has been reported for this method, in which a
spraying nozzle held with hot stick washes off the insulator at 100 lbf/in2, given a safe clearance is maintained.
Both methods of cleaning are covered in IEEE Std 957-2005.6 Coating can begin once the insulators are dry.
6.2.2 Material preparation
Material preparation involves the final mixing and dispensing of RTV into the application equipment.
However, the user should first verify that the material is still within its shelf life. Normally, RTV coatings
have a shelf life of about 6 months from date of shipment, unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. The
RTV should be mixed thoroughly to help ensure an even dispersion for spraying. For solvent type coatings,
dilution may be required depending on the viscosity of the RTV and the spray equipment used. Consult with
the manufacturer of the coating for solvent recommendations.
Material preparation refers to mixing of settled material prior to its use, which is necessary if the coating has
been kept in storage for some time. Thick coatings may require thinning with a solvent in the field to facilitate
spray application. In the field, thinning is time-consuming, error-prone and furthermore, field application is
not very conducive to careful measurement of additives, which means that every pot used has a different
consistency. Therefore, it is desirable that coating be specified ready for use after simple mixing.
6.2.3 Equipment
RTV silicone rubber coatings can be applied with a brush, conventional air spray, and airless spray equipment.
For small projects involving a few insulators, brushing is the most economical method of application, but it is a
very difficult to apply coating quickly or uniformly. A foam rubber type of brush gives a smoother surface than
a conventional bristle brush.
RTV silicone rubber coatings can be applied with several types of spray equipment commonly available and
vary in cost and features. Conventional air spray equipment involves an air-pressurized material pot, which
delivers fluid coating through a short hose to a spray gun. The low-pressure stream of fluid is finely atomized
by pressurized air at the gun tip. This equipment is generally less expensive and provides a great degree of
pattern control and quality of finish. However, it is limited in fluid pot capacity of 5 to 25 L. Also, the pot
must be carried by the operator because the low fluid pressures have limited ability to push fluid through long
lengths of hose.
Spray systems with high-pressure pumps overcome the hose length limitation. It moves fluid at high pressure
through long lengths of hose to one or several spray guns. The pumps and material pail can then be left on
the ground while sprayers move about on lifts. One operator on the ground can handle material preparation
to keep several sprayers supplied continuously. Due to the higher fluid pressures, properly rated spray guns
are required for safety. These guns are of the airless type or air-assisted airless type. Airless guns rely solely
on the force of pressurized fluid flows through a specially designed orifice and pressurized air to atomize the
fluid. As the air can be adjusted, a more controllable spray pattern can be achieved. Airless guns allow for
pattern control only by changing the interchangeable tip. The complicated geometries of insulators are more
efficiently sprayed with guns capable of pattern adjustment. Although high-pressure pump systems are more
expensive than pressure pot systems, the additional expense is usually recovered by the greater efficiency and
speed on large projects.
6
Information on references can be found in Clause 2.
13
IEEE Std 1523-2018
6.2.4 Spraying technique
RTV silicone coatings are sprayed in much the same manner as other coatings. Flat, wide spray patterns
are good for open accessible surfaces such as tops of insulator sheds. The more protected underskirt areas
are better reached with a smaller, circular pattern to confine the material to a smaller area. Several layers of
coating are typically required to reach manufacturer’s recommended film thickness. An individual coat may
vary from 0.125 mm to 0.7 mm depending on RTV viscosity, solvent amount and type, equipment type, and
environmental conditions. The RTV surface must become tack free before application of subsequent coats;
otherwise, flow will occur giving rise to drops and icicles. It is recommended that spraying is performed by
skilled personnel in order to achieve more uniform coating surfaces.
6.3 Application on energized equipment and lines

For better safety conditions on site and better coating application quality, the application of RTV coating
is preferred on equipment or lines that are de-energized. If RTV coatings have to be applied on energized
equipment or lines, safe procedures must be fulfilled by qualified personnel following the methods outlined in
IEEE Std 516-2009.
6.3.1 Insulator preparation
The preparation of the insulator surface is the most important aspect under RTV application. The insulators
need only to be high-pressure demineralized water washed. Previously greased insulators or insulators with
cement like contaminants must be cleaned de-energized (as described in 6.2.1) in order to help ensure complete
removal of residual grease or surface contaminants.
6.3.2 Material preparation
See 6.2.2.
6.3.3 Solvent details
Current formulations of coatings are normally dispersed in a hydrocarbon naphtha solvent or a non-flammable
solvent. Only the non-flammable solvent is suitable for live application. Such a solvent has no measurable
flashpoint and therefore is safe to use on live equipment by qualified personnel. Naphtha formulations are
not to be applied to energized insulators. Normally, the amount of solvent used is in the range of 15 wt% to
30 wt%. The rate of evaporation of the solvent affects the “skin over time” and cure time of the coatings. The
type of solvent will affect the appearance of the cured coatings such as gloss and smoothness. The coatings
containing flammable solvents should not be applied near electric motors that can cause sparks or near open
flame or other source of combustion. Any rags containing flammable solvent or spills have to be treated or
disposed of, in accordance with the applicable regulations.
The applicator of the coating should review the Material Safety Data Sheets from the manufacturer before
using the material to review the hazardous properties of the material.
6.3.4 Equipment
Hot sticks and hoses employing airless systems are suitable for energized application. This must be done
under strict supervision and performed only by experienced live line crews. It should be noted that energized
application does not permit thickness measurement and that material loss is considerably higher than with
conventional application. Application equipment should be dedicated to RTV silicone coatings. Other coating
materials may leave residues, which could contaminate the RTV silicone coating. Pots, pumps, hoses, and
guns must be flushed with solvent following use.
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IEEE Std 1523-2018
6.4 Safety and handling

With proper precautions, silicone RTV coatings can be safely and efficiently applied to insulators both in a
temporary facility for coating and in field environments.
6.4.1 Worker protection
Type I RTV silicone coatings are one-part (single component) solvent dispersions, which cure while exposed
to atmospheric moisture. As such, workers are exposed to solvent fumes and any volatile by-products of the
curing process. Safety glasses or goggles, gloves, and an organic vapor respirator are minimum, generally,
recommended protection equipment. Type II RTV coatings are one-part (single component) solvent-less
dispersions and do not represent a known hazard to application personnel. However, it is recommended that
the above protection equipment be used.
6.4.2 Fire hazard
WARNING
Although RTV silicone coating compositions are not considered a fire hazard, the solvent in which
it is dispersed should be evaluated for fire hazard. This is particularly important when applying RTV to
energized insulators. Spray gun should be used with the help of properly designed hot stick, but the rest
of the equipment should be properly grounded. The applicator should be at a floating potential, isolated at
least at a line rated voltage from ground. Sparks and open flame should be avoided in the presence of RTV
coatings containing a flammable solvent.
6.5 Quality control after application

6.5.1 Adhesion to insulators
A scratch test for adhesion is recommended after application which can be easily repaired after testing. The
test is performed using a specific tool described in the standard ISO 2409. In the method, orthogonal cuts are
made in the coating and poor adhesion becomes immediately evident as sections of the coating between the
scratch lines lift off the surface. The method is only good for flat surfaces and difficult to apply on curved
surfaces and in close spaces as for example between the ribs of the bottom part of the shell.
6.5.2 Coating thickness
Manufacturers’ recommendations vary a little but the thickness range specified is 250 µm to 500 µm. This
thickness is a practical rule of thumb guide that has been used for years in the coating industry and as such has
little significance to coating of electrical insulators. The experience to date suggests that coating thickness is
not a factor in either the performance or the life of the coating. Coating thickness in the range of 125 µm to
700 µm have been applied in the field with equal success. Laboratory tests indicate that when leakage current
of a damaging magnitude develops on coatings, then thickness plays a role in the coating life. Thick coatings
provide increased thermal resistance to heat generated by dry band arcing and as such do not allow the heat to
be conducted away to the coated insulator substrate as quickly as thinner coatings. Thick coatings can result
in higher hot spot temperatures during dry band arcing, thereby causing thermal degradation of the coating
sooner than thinner coatings. A coating that is too thin, however, may degrade quickly due to wearing from
environmental forces.
For quality control purposes, there are two non-destructive tests that can be performed on RTV coatings to
verify thickness. These are as follows:
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IEEE Std 1523-2018
a) Wet film gauge: Wet film gauges give a reading on thickness as applied. To determine the dry film
thickness, subtract the percentage of solvent. For example, 0.5 mm of wet material at 70% solids
would provide 0.35 mm of cured coating. Applicators typically take frequent wet film readings.
b) Ultrasonic thickness gauge: Ultrasonic thickness gauges will read the thickness of cured silicone
coating on porcelain surfaces. These gauges must be calibrated and checked prior to use.
c) Visual appearance: Once the color around the insulator is uniform, a thick layer has been likely formed,
as such a color pattern would not be noticeable until thickness is 0.4 mm or more. This practice can
be of more use for the application of coatings on energized systems. Visual appearance can be also of
more use when verifying thickness at the bottom part of the insulator weather sheds (skirts).
6.5.3 Visual appearance
Coating build properties dictate the maximum thickness that can be attained in a single pass using spray
equipment and, therefore, have a major impact on the time and cost of a coating project. Material viscosity, sag
characteristics, and the surface finish of the substrate affect film build and therefore uniformity. Sag is affected
by the adhesion and skinning characteristics of the RTV silicone rubber, the type of carrier solvent, ambient
temperature, and humidity conditions.
The coating should only be applied to the dielectric of an insulator. RTV coating does not bond very well to
the insulator bonding cement. Coating of the bonding cement should be therefore avoided as the coating will
likely lift off during service which may be cause for unwarranted concern to inspection crews. For the same
reason, coating should not be applied to the hardware, even though the adherence to the metal surface may be
quite good. The coating must be contiguous on the dielectric of the insulator, smooth, free of bubbles, lumps
and runs. A smooth coating helps minimize the collection of contaminant and also helps prevent channeling of
leakage current and dry band arcing under conditions of severe contamination. Excessive coating applied to
vertical surfaces may result in drips and icicles, and on apparatus posts having close spacing between sheds,
can cause a reduction in the insulator wet strength.
7. Pre-coated insulators

In the context of this guide, pre-coated insulators refers to RTV coating applied to new insulators which are
then installed on new or existing facilities as opposed to in situ or maintenance coating of existing insulators
or apparatus. Presently, insulator manufacturers apply the coating either in the factory, or the insulators are
shipped to a separate controlled facility that has been set-up to apply the RTV coating. After coating, the
insulators are suitably packaged and crated to reduce possible damage to the coating and shipped to the
customer.
7.1 Advantages of pre-coated insulators

One of the many advantages of pre-coated insulators is the proper preparation of insulators for optimum
bonding of the coating. Another advantage is control of coating thickness which cannot be precisely controlled
in field applications, particularly in coating energized insulators. In addition, ambient conditions during
coating application and the coating curing (vulcanizing) process can be controlled for pre-coated insulators.
Coating uniformity is contiguous on the insulator dielectric, smooth, free of bubbles, lumps and runs. A smooth
coating helps minimize the collection of contaminant and also helps prevent channeling of leakage current and
dry band arcing under conditions of severe contamination.
7.2 Packaging and shipment of pre-coated Insulators

Packaging of pre-coated insulators needs to be done so as to protect the coating from damage during
transport. For string insulators, this has been done in two ways; namely, wrapping the insulator string with
bubble packaging and then crating alternatively using Styrofoam lined crates. Shipment of crates stacked
16
IEEE Std 1523-2018
vertically on pallets is also the normal way of shipment as this lessens the damage to the coating. Packing
in individual carton boxes in which the insulator is wrapped is also used by some suppliers. The additional
packaging materials and the method of shipment to help minimize damage to the coating increases the cost of
pre-coated insulators. Apparatus with pre-coated insulators, for example disconnect switches, are not treated
differently from apparatus with un-coated insulators. However, separate apparatus insulators are wrapped
with a protective material.
7.3 Installation of pre-coated insulators

As RTV coatings have low tear strength, handling in the field must be done with care to help minimize damage
to the coating. Insulator strings must not be assembled on the ground and hoisted into position in the usual way
that uncoated insulator strings are installed. Insulators remaining in crates until ready to be raised into position
will help minimize the damage on insulators. Small nicks or cuts in the coating are not detrimental to the
performance of pre-coated insulators and can be left untouched. However, insulators that have major scrapes
or long cuts especially along the creepage path must be replaced or at least repaired by using a touch-up spray
or brush kit.
8. Maintaining RTV coated insulators

As the overall experience to date has been very good everywhere, no maintenance of RTV coatings has been
done by any user. Monitoring of coated insulators on transmission lines is only being done by a few users.
Although it has not been normally required, maintenance might be needed where pollution severity is very
high.
8.1 Audible detection of partial discharges

The first observation that is most often made by maintenance personnel after a station has been coated with
RTV is the quietness of the station particularly during fog or very light precipitation. On overhead lines, RTV
coated insulators will drastically reduce the annoying noise generated from dry band arcing and thereby reduce
the number of complaints where high voltage lines are quite close to residential areas. This is due to the fact
that the coating helps prevent both corona from hardware impinging onto the dielectric and dry-band arcing
on insulators. With time, and particularly with the accumulation of contaminant, audible noise will increase
as both corona from insulator hardware and dry band arcing may increase. A corona ultrasound sensor at close
range may be able to locate the source of the noise.
8.2 Visual detection of partial discharges

The simplest inspection consists of viewing at close range with binoculars for evidence of dry band arcing. On
suspension insulators, dry band arcing first shows up around the pin cement and on station posts, around the
hardware at the energized end as this is where the leakage current density is the greatest. Evidence of tracking
and/or erosion of the coating at this point are indicative of significant dry-band arcing and possible lack of
coating adhesion or loss of hydrophobicity. Alternatively, viewing with a corona camera during wet conditions
may be possible. In addition, the use of a corona ultrasound sensor or ultra-high frequency (UHF) sensor for
monitoring evidence of dry band arcing will also provide evidence that the coating has not being properly
applied or the coating has lost hydrophobicity.
8.3 Water washing of coated insulators

Coating performance is somewhat reduced over time and where pollution conditions are extreme, and due
to contaminant encapsulation, water washing on an extended cycle may be necessary to maintain insulator
protection. These areas are generally where cement-like forms of contaminant are present and usually in close
proximity to the source. Maintenance cleaning using high-pressure water to remove the adhered contaminant
17
IEEE Std 1523-2018
can remove both the contaminant and the coating. Normally, proper adhesion of coating to insulators will
allow for water washing at full pressure of 6.90 MPa (1000 lbf/in2) but it is recommended to consult with the
manufacturer of the coating for proper guidance.
8.4 Re-coating of Insulators

Insulator preparation by efficiently removing existing coating and cleaning surface is of a paramount
importance for proper re-coating process. Removal of existing coating has been performed by pressure
cleaning using a soft abrasive material, for example, crushed walnut shells. For station posts and apparatus
insulators, removal of the coating is feasible. However, for suspension insulators, and due to the high cost,
replacement of the insulators is suggested but up to now, this has not yet been shown to be the optimal option
(see Cherney, et al., 2014 [B1]).
Some coatings do not need to be removed, but it should be highlighted that diffusion of the fluid on a ceramic
substrate is only one way and that is to the surface. When applied to an existing coating, diffusion is in both
directions, thereby potentially shorting the life of the newly applied coating.
9. Factors that influence coating performance and life

9.1 Loss of hydrophobicity
RTV coatings perform by virtue of their hydrophobicity and a loss of hydrophobicity along a substantial portion
or the entire creepage path of an insulator can result in flashover. A complete loss of hydrophobicity along the
creepage path of insulators has only been observed in laboratory tests and in a very few field installations,
particularly on horizontal insulators in which the entire creepage path is exposed to prolonged wetting.
Normally, coatings have experienced a temporary loss of hydrophobicity on surfaces exposed to direct wetting
but this has not led to flashovers. When a complete loss of hydrophobicity occurs along a substantial length or
the entire creepage path, dry band arcing will occur which will lead to erosion of the coating.
Standard laboratory techniques demonstrate that there are differences in the hydrophobicity characteristics
among the commercially available RTV coatings; however, the end-of life has not been quantified using these
techniques.
Hydrophobicity recovery tests on insulators removed from service that have never flashed over, and after
water cleaning, show recovery times longer than 24 h. This observation indicates that the rule of thumb that
the end-of life of a RTV coated insulator is reached when hydrophobicity is lost for a time longer than 24 h, is
misleading (see Cherney, et al., 2014 [B2]).
9.2 Dry band arcing and erosion

Dry band arcing and erosion has been seen around the pin of the first two or three insulators in a string where
the electric stress is very high. This has been most evident in accelerated laboratory salt-fog aging tests but
only seen in a few field sites. However, in none of the tests or applications did flashover occur and the reason
for this is that only a small portion of the total insulator creepage path is affected.
9.3 Corona
Corona damage has been observed to coatings at the energized end on certain types of station post insulators.
In these situations, the connecting hardware on these posts has been under designed and corona at normal
operating voltage occurs. Corona impinging on the porcelain dielectric is inconsequential as the damage to
the porcelain glaze can take many years. However, to RTV coatings, the damage can occur in a relatively short
time.
18
IEEE Std 1523-2018
On the other hand, this damage is localized and while previously it was considered to be cause for concern and
required attention, experience has shown otherwise and the posts have continued to perform. Once again, as
only a very small section of the total creepage path of an insulator is affected, nothing is required in the way
maintenance.
9.4 Ultraviolet
Commercial RTV coatings have been in use for more than 25 years. Over this period and in many places where
ultraviolet radiation from the sun’s rays are very high, no evidence or reports of damage due to UV has been
reported. So, there should not be any concerns as to damage from the sun’s rays.
9.5 Severe environments

As a precautionary note, in severe environments, the loss of hydrophobicity along a major part of the creepage
path of RTV coated insulators may occur resulting in dry band arcing. This is more prone to occur in horizontal
applications rather than in vertical applications. On suspension insulator strings, dry band arcing takes place
around the pin of the insulators, and if sufficiently intense, glass suspension insulators may shatter. In severe
polluted conditions, washing of RTV coatings may improve its performance.
10. DC applications
RTV coatings are in use on high voltage dc lines and on station arresters, wall bushings and posts up to
500 kV. The “sudden flashover” phenomenon of wall bushings when lightly contaminated, where non-uniform
wetting modifies the potential distribution giving rise to flashover, has been controlled with the use of RTV
coatings. To date, there have been few concerns regarding coating applications on HVDC insulators.
11. Partially coated insulators

The service experience has highlighted that fully-coated RTV suspension insulators are prone to damage while
being transported to the field and also in handling during installation; albeit if the degree of damage to the
coating is limited to small scrapes or tears along the insulator string, the string performance is not altered.
However, damage control is now in the hands of field crews who often do not know the extent of the damage
requiring touch-up.
Insulator test stations or laboratory tests have shown how half-coated RTV silicone insulators (rubber applied
to the bottom surface only) perform almost as well as the fully coated insulators. The basis for this is that
the unprotected creepage path of insulators will lose hydrophobicity with time and it is the coated protected
creepage path of insulators that provides the necessary protection against flashover. In addition, the long
experience of coatings has revealed the increase of hydrophobicity recovery time with aging for the insulator
top surface.
Hence the half-coated RTV insulator can be devoted to heavily polluted environments leaving the fully coated
RTV insulator to very heavily polluted environments. In this respect, many field trials have been initiated to
evaluate this concept. Packaging and coating costs are expected to be significantly reduced as normal insulator
crates for shipment can be used as opposed to Styrofoam-lined crates are now used for shipment. Furthermore,
as damage to the coating is significantly reduced, no touch-up of the coating is required in the field.
19
IEEE Std 1523-2018
Annex A
(normative)
Tests for evaluating electrical properties of RTV coatings

Normally, the primary dielectric or insulating characteristics of a material for outdoor applications are
dielectric strength, relative permittivity, dissipation factor, arc resistance, insulation resistance and resistivity,
and erosion resistance. These values are obtained from standardized tests and are used to compare the
various materials as dielectrics. Generally speaking, if a material with certain characteristics has been used
successfully in an application, if follows that another material with similar or better characteristics will likely
perform as well and on this basis other materials can be selected as a suitable replacement. However, care must
be observed in using these characteristics as an absolute requirement as in some applications, many of these
characteristics have no real significance while in others changes are important as they are indicative of aging.
A.1 Dielectric strength

ASTM D 149-09(2013), Standard Test Method for Dielectric Breakdown Voltage and Dielectric Strength of
Solid Electrical Insulating Materials at Commercial Power Frequencies.
This test gives an indication of electrical strength of a material used as a dielectric at power frequencies. The
dielectric strength of materials varies greatly if bubbles, voids, contaminants, or moisture are present in the
specimens being tested. Electrode geometry is also a significant factor influencing strength. The tests are done
on thin specimens and the results are only valid for the thickness tested. Moreover, for outdoor applications,
surface discharge is more prominent than dielectric breakdown. Because of these factors, dielectric strength
is not a significant parameter of an insulator coating and are of relative rather than absolute value. Dielectric
strength is applicable for quality conformance of a coating.
A.2 Dissipation factor

ASTM D 150-11, Standard Test Methods for AC Loss Characteristics and Permittivity (Dielectric Constant)
of Solid Electrical Insulation.
This test gives an indication of the permittivity and dissipation factor or watts-loss of a material used as a
dielectric. The permittivity and dissipation factor of materials varies greatly with the presence of moisture or
other conductive species within the specimens being tested. These tests are done on thin specimens between
parallel plate electrodes.
Permittivity and dissipation factor are not significant parameters of an insulator coating and are of relative
rather than absolute value.
A.3 Arc resistance

ASTM D 495-99, Standard Test Method for High-Voltage, Low-Current, Dry Arc Resistance of Solid
Electrical Insulation.
This test gives an indication of the resistance of a material to the action of a high-voltage, low-current arc close
to the surface, causing the material to physically erode or become conducting due to the localized thermal
and chemical decomposition. The test method ranks materials under clean and dry laboratory conditions
which rarely encountered in practice, particularly in outdoor applications. This test method is not applicable
20
IEEE Std 1523-2018
to materials that do not produce conductive paths under the action of an electric arc, or that melt or form
fluid residues that float conductive residues out of the active test area thereby helping prevent formation
of a conductive path. The usefulness of this test method is very severely limited by many restrictions and
qualifications.
The dry arc resistance is not a significant parameter of an insulator coating used on outdoor insulators and as
its interpretation can be misleading the test method should not be used in coating specifications and alternate
test methods should be specified.
A.4 Insulation resistance

ASTM D 257-14, Standard Test Methods for DC Resistance or Conductance of Insulating Materials.
This test gives an indication of the resistance or conductance of a material used as a dielectric at dc voltages.
As insulation resistance combines both volume and surface resistance, its measured value is most useful when
the test specimen and electrodes have the same form as is required in actual use. Resistivity is often used as
an indirect measure of moisture content, degree of cure, mechanical continuity, and deterioration of various
types.
Generally, it is desirable to have the insulation resistance of an insulator coating as high as possible. However,
the characteristic is not a significant parameter and is of relative rather than absolute value.
A.5 Erosion and tracking resistance

ASTM D 2303-13, Standard Test Methods for Liquid-Contaminant, Inclined-Plane Tracking and Erosion
of Insulating Materials and IEC 60587:2007, Electrical insulating materials used under severe ambient
conditions—Test methods for evaluating resistance to tracking and erosion.
These test methods differentiate among solid electrical insulating materials on the basis of their resistance to
the action of voltage stresses along the surface of the solid when wet with an ionizable, electrically conductive
liquid contaminant. The effects are similar to those that may occur in service under the influence of dirt
combined with moisture condensed from the atmosphere.
Materials can be classified by ASTM D 2303-13 according to their capability of withstanding the conditions of
contamination, voltage and time. The initial tracking voltage has been found useful for evaluating insulating
materials to be used at high voltages or outdoors and unprotected, as well as for establishing the test voltage
for the time-to-track test. Very track-resistant materials, such as RTV silicone rubber coatings, typically erode
rather than track under more usual contaminant conditions in service. The use of this method for measuring
erosion is consequently important. For erosion studies, only tests as a function of time at constant voltage are
useful. For applications in extreme coastal conditions, it is suggested as a very minimum, coatings should be
able to meet the 1A4.5 criterion for tracking and erosion resistance in IEC 60587.
Although these tests are useful in obtaining a comparative evaluation of the tracking and erosion resistance of
materials, they must be used with caution particularly on RTV silicone rubber coatings. These tests artificially
destroy the natural hydrophobicity of these materials in order to induce leakage current with ensuing dry-
band arcing that erodes the coating material. As this only occurs in the most severe conditions in service, this
requirement may be too demanding for normal applications.
21
IEEE Std 1523-2018
A.6 Salt-fog tests

The 1000-h tracking and erosion test outlined in IEC 62217, Polymeric HV insulators for indoor and outdoor
use—General definitions, test methods and acceptance criteria, has been used to evaluate and rank coatings in
terms of their ability to suppress the development of leakage current. This test, formally a weathering test for
polymer insulators, suggests a minimum creepage distance of 500 mm to 800 mm. However, to obtain more
representative results, longer creepage distance has been used on vertical and horizontal insulators.
The 5000-h multi-stress test in IEC TR 62730:2012, HV polymeric insulators for indoor and outdoor use
tracking and erosion testing by wheel test and 5000-h multi-stress test, is also one that has been used to evaluate
RTV coatings in terms of their ability to help minimize leakage current and rank the extent of the erosion after
the test.
Despite the large variations in the testing methods employed, it is possible to obtain ranking of the leakage
current suppression capability and the tracking and erosion resistance of various RTV coatings available.
However, none has shown any correspondence to field observations and performance.
22
IEEE Std 1523-2018
Annex B
(informative)
Bibliography
Bibliographical references are resources that provide additional or helpful material but do not need to be
understood or used to implement this standard. Reference to these resources is made for informational use
only.
[B1] Cherney, E. A., A. El-Hag, S. Li, R. Gorur, L. Meyer, I. Ramirez, M. Marzinotto, and J.-M. George, “RTV
silicone rubber pre-coated ceramic insulators for transmission lines,” IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and
Electrical Insulation, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 237–244, February 2013.
[B2] Cherney, E. A., M. Marzinotto, R. Gorur, I. Ramirez, S. Li, A. El-Hag, and A. Tzimas, “End-of-Life and
Replacement Strategies for RTV Silicone Rubber Coatings,” IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical
Insulation, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 253–261, February 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TDEI.2013.004185.
[B3] Gorur, R. S., E. Cherney, C. de Tourreil, D. Dumora, R. Harmon, H. Hervig, B. Kingsbury, J. Kise, T.
Orbeck, K. Tanaka, R. Tay, G. Toskey, and D. Wiitanen, “Protective coatings for improving contamination
performance of outdoor high voltage ceramic insulators,” IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, vol. 10, no.
2, pp. 924–933, April 1995, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/61.400837.
[B4] IEC 62217:2012, Polymeric HV insulators for indoor and outdoor use—General definitions, test methods
and acceptance criteria, Edition 2.0.7
7
IEC publications are available from the International Electrotechnical Commission (http://www.iec.ch) and the American National
Standards Institute (http://www.ansi.org/).
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IEEE IEEE Std 1523™-2018

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Approved 30 October 2018

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Copyright © 2018 by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.

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Annex A (normative) Tests for evaluating electrical properties of RTV coatings������������������������������������������� 20

IEEE Std. 957™-2005, IEEE Guide for Cleaning Insulators.

ISO 2409, Paints and varnishes, cross-cut test, 1994.

room-temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber: A silicone elastomer formed by vulcanization at room

a) Removing accumulation of contamination by periodic cleaning or washing

5. Types of RTV coatings

6. Application guidelines

6.2 Application on de-energized equipment or lines

6.2.1 Insulator surface preparation

6.2.2 Material preparation

6.2.4 Spraying technique

6.3 Application on energized equipment and lines

6.3.1 Insulator preparation

6.3.2 Material preparation

6.3.3 Solvent details

6.4 Safety and handling

6.4.1 Worker protection

6.4.2 Fire hazard

6.5 Quality control after application

6.5.2 Coating thickness

6.5.3 Visual appearance

7. Pre-coated insulators

7.1 Advantages of pre-coated insulators

7.2 Packaging and shipment of pre-coated Insulators

7.3 Installation of pre-coated insulators

8. Maintaining RTV coated insulators

8.1 Audible detection of partial discharges

8.2 Visual detection of partial discharges

8.3 Water washing of coated insulators

8.4 Re-coating of Insulators

9. Factors that influence coating performance and life

9.2 Dry band arcing and erosion

9.5 Severe environments

11. Partially coated insulators

Tests for evaluating electrical properties of RTV coatings

A.1 Dielectric strength

A.2 Dissipation factor

A.3 Arc resistance

A.4 Insulation resistance

A.5 Erosion and tracking resistance

A.6 Salt-fog tests

Fax: +1 732 562 1571

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Annex A (normative) Tests for evaluating electrical properties of RTV coatings�� 20