Improved Understanding of Extruded MV Cable Performance Through the Modification of Existing Approval Protocols

Abstract

Cable users and manufacturers have an increasing wish to gain a deeper understanding of cable performance, beyond the knowledge that it simply complies with the minimum performance level defined within a standard. Although approval test protocols have served this purpose well, they do not provide the level of sophistication that is required for a detailed analysis. This paper describes many of the common shortfalls in current test protocols and advocates a number of simple modifications to procedures. These modifications will make approval test methods better able to address the more detailed discrimination being requested today.