Tech Info: Insulators Storage & Handling
While these insulators are remarkably resistant to damage, care should always be taken to avoid dragging on the ground, or against structural numbers.
The insulators will accept moderate bending or twisting, but severe bending or torsional loading should be avoided. Bending loads are sometimes easily applied to ball or socket fittings, watch especially for ball shank bending and/or socket cotter crushing.
If rings are to be added, follow manufacturer’s recommendations for position and orientation. This information is provided by a small drawing/tag attached to each ring.
Installation
Always examine insulators for handling and shipping damage.
Install insulators so that moisture will drain from the sheds, the shed angles make this easy in standard line construction. If unique construction requirements – e.g. “uphill deadends”, result in sheds which will not drain, reverse the insulators or use special insulators with inverted sheds. A good rule when the insulator must be installed with upward-sloping sheds is to make sure the insulator position is within 45 degrees of horizontal.
For safety reasons and to prevent insulator damage, crews MUST AVOID climbing on, walking on, or hanging ladders from the insulator surfaces.
Storage
Store insulators in an area free of standing water. Avoid direct contact with transformer oil, hydraulic oil, or other similar petroleum derivatives.
The light weight of the insulators permits storage on light duty floors and foundations. Suspension insulator design encourages vertical storage (hanging or standing), reducing the floor area required. For long units standing vertically, a simple rack may be useful to provide support.
Cleaning
McWade Insulators normally require no cleaning, washing, or other routine maintenance. Chalking of the rubber weathersheds surfaces that are exposed to sunlight is normal and helps protect the polymer surface from the sun’s UV rays. Thus, chalky white surface film need not be removed by cleaning.
Washing or cleaning may be required if the insulators are installed in areas of severe environmental contamination and where there are indications of abnormal leakage currents or scintillation on the insulator surface due to fog, mist, or other conditions of light wetting.
In the event that washing or cleaning is required, the procedures are outlined in ANSI/IEEE 957 “Guide for Insulator Cleaning”