Discussion at Swampscott regional meeting: Investigation of high-tension cable joints

A. P. Thoms: I do not see why so much stress should be placed on the dielectric loss in a joint. E. S. Lee, in a paper before the A. I. E. E. Midwinter Convention², stated that the dielectric-strength test is the most important and the best test available at the present time; that indications are that the present standardized voltages should be increased and that increasing the application of the test two or three minutes is of doubtful value. The authors of this paper have used the standardized dielectric-strength test with the application increased a few minutes, and this test, according to Lee, is of doubtful value.