Development and evaluation of an improved RTV coating for outdoor insulation

This paper briefly reviews the original introduction of the RTV insulator coating to the utility- industry, early applications, which led to the eventual development of an IEEE guide for these coatings. It will then discuss the challenges faced in this application, which eventually led to the desire to develop a next generation product to improve performance and lengthen service life. The paper will explain how candidate materials were evaluated and ranked in the categories of ease of application, physical properties and durability, dielectric properties and simulated performance in the application. It will also review important considerations for users of RTV coatings in general.