Abstract
This paper describes the electrical breakdown characteristics of broken toughened glass stem insulators by comparing with those of sound ones. The broken toughened glass stem insulators were taken from the electric railway field. According to the international standards, the sound and broken toughened glass stem insulators were tested in electrical strength. In the test, the power frequency voltage and the impulse voltage with a standard waveform were applied to the insulators. The power frequency voltage tests were carried out under both dry and wet condition and the impulse voltage tests under only dry condition. The acquired results were compared one another and discussed in electrical breakdown characteristic by analyzing the flashover progress pictures. As a result, the electrical strength of the broken toughened glass insulators was acquired and the processes of the surface breakdown on the toughened glass insulators were confirmed.
