Deterioration of Electrical Equipment and its Assessment by Environmental Testing

The paper is an attempt to indicate the various factors which cause deterioration of electrical equipments when used in unfavourable climatic conditions particularly in a tropical country like India. The factors governing deterioration of a material or a product are discussed. The examples of some typical failures due to climatic deterioration are given. The proper assessment of electrical equipments by suitable environmental testing is discussed and various Codes of Practices published by India and other countries are mentioned. India´s initiative in this matter and contribution in respect of a lower leakage current and test atmosphere suitable for tropical conditions are discussed. The systematic study carried out by Czechoslovakian State Power Research Institute and a recent work by the Siemens Group are reviewed. A reliable environmental testing procedure to simulate the actual working conditions is expected to te available in the years to come for assessing the suitability of electrical equipments used in any part of the world.