ASTM_D_2303_-_13.pdf

Designation:D230313Standard Test Methods forLiquid-Contaminant,Inclined-Plane Tracking and Erosion ofInsulating Materials1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D2303;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S.Department of Defense.1.Scope1.1 These test methods cover the evaluation of the relativetracking and erosion resistance of insulating solids using theliquid-contaminant,inclined-plane test.2The following testmethods also can be used to evaluate the tracking resistance ofmaterials:D2132(contaminants:dust and fog)and D3638(contaminant:conductive liquid drops).1.2 Two tracking and one erosion test procedure are de-scribed:1.2.1 A“variable voltage method”to evaluate resistance totracking.1.2.2 A“time-to-track method”to evaluate resistance totracking.1.2.3 A method for quantitative determination of erosion(Annex A1).1.3 While a particular contaminant solution is specified,other concentrations of the same contaminant,or differentcontaminants are used to simulate different environmental orservice conditions.1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regardedas the standard.1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.Specific precau-tionary statements are given in Section 8.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:3D374 Test Methods for Thickness of Solid Electrical Insu-lation(Withdrawn 2013)4D1711 Terminology Relating to Electrical InsulationD2132 Test Method for Dust-and-Fog Tracking and ErosionResistance of Electrical Insulating MaterialsD3638 Test Method for Comparative Tracking Index ofElectrical Insulating Materials2.2 IEC Standards:IEC 60587 Test Methods for Evaluating Resistance to Track-ing and Erosion for Electrical Insulating Materials UsedUnder Severe Ambient Conditions3.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 erosion,electrical,nthe progressive wearing awayof electrical insulation by the action of electrical discharges.3.1.2 erosion resistance,electrical,nthe quantitative ex-pression of the amount of electrical erosion under specificconditions.3.1.3 track,na partially conducting path of localizeddeterioration on the surface of an insulating material.3.1.4 tracking,nthe process that produces tracks as aresult of the action of electric discharges on or close to theinsulation surface.3.1.5 tracking,contamination,ntracking caused by scin-tillations that result from the increased surface conduction dueto contamination.3.1.6 tracking resistance,nthe quantitative expression ofthe voltage and the time required to develop a track underspecified conditions.3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:1These test methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D09 onElectrical and Electronic Insulating Materials and are the direct responsibility ofSubcommittee D09.12 on Electrical Tests.Current edition approved April 1,2013.Published June 2013.Originallyapproved in 1964.Last previous edition approved in 2004 as D2303 97(2004),which was withdrawn in January 2013 and reinstated in April 2013.DOI:10.1520/D2303-13.2K.N.Mathes,Chapter 4,“Surface Failure Measurements,”EngineeringDielectrics,Vol IIB,Electrical Properties of Solid Insulating Materials,Measure-ment Techniques,R.Bartnikas,Editor,ASTM STP 926,ASTM,Philadelphia,1987.3For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.4The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced onwww.astm.org.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 3.2.1 initial tracking voltage,nthe applied voltage atwhich continuous tracking can be initiated in a specified time.3.2.2 time-to-track,nthe time in which tracking proceedsa specified distance between the test electrodes at a specifiedvoltage.3.3 Other definitions pertinent to these test methods aregiven in Terminology D1711.4.Significance and Use4.1 These test methods differentiate among solid electricalinsulating materials on the basis of their resistance to the actionof voltage stresses along the surface of the solid when wet withan ionizable,electrically conductive liquid contaminant.4.2 These test methods quantitatively evaluate,in a relativemanner,the effects upon an insulating material resulting fromthe action of electrical discharges upon a material surface.Theeffects are similar to those that m