Standards Development

Scope

This document covers insulating ropes that are utilized during Live Working (LW) procedures in contact with parts of installations operating at voltages up to and including 800 kV RMS. They shall already meet other specifications relating to mechanical strength, physical and construction properties. Insulating ropes up to a diameter of 32 mm only are given consideration for the test acceptance criteria and larger diameters may require increased leakage current criteria and engineering analysis for a particular application.At the present time, insulating rope options include but are not limited to various styles, materials, and construction, including extruded thermoplastic jacket ropes with sealed ends, fiber with overlay/wax coating and additives and fiber without any additives. Extruded thermoplastic jacket ropes with sealed ends are more likely to meet the acceptance criteria for direct contact (Category 1) ropes. Before any electrical testing, a visual test should be done to verify if the ends are sealed.This standard covers in-service care and periodic testing. The arc flash properties of the insulating rope are not evaluated in this standard but should be given consideration.An Acceptance Test may be arranged between a manufacturer and the end user in order to demonstrate that the product meets the specifications and requirements of this standard.