IEEE Std 592-1990

(Revision of IEEE Std 592-1977)

IEEE Standard for Exposed

Semiconducting Shields on High-Voltage
Cable Joints and Separable Insulated
Connectors

Sponsor
Accessories Subcommittee of the Insulated Conductors Committee
of the
IEEE Power Engineering Society

Approved December 6, 1990

IEEE Standards Board

Abstract: IEEE Standard 592-1990, IEEE Standard for Exposed Semiconducting Shields on High-Voltage
Cable Joints and Separable Insulated Connectors, provides design tests for shield resistance and a
simulated fault-current initiation for exposed semiconducting shields used on cable accessories, specifically
joints and separable insulated connectors rated 15 kV through 35 kV.
Keywords: shield resistance, fault-current initiation

ISBN 1-55937-090-4
Copyright © 1991 by
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
345 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017-2394, USA
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, in an electronic retrieval system or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of the publisher.

Copyright © 1998 IEEE All Rights Reserved i

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ii
Foreword

(This Foreword is not a part of IEEE Std 592-1990, Standard for Exposed Semiconducting Shields on High-Voltage Cable Joints
and Separable Insulated Connectors.)

Cable accessories, speciÞcally separable insulated connectors system and joints, used with extruded dielectric cable
rated 5 kV and above, are required to have an outer semiconducting shield covering their insulation surfaces. The
shield is intended to protect the insulation, provide voltage stress relief, maintain the accessory surface at or near
ground potential under normal operating conditions, and initiate fault-current arcing if the accessory insulation should
fail. This standard sets forth tests and requirements to demonstrate that the shield will perform these duties.

One of the requirements in this standard speciÞes a maximum shield-resistance performance. This requirement is to
assure that the accessory shield provides stress relief and that the shield surface is maintained at or near ground
potential.

Another requirement in this standard speciÞes a shield fault-current initiation test. This test is designed to demonstrate
the ability of the accessory shield to initiate fault-current arcs to ground that will cause overcurrent protective devices
to operate, should the accessory insulation fail. In this test, special connections and procedures are speciÞed to assure
that full circuit voltage will be applied to the shield during the test. The test speciÞcations do not, however, attempt to
simulate all service conditions nor Þeld assembly.

This revision of IEEE Std 592-1977 reduces the fault initiation time from 3 min to 3 s, reßecting the present day
performance. The minimum rating of devices was raised from 5 kV to 15 kV to provide consistency with other
applicable standards.

This standard was prepared by a working group of the Accessories Subcommittee of the Insulated Conductors
Committee of the IEEE Power Engineering Society. The working group had the following membership at the time this
standard was approved:

G. P. Rampley, Chair

J. E Bramfitt R. A. Hartlein E. L. Sankey

M. Dorn H. C. Hervig, Jr. D. R. Stevens
R. Eldridge R. H. Leuteritz A. N. St. John
G. Foote G. J. Luzzi D. Tomaszewski
M. A. Ford W. J. McNulty
R. D. Fulcomer C. E. Peterson

The Insulated Conductors Committee that balloted and approved this document for submission to the IEEE Standards
Board had the following membership:

T. Aabo M. D. Buckweitz E. J. D'Aquanno

P. Alex P. W. Burgemeestre S. J. Dale
R. W. Allen, Jr. R. R. Burghardt J. M. Daly
T. P. Arnold M. D. Calcamuggio R. A. Decker
T. A. Balaska J. L. Carlson C. Doench
R. Bartnikas J. R. Chalker E. K. Duffy
E. W. Bennett H. Chu J. P. Dupont
C. W. Blades W. E. Cole G. S. Eager, Jr.
R. B. Blodgett J. E. Conley R. M. Eichhorn
R. R. Borowski W. F. Constantine J. S. Engelhart
K. E. Bow D. A. Costello R. N. Essig
J. E. Bramfitt S. J. Croall A. W. Fidrych
C. V. Brown F. V. Cunningham S. L. Fitzhugh

iii
 A. Fitzpatrick T. H. Ling C. J. Salvidar
M. A. Ford G. Ludasi D. Sandwick
E. O. Forster R. Lukac E. L. Sankey
R. W. Foster G. R. Lusk J. F. Shimshock
R. D. Fulcomer R. Luther D. A. Silver
J. B. Gardner G. J. Luzzi E. B. Smith
J. J. Garland R. F. Mann J. H. Snow
A. Garshick M. A. Martin, Jr. N. R. Spencer
P. Gazzana-Priaroggia I. J. Marwick N. Srinivas
R. B. Gear M. S. Mashikain D. R. Stein
E. F. Geary S. G. Mastoras J. L. Steiner
S. M. Gilbert L. B. McClung F. R. Stockum
O. I. Gilbertson A. R. McCulloch G. A. Straniero
A. Godoshian E.J. McGowan M. D. Sweat
R. A. Guba A. L. McKean W. K. Switzer
R. A. Hartlein W. J. McNulty J Tanaka
H. C. Hervig, Jr. J. D. Medek F. A. Teti
S. V. Heyer J. D. Mintz H. D. Thomas
R. W. Higginbottom J. A. Moran, Jr. W. A. Thue
L. J. Hiivala D. J. Nichols A. C. Tingley
R. E. Hoy H. E. Orton R. S. Turner
W. F. Jensen, Jr. J. J. Pachot S. E. Turner
C. V. Johnson R. N. Pallardy C. F. Von Hermann, Jr.
J. Jurcisin C. D. Palmer J. G. Waligorski
C. Katz N. E. Piccione S. P. Walldorf
F. E. Kimsey J. J. Pickering E. M. Walton
J. Kitchens J. S. Pirrong V. J. Warnock
H. T. Knox N. R. Plant R. H. Watkins
F. B. Koch J. B. Prime, Jr. A. C. Westrom
S. Kozak P. F. Pugh C. A. White
F. E. La Fetra D. W. Purnhagen R.O. Wilkinson
C. Landinger J. G. Quin J. A. Williams
J. S. Lasky G. P. Rampley C. Woodell
J. H. Lawson R. A. Resauli J. T. Zimnoch
R. E. Leuch R. B. Robertson
R. H. Leuteritz N. M. Sacks

When the IEEE Standards Board approved this standard on December 6, 1990, it had the following membership:

Marco W. Migliaro, Chair

James M. Daly, Vice Chair
Andrew G. Salem, Secretary

Dennis Bodson Kenneth D. Hendrix L. Bruce McClung

Paul L. Borrill John W. Horch Donald T. Michael*
Fletcher J. Buckley Joseph L. Koepfinger* Stig Nilsson
Allen L. Clapp Irving Kolodny Roy T. Oishi
Stephen R. Dillon Michael A. Lawler Gary S. Robinson
Donald C. Fleckenstein Donald J. Loughry Terrance R. Whittemore
Jay Forster * John E. May, Jr. Donald W. Zipse
Thomas L. Hannan Lawrence V. McCall

* Member Emeritus

iv
CLAUSE PAGE
1. Scope ...................................................................................................................................................................1

2. References ...........................................................................................................................................................1

3. Performance Requirements .................................................................................................................................1

4. Test Procedures ...................................................................................................................................................2

4.1 Test Specimens .......................................................................................................................................... 2

4.2 Shield Resistance Test ............................................................................................................................... 2
4.3 Fault-Current Initiation Test ...................................................................................................................... 2

v
HIGH-VOLTAGE CABLE JOINTS AND SEPARABLE INSULATED CONNECTORS IEEE Std 592-1990

IEEE Standard for Exposed

Semiconducting Shields on High-Voltage
Cable Joints and Separable Insulated
Connectors

1. Scope

This standard covers design tests for shield resistance and a simulated fault-current initiation for exposed
semiconducting shields used on cable accessories, speciÞcally joints and separable insulated connectors rated 15 kV
through 35 kV.

2. References

The following publications shall be used in conjunction with this standard. When the following standards are
superseded by an approved revision, the revision shall apply.

[1] IEEE Std 386-1985, IEEE Standard for Separable Insulated Connectors for Power Distribution Systems Above 600
V (ANSI).1

[2] P404/D5, Draft Standard for Cable Joints for Use with Extruded Dielectric Cable Rated 5000 V through 138 000
V, and Cable Joints for Use with Laminated Dielectric Cable Rated 2500 V through 500 000 V.2

3. Performance Requirements

To comply with this standard, semiconducting shields must successfully pass the following tests:

1IEEE publications can be obtained from The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Service Center, 445 Hoes Lane, P.O. Box 1331,
Piscataway, NJ 08854-1331 or from ANSI.
2Unapproved draft standards can be obtained from The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Standards Department, 445 Hoes Lane,
P.O. Box 1331, Piscataway, NJ 08854-1331.

Copyright © 1998 IEEE All Rights Reserved 1

IEEE Std 592-1990 HIGH-VOLTAGE CABLE JOINTS AND SEPARABLE INSULATED CONNECTORS

1) Shield Resistance. The shield resistance measured between the cable entrance and the farthest extremity of
the shield from the cable entrance shall be 5000 W or less when measured as speciÞed in 4.2.
2) Fault-Current Initiation. The semi-conducting shield shall be capable of initiating two consecutive fault-
current arcs to ground as speciÞed in 4.3.

4. Test Procedures

4.1 Test Specimens

Test specimens shall be clean and dry. A minimum number of two test specimens shall be subjected to each test, unless
otherwise speciÞed by this standard.

4.2 Shield Resistance Test

1) The resistance of the semiconducting shield shall be measured using the voltmeter-ammeter method, with
either an ac or dc current supply. The current connections shall be as follows:
a) For a separable insulated connector, the current connections shall be made on the shield at the cable
entrance and at the farthest shield extremity, using a circumferential connection at both locations to give
a uniform current distribution.
b) For a joint, the current connections shall be made on the shield at the cable entrance and at the physical
center of the shield, using a circumferential connection at both points to give a uniform current
distribution.

The voltage shall be measured with the current adjusted to 1.0 mA ± 0.2 mA.

2) Resistance measurements shall be made on test specimens that have had the following histories:
a) Unaged
b) Air oven aged for 504 h at 121 °C ± 5 °C.
3) Resistance measurements shall be made with the test specimen temperature at 20 °C ± 5 °C and at 90 °C ± 5
°C.

4.3 Fault-Current Initiation Test

1) The test specimen used in 4.2 shall be assembled onto the cable(s) in conformance with the manufacturer's
instructions, with the exception that the metallic cable shield shall be extended over the accessory shield. See
Figs 1 and 2.
2) The fault rod shall be of an erosion resistant metal, such as copper-tungsten, 3/8-in in diameter, and threaded
at one end to engage the accessory connector through a drilled hole not to exceed 3/8-in in diameter (see Figs
1 and 2). The rod shall be ßush with the shield surface as shown in Figs 1 and 2.
3) The fault rod placement and the attitude of the accessory during the fault initiation test shall be as shown in
Figs 1 and 2. For separable insulated connectors, the rod shall be as close to the shield extremity as
practicable. For joints, the rod shall be in the physical center of the connector.
4) The voltage source shall be connected between specimen neutral ground and cable conductor. The test
voltage shall be as speciÞed in Table 1. With an available short circuit current of 10 000 A rms symmetrical,
the test specimen shall be subjected to two tests that cause initiation of a fault-current arc to ground. Each
operation shall have a minimum current ßow duration of 10 c at the normal power frequency used. After
energizing the test circuit, the fault initiation must occur within 3 s. The second test shall be initiated in the
shortest practical time. The test specimen must not be disturbed between operations.

2 Copyright © 1998 IEEE All Rights Reserved

HIGH-VOLTAGE CABLE JOINTS AND SEPARABLE INSULATED CONNECTORS IEEE Std 592-1990

Table 1ÑFault Current Test Voltage Requirements

Separable Connector Joint Test
Voltage Rating Voltage Rating Voltage
Phase-to-Ground* Phase-to-Ground Phase-to-Ground
(kV rms) (kV rms) (kV rms)
(Fig 1) (Fig 2)

8.3 8.7 7.0

152 14.4 11.7

21.1 19.4 12.2

NOTE Ñ Lower test voltages may be used provided that fault current is initiated and sustained.
*For separable connector voltage ratings, see IEEE Std 386-1985 [1].
For joint voltage ratings, see P404/D5 [2].

Figure 1ÑFault-Current Initiation Test Setup for Separable Insulated Connector

Copyright © 1998 IEEE All Rights Reserved 3

IEEE Std 592-1990 HIGH-VOLTAGE CABLE JOINTS AND SEPARABLE INSULATED CONNECTORS

Figure 2ÑFault-Current Initiation Test Setup for Cable Joint

4 Copyright © 1998 IEEE All Rights Reserved