Glass Ceramic Insulators

In the mid 1960 s a few people began collecting these glass and porcelain insulators.

Glass ceramic insulators. Most high voltage linesuse ball and socket type porcelain or toughened glass insulators. These are also referred to as cap and pin the cross section of a ball and socket type insulator is shown in figure 1. Porcelain insulators are made from clay quartz or alumina and feldspar and are covered with a smooth glaze to shed water. Vintage brown glass ceramic insulator.

Ceramic insulators ceramic is made of red brown or white porous clay. Ceramic is less expensive to produce than porcelain. Glass insulators were first produced in the 1850 s for use with telegraph lines. Insulators used for high voltage power transmission are made from glass porcelain or composite polymer materials.

Box lot of 4 insulators brown and clear glass. In north america glass was always the predominate material for communications insulators but porcelain has become the standard for power distribution due to its greater strength and surface. Figure 1 cross section of a standard ball and socket insulator. Set of 3 glass insulator pins 10 3 4 long all metal 1 thread power lines 35 55 lot 5 antique vintage hemingray power insulators decorative blue glass ceramic.

As technology developed insulators were needed for telephone lines electric power lines and other applications. Vintage brown ceramic insulator no markings as to manufacture vguc 8 95. Insulators made from porcelain rich in alumina are used where high mechanical strength is a criterion. Today there are over 2000 collectors and insulator clubs national shows and good reference books are available.

Click on an insulator above for more information. Commonly made from glass or porcelain in a dazzling array of shapes and colors including amber cobalt blue olive green one shade is known among insulator collectors as seven up and royal purple antique insulators are prized for their rarity and physical beauty. Vintage insulators are most commonly made out of porcelain or glass materials and they come in a wide variety of colors and shapes making each item a unique piece that can make a great addition to a collection. Once it s shaped it is fired between 2 100 to 2 300 fahrenheit.

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