Anti-Tracking Mastic
Anti-tracking mastic designed to provide surface insulation and resistance to electrical tracking and erosion at outdoor medium-voltage cable terminations — maintaining dielectric surface integrity under combined electrical stress, moisture, ultraviolet exposure, and environmental contamination.
Surface Tracking Resistance for Outdoor medium-voltage Terminations
Anti-Tracking Mastic is applied to exposed insulation surfaces on outdoor medium-voltage cable terminations to resist surface tracking — the progressive formation of carbonised conductive paths from contamination and electrical stress that can lead to termination flashover over time.
Anti-Tracking Mastic is hand-wrapped at exposed interfaces, bushing transitions, and lug connections — conforming to irregular profiles and self-amalgamating under hand pressure with no heat required. Suitable for both new installations and retrofit during planned maintenance.
- Material Anti-tracking elastomer mastic
- Colour Red (standard)
- Voltage medium-voltage outdoor applications
- Application Hand-wrapped — no heat required
- Form Roll — self-amalgamating strip
- ultraviolet rated Yes
- Function Surface tracking resistance
Why Anti-Tracking Mastic Is Specified
Directly addresses the surface tracking failure mechanism at outdoor medium-voltage terminations — applied by hand with no heat equipment required.
Anti-Tracking Performance
Anti-tracking compound formulation resists surface carbonisation under combined electrical stress and contamination — suppressing the leakage current paths that initiate and propagate tracking on outdoor termination surfaces over time.
ultraviolet and Weather Resistance
ultraviolet-stabilised compound maintains anti-tracking properties and surface integrity through prolonged direct outdoor exposure — including high ultraviolet index tropical and coastal environments where standard polymer surfaces degrade more rapidly.
Pollution and Contamination Resistance
Resistant to salt deposits, industrial particulates, and biological surface contamination — the primary pollution types that create conductive surface films on outdoor terminations in coastal, industrial, and high-humidity environments.
Surface Insulation Protection
Forms a continuous, conforming insulating layer over exposed termination interfaces — protecting cable insulation surfaces, lug connections, and bushing transitions from surface degradation and environmental attack throughout outdoor service life.
Durable Long-Term Performance
Maintains anti-tracking properties and adhesion across the operating temperature range and thermal cycling conditions of outdoor medium-voltage service — providing reliable surface protection throughout the service life of the cable termination without periodic reapplication.
Simple Hand Application
Self-amalgamating strip wraps and melds under hand pressure — no heat gun, resin mixing, or specialist tooling required. Suitable for both initial termination assembly on new installations and retrofit application during planned maintenance on existing terminations.
Material & Performance Data
Reference data for engineering and procurement. Contact our technical team for test data or project-specific qualification requirements.
| Base material | Anti-tracking elastomer mastic — insulating grade with anti-tracking compound |
|---|---|
| Colour | Red (standard) |
| Form factor | Roll — self-amalgamating strip; conforms under hand pressure without heat |
| Voltage application | Medium-voltage outdoor terminations — up to 33 kV system voltage |
| Electrical function | Surface insulation with anti-tracking compound — resists carbonised surface path formation |
| Tracking resistance | Anti-tracking grade — consistent with IEC 60587 requirements |
| ultraviolet resistance | Yes — ultraviolet-stabilised, rated for continuous direct outdoor exposure |
| Application method | Hand-applied — wrap and mould; no heat source required |
| Operating temperature | –55°C to +90°C (continuous service) |
| Compatible systems | Outdoor medium-voltage heat shrink terminations, polymeric outdoor termination assemblies |
Where Anti-Tracking Mastic Is Used
Applied at exposed insulation interfaces on outdoor medium-voltage terminations wherever surface tracking resistance is required under pollution and electrical stress conditions.
Outdoor medium-voltage Cable Terminations
Primary application — applied over exposed insulation surfaces and interfaces on 11 kV and 33 kV outdoor cable terminations to provide anti-tracking protection at the termination body and cable-to-lug transition zones.
Exposed Bushing and Lug Interfaces
Applied at the cable-to-bushing and cable-to-lug interfaces where the insulation surface is exposed to weather and contamination — sealing irregular profiles and providing anti-tracking protection at the most contamination-prone areas of the termination.
Coastal and Marine Installations
Outdoor terminations in coastal and marine environments where salt-laden air creates high-conductivity surface contamination — Anti-Tracking Mastic provides the anti-tracking surface layer required to maintain termination integrity under Class III and IV pollution severity conditions.
Industrial and Polluted Sites
Outdoor medium-voltage terminations in industrial facilities where airborne contamination from manufacturing processes, chemical plants, or heavy transport creates elevated pollution loading on termination surfaces — requiring anti-tracking protection beyond that provided by the base termination material.
Distribution Substation Terminations
Outdoor cable entries at distribution substations and ring main unit installations in pollution-prone locations — where long maintenance intervals and high asset reliability requirements make anti-tracking surface protection a standard specification.
Overhead Line Transition Terminations
Underground-to-overhead cable transition terminations at pole and tower bases — continuously exposed outdoor terminations where combined weather, ultraviolet, and pollution loading makes anti-tracking surface protection necessary for long-term reliability.
When and How to Use Anti-Tracking Mastic
Anti-Tracking Mastic is applied at specific exposed surfaces on outdoor medium-voltage terminations. Confirm the application requirement against each criterion before specifying.
-
01
Outdoor Installation Requirement
Anti-Tracking Mastic is specified for outdoor medium-voltage terminations where the termination body or cable interfaces are exposed to weather, ultraviolet radiation, and environmental contamination. For indoor medium-voltage terminations in clean, enclosed environments, Anti-Tracking Mastic is generally not required — however, for indoor installations in contaminated or humid industrial environments where surface tracking risk exists, contact our technical team for confirmation of whether Anti-Tracking Mastic is appropriate for the specific installation conditions.
-
02
Pollution Severity of the Site
Assess the pollution severity class of the installation site using IEC 60815 — ranging from Class I (very light) to Class IV (very heavy). Anti-Tracking Mastic is particularly relevant for Class II and above, where surface contamination is sufficient to create leakage current paths. Coastal, industrial, and high-humidity sites typically fall into Class III or IV. For Class I sites with minimal pollution, confirm whether Anti-Tracking Mastic is needed based on the specific environmental conditions at the termination location.
-
03
Anti-Tracking Mastic vs Stress Control Mastic vs Black Mastic — Correct Formulation
Anti-Tracking Mastic is an insulating mastic with anti-tracking compound — for surface protection on exposed outdoor termination bodies. It does not provide electrical stress grading and must not be substituted for Stress Control Mastic at insulation screen cut-backs. Similarly, Black Mastic does not contain anti-tracking compound and must not be used in place of Anti-Tracking Mastic for outdoor surface protection. Apply each formulation only at the locations specified in the joint or termination kit installation instructions.
-
04
Application Location on the Termination
Anti-Tracking Mastic is applied to exposed insulation and interface surfaces on the termination — not over heat shrink tubes that are already recovered and sealed. Typical application points include: exposed cable insulation above the heat shrink termination body, the cable-to-lug or cable-to-bushing transition where insulation is exposed at the connection interface, and any area where the termination assembly leaves insulation material exposed to direct outdoor conditions. Follow the kit installation instructions for the specific application sequence and coverage area.
For medium-voltage terminations in very heavily polluted environments (IEC 60815 Class IV), consider Anti-Tracking Mastic in combination with Creepage Extension Sheds to provide both surface protection and extended creepage distance at the termination. Contact our technical team for a combined specification recommendation.
Common Technical Questions
Surface tracking is the progressive formation of carbonised conductive paths across the surface of an insulating material under combined electrical stress and contamination. When a contaminated surface becomes wet, leakage currents flow across it. These currents generate localised heat that dries the surface unevenly — creating dry band arcing in the partially dried zones. Dry band arcing carbonises the polymer surface, creating conductive paths that lower the surface resistance further and accelerate subsequent arcing. Over time, this creates a carbonised conducting track from the live conductor to earth — which can lead to flashover. Anti-Tracking Mastic's anti-tracking compound suppresses this carbonisation process at the material level, maintaining surface resistivity under the contaminated, wet conditions where tracking initiates.
Anti-Tracking Mastic and Stress Control Mastic address different failure mechanisms and are applied at different locations in the cable accessory assembly. Anti-Tracking Mastic is an insulating mastic with an anti-tracking compound — it is applied to exposed termination surfaces to resist surface tracking from pollution and moisture. Stress Control Mastic is a semiconductive mastic — it is applied at the insulation screen cut-back to redistribute the electric field and prevent partial discharge initiation at the screen edge. Anti-Tracking Mastic does not have the controlled semiconductive resistivity required for stress grading and cannot substitute for Stress Control Mastic at screen transitions. Stress Control Mastic does not have the anti-tracking surface protection properties of Anti-Tracking Mastic. Each must be applied at the specific locations defined in the termination installation instructions.
Both Anti-Tracking Mastic and the anti-tracking compound in Anti-Tracking Breakouts share the same fundamental anti-tracking property — resistance to surface carbonisation under electrical stress and contamination. However, they are different product forms serving different installation roles. Anti-Tracking Breakouts are heat-shrinkable moulded components that form the structural crutch seal at the cable breakout point. Anti-Tracking Mastic is a hand-applied mastic wrap for surface protection at exposed termination interfaces. Anti-Tracking Mastic does not replace the breakout — it is used at different locations on the termination assembly where a hand-applied conforming layer is more appropriate than a moulded heat-shrink component.
Anti-Tracking Mastic is applied by unwinding from the roll and wrapping in overlapping half-lapped turns over the area to be protected. After wrapping, mould the mastic firmly by hand to consolidate the layers and conform the strip to the surface profile — eliminating any air gaps between the mastic and the termination surface. The surface must be clean and dry before application. No heat is required — the mastic self-amalgamates under hand pressure. Follow the termination kit installation instructions for the specific coverage area, number of wrapping layers, and the position of Anti-Tracking Mastic within the overall assembly sequence.
Anti-Tracking Mastic can be applied to existing terminations as a retrofit measure when the circuit is de-energised and the termination is accessible. The hand-applied method allows Anti-Tracking Mastic to be applied without removing or disturbing the existing termination assembly — provided the surfaces to be protected are accessible and can be cleaned adequately before application. Retrofit application is appropriate when pollution severity at the site has increased since original installation, or when existing terminations are showing early signs of surface degradation during planned maintenance inspection. The circuit must be isolated and made safe before any work on the termination.
Anti-Tracking Mastic and Creepage Extension Sheds address related but distinct aspects of outdoor termination performance — they are complementary rather than alternatives. Creepage Extension Sheds increase the surface creepage distance at the termination to meet IEC 60815 requirements, addressing the quantity of available creepage path. Anti-Tracking Mastic improves the quality of the surface insulation at exposed interfaces by adding an anti-tracking layer, addressing the surface material performance under contamination. For very heavily polluted sites (IEC 60815 Class III and IV), both measures may be required — Creepage Extension Sheds to meet the creepage distance specification and Anti-Tracking Mastic to protect exposed surface interfaces against tracking. Contact our technical team for a combined specification recommendation for your site pollution class and termination type.
Need Help Specifying the Right Mastic for Your Application?
Speak with our technical team for formulation guidance, system compatibility confirmation, and supply enquiries.