Advantages of Epoxy Coating Powder over Mylar Sleeves
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Bus bars are copper or aluminium conductors in switch panels, distribution trunks, substations, battery banks, data centers and other electrical power distribution apparatus.

Busbar Insulation:

Low & medium voltage busbars are often insulated in order to…
  • Prevent electrical arcing
  • Reduce spacing between bus bar
  • Provide safe operation
There are two main types of bus bar insulation being used today:
  • Plastic shrink tubes and tapes (Mylar (PET), Kapton, Nomex
  • High-dielectric-strength Epoxy Coating Powder

Epoxy Powder Coating is Replacing Mylar:

Plastic Sheathing is a traditional method and it’s pretty easy to do but it has shortcomings. A more efficient and cost effective method is to use an insulating epoxy coating powder.

  • It costs less than plastic per linear foot/meter
  • Epoxy has higher operating temperature
  • Epoxy can be used on Odd Shaped Parts and it seamlessly insulates holes in bus bars

Epoxy coating powder offers very high dielectric strength and it will bond directly to the bus bar copper, aluminum or silver plating. This typically means that epoxy coating may be thinner than plastic sheathing and as a result, epoxy powder coated bus bars can be design-optimized:

  • Bars can be placed closer together – often touching in nested sets
  • Heat is conducted away better through thin epoxy
  • Fusion-bonded epoxy prevents moisture penetration, thus preventing dendrites and “silver whiskers”

Property Comparison Table Mylar Sleeves vs Epoxy Coating Powder

PropertyEpoxyShrinktube Plastic
Operating Temperature 180°C + (>350°F) 100°C (200°F)
UL Class B (130°C) Yes No
Solvent Resistance Excellent Good
Dielectric Strength, V/mil ~ 1,000 ~ 600
Corona/Electrical Properties Excellent Low
For Low Voltages (600V) Yes Yes
High Voltages (up to 38 kV) Yes No
Outdoor Use Yes Yes
Weatherability Excellent Excellent
Cost per Meter (per linear foot) ~ $10/m (~$3/ft) ~ $30/m (~$9/ft)
Chemical Resistance Excellent Good

Try a sample!

SolEpoxy coating powders are industry standard materials used by some of the world's largest power distribution companies. Contact us to ask for your sample today.