An overhead power line is a structure used in electric power transmission and distribution to

transmit electrical energy along large distances. It consists of one or more conductors(commonly
multiples of three) suspended by towers or poles. Since most of the insulation is provided by air,
overhead power lines are generally the lowest-cost method of power transmission for large
quantities of electric energy.

Types of insulators[edit]
These are the common classes of insulator:[citation needed]

Pin type insulator - As the name suggests, the pin type insulator is mounted on a pin on the
cross-arm on the pole. There is a groove on the upper end of the insulator. The conductor
passes through this groove and is tied to the insulator with annealed wire of the same material
as the conductor. Pin type insulators are used for transmission and distribution of
communications, and electric power at voltages up to 33 kV. Insulators made for operating
voltages between 33kV and 69kV tend to be very bulky and have become uneconomical in
recent years.

Post insulator - A type of insulator in the 1930s that is more compact than traditional pin-type
insulators and which has rapidly replaced many pin-type insulators on lines up to 69kV and in
some configurations, can be made for operation at up to 115kV.
Suspension insulator - For voltages greater than 33 kV, it is a usual practice to use suspension
type insulators, consisting of a number of glass or porcelain discs connected in series by metal
links in the form of a string. The conductor is suspended at the bottom end of this string while
the top end is secured to the cross-arm of the tower. The number of disc units used depends on
the voltage.
Strain insulator - A dead end or anchor pole or tower is used where a straight section of line
ends, or angles off in another direction. These poles must withstand the lateral (horizontal)
tension of the long straight section of wire. In order to support this lateral load, strain insulators
are used. For low voltage lines (less than 11 kV), shackle insulators are used as strain
insulators. However, for high voltage transmission lines, strings of cap-and-pin (suspension)
insulators are used, attached to the crossarm in a horizontal direction. When the tension load in
lines is exceedingly high, such as at long river spans, two or more strings are used in parallel.
Shackle insulator - In early days, the shackle insulators were used as strain insulators. But
nowaday, they are frequently used for low voltage distribution lines. Such insulators can be used
either in a horizontal position or in a vertical position. They can be directly fixed to the pole with a
bolt or to the cross arm.
Bushing - enables one or several conductors to pass through a partition such as a wall or a tank,
and insulates the conductors from it.[9]
Line post insulator
Station post insulator
Cut-out