Insulators... Questions about!

[thrasher]

Afraid I can't recommend any one text book on insulators. However if you work at a production facility than maybe you can lay your hands on some of the technical bulletins put out by the manufacturer for engineers to pick the correct insulator. Basically insulators are picked by four criteria: (1) BIL basic insulation level, this is based on operating voltage and the company chosen safety margins. (2) mechanical loading, the size and tension of the wire and the direction the strain is applied. (3) mounting, size and type of mounting hardware this is related to the mechanical loading but includes other factors as well. (4) environmental conditions, this affects the material and shape the best design for a dry desert is not the best design for the coast with salt fog.
One other idea, see if you can find a sales engineer from your company, most of them like to talk anyway.