Patent ID: 7353601

Claim:
A method for extending the useful life of at least one in-service electrical cable section having at least two existing connectors attached thereto, said cable section having a stranded conductor surrounded by a conductor shield encased in a polymeric insulation jacket and having an interstitial void volume in the region of the conductor, said method comprising: (a) replacing each said existing connector with a corresponding high-pressure connector; and (b) injecting a dielectric enhancement fluid into the interstitial void volume of said cable section and confining said fluid therein at a pressure sufficient to introduce at least about 0.75 Q of said fluid, wherein Q represents the weight of said fluid which would saturate said conductor shield and said insulation jacket, the interstitial void volume of said cable section at atmospheric pressure is less than that which would accommodate said amount 0.75 Q, and wherein said method is carried out using only a single switching cycle.