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An electrostatic spray system including a spray device having a coating-charging electrode, a source of high voltage electrostatic potential, and a resistive path for safely transmitting high voltage between the electrode and the electrostatic supply. The resistive high voltage transmission path is

An electrostatic spray system including a spray device having a coating-charging electrode, a source of high voltage electrostatic potential, and a resistive path for safely transmitting high voltage between the electrode and the electrostatic supply. The resistive high voltage transmission path is composed of plural parallel-connected continuous silicon carbide fibers.

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An electrically insulated high voltage cable of predetermined length measured between opposite ends thereof for conducting electrostatic voltages in excess of approximately 50 KV to a coating-charging electrode in an electrostatic spray coating system, comprising: a plurality of substantially equal

An electrically insulated high voltage cable of predetermined length measured between opposite ends thereof for conducting electrostatic voltages in excess of approximately 50 KV to a coating-charging electrode in an electrostatic spray coating system, comprising: a plurality of substantially equal length continuous silicon carbide fibers electrically connected primarily in parallel, said fibers each having a length in the approximate range of 1 m-50 m and extending between opposite ends of the cable to provide electrical current flow paths primarily substantially longitudinally along the length of said cable, said plurality of parallel-connected fibers collectively having a diameter measured generally transversely to the length of the cable in the approximate range of 10-2 cm.-1 cm. and a specific resistivity selected to provide a total resistance measured between the opposite ends of the cable in the approximate range of 1M-1000M ohms, and an insulative sheath surrounding said parallel-connected fibers having a wall thickness and dielectric strength to avoid dialectric breakdown when said cable is connected to an electrostatic voltage supply in excess of approximately 50 KV. A method of conducting high electrostatic voltages in excess of approximately 50 KV from a high voltage electrostatic supply to a coating-charging electrode in an electrostatic spray coating system comprising: interconnecting between the electrode and the high voltage supply a cable having opposite ends and composed of substantially equal length continuous silicon carbide fibers electrically connected primarily in parallel and disposed along said cable to provide electrical current flow paths primarily substantiallly longitudinally along the length of said cable, said fibers each having a length measured along the length of said cable in the approximate range of 1 m-50 m, said plurality of parallel-connected fibers collectively having a diameter mesured generally transversely to the length of said cable in the approximate range of 10-2 cm.-1 cm. and a specific resistivity selected to provide a total resistance between said opposite ends of the cable in the approximate range of 1M-1000M ohms, and energizing the fibers with an electrostatic voltage in excess of 50 KV while insulated to avoid dielectric breakdown to cause electrical current to flow along the length of said cable between said electrode and high voltage supply. A method of electrostatic spray coating an article comprising the steps of: interconnecting between an electrode and a high voltage supply a cable having opposite ends and composed of substantially equal length continuous silicon carbide fibers electrically connected primarily in parallel and disposed along said cable to provide electrical current flow paths primarily substantially longitudinally along the length of said cable, said fibers each having a length measured along the length of said cable in the approximate range of 1 m-50 m, said plurality of parallel-connected fibers collectively having a diameter measured generally transversely to the length of said cable in the approximte range of 10-2 cm.-1 cm. and a specific resistivity selected fo provide a total resistance between said opposite ends of said cable in the approximate range of 1M-1000M ohms, and energizing the fibers with an electrostatic voltage in excess of 50 KV while insulated to avoid dielectric breakdown to cause electrical current to flow along the length of the cable between the electrode and the high voltage supply, transporting coating material in electrostatic charge transfer relationship to the energized electrode to electrostatically charge the coating material, and directing charged particles of coating material toward an article to the coated while maintaining the article at 1000 an electrostatic potential different from that of the electrode.