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A high voltage power transmission system includes an insulator arranged to electrically isolate a live power transmission line and a testing device in physical contact with the insulator, The teat device measures properties of the insulator by conducting electrical tests of and/or optical examinatio

A high voltage power transmission system includes an insulator arranged to electrically isolate a live power transmission line and a testing device in physical contact with the insulator, The teat device measures properties of the insulator by conducting electrical tests of and/or optical examination on the insulator while it is in-service to electrically isolate the live power transmission line.

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1. A system, comprising: an insulator arranged to electrically isolate a power transmission line that is in use to transmit electrical power as part of an electrical power transmission network; anda device in physical contact with the insulator,wherein the device is arranged to apply test excitation

1. A system, comprising: an insulator arranged to electrically isolate a power transmission line that is in use to transmit electrical power as part of an electrical power transmission network; anda device in physical contact with the insulator,wherein the device is arranged to apply test excitations to the insulator in use and to determine in response to the applied test excitation properties of the insulator in use to electrically isolate the power transmission line. 2. The system of claim 1. wherein at least a portion of the device is disposed within a body of the insulator. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is arranged to estimate a voltage standoff capability of the insulator in use. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is arranged to measure one or more of absorption currents, capacitive charging currents, leakage currents, capacitance, resistance, dielectric absorption (DA), polarization index (PI), high potential or hipot (high voltage) and step voltage responses, switching or lightning impulse voltage responses, and/or temperature of at least a portion of the insulator in use. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is arranged to conduct one or more of low-frequency dry flashover tests, low-frequency wet flashover tests, critical impulse flashover tests, radio-influence voltage and/or salt fog-like tests on the insulator in use. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is arranged to measure a resistance or conductance of at least a portion of the insulator in use. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is arranged to measure one or more frequency-dependent properties of the insulator in use. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is arranged to measure ambient power line leakage currents across the insulator in use. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is arranged to measure leakage currents across the insulator in response to test excitations that are a nominal power line frequency, or at higher frequency than a nominal power line frequency. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is arranged to measure electrical potentials or fields on or proximate to the insulator in use under ambient power line conditions and in response to test excitations. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises circuitry configured to estimate a standoff voltage capability of the insulator in use based on insulator properties measured by the device. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises circuitry configured to estimate a present-time and/or a future-time standoff voltage capability of the insulator in use based on insulator properties measured by the device. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises circuitry configured to provide a time-to-failure estimate for the insulator in use based on insulator properties measured by the device. 14. The system of claim 1, further comprising, circuitry coupled to the device, wherein the circuitry is configured to report a status or condition of the insulator in use based on insulator properties measured by the device. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the circuitry is configured to compute and report a time-to-failure and/or a recommended maintenance schedule for the insulator in use. 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to apply a variable amplitude electrical pulse between about a power line gripping end and an opposite end of the insulator in use to electrically isolate the power transmission line. 17. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to apply a variable amplitude electrical pulse at about times corresponding, to zero voltage crossings in the power transmission line. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein, the device is configured to apply a variable amplitude electrical pulse ahead of a zero voltage crossing. 19. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to measure a response to an applied variable amplitude electrical pulse on a time scale that is a fraction of a power cycle in the power transmission line. 20. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is further configured to measure insulator properties during select portions of a power cycle in the power transmission line, wherein during the select portion of the power cycle properties of a power line gripping end of the insulator are substantially independent or decoupled from power flowing in the power transmission line. 21. A system comprising: an insulator arranged to electrically isolate a power transmission line that is in use to transmit electrical power as a part of an electrical power transmission network; anda device in physical contact with the insulator,wherein the device is arranged to optically evaluate surface properties including one or more of chalking, crazing, dry bands, tracking and/or erosion of the insulator in use. 22. An electrical insulator, comprising: an insulator body having a surface, wherein the insulator body is adaptable in use to electrically isolate a power transmission line that is in use to transmit electrical power as part of an electrical power transmission network; anda device in physical contact with the insulator body,wherein the device is arranged to measure properties of the insulator body by applying test excitations to the insulator body while the insulator is in use to electrically isolate the power transmission line. 23. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the device is disposed within the insulator body. 24. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is arranged to estimate a voltage standoff capability of the insulator in use. 25. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is arranged to measure one or more of absorption currents, capacitive charging currents, leakage currents, capacitance, resistance, dielectric absorption (DA), polarization index (PI), high potential or hipot (high voltage) and step voltage responses, switching or lightning impulse voltage responses, and/or temperature of at least a portion of the insulator in use. 26. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is arranged to conduct one or more of low-frequency dry flashover tests, low-frequency wet flashover tests, critical impulse flashover tests, radio-influence voltage and/or salt fog-like tests on the insulator in use. 27. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is arranged to optically evaluate surface properties including one or more of chalking, crazing, dry bands, tracking and/or erosion of the insulator in use. 28. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is arranged to measure a resistance or conductance of at least a portion of the insulator in use. 29. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is arranged to measure one or more frequency-dependent properties of the insulator in use. 30. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is arranged to measure ambient power line leakage currents through the insulator, and/or leakage currents through the insulator in response to test excitations. 31. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is arranged to measure leakage currents through the insulator in response to test excitations that are at a nominal power line frequency, and/or at higher frequency than a nominal power line frequency. 32. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is arranged to measure electrical potentials or fields on or proximate to the insulator in use under ambient power line conditions, and/or in response to test excitations. 33. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device comprises circuitry configured to estimate a present-time and/or a future-time standoff voltage capability of the insulator in use based on insulator properties measured by the device. 34. The electrical insulator of claim 22, further comprising, circuitry coupled to the device, wherein the circuitry is configured to report a status or condition of the insulator in use based on insulator properties measured by the device. 35. The electrical insulator of claim 34, wherein the circuitry is configured to compute and report a present and/or a future condition or property value of the insulator in use. 36. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is configured to apply a variable amplitude electrical pulse between about a power line gripping end and an opposite end of the insulator in use to electrically isolate the power transmission line. 37. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is configured to apply a variable amplitude electrical pulse at about times corresponding to zero voltage crossing times in the power transmission line. 38. The electrical insulator of claim 37, wherein the device is configured to apply a variable amplitude electrical pulse ahead of a zero voltage crossing. 39. The electrical insulator of claim 22, wherein the device is configured to measure insulator properties during select portions of power cycles in the power transmission line, wherein during the select portions of the power cycles properties of a power line gripping end of the insulator are substantially independent or decoupled from power flowing in the power transmission line. 40. The electrical insulator of claim 22, further comprising circuitry arranged to report measured insulator properties to an external device, controller, and/or display.