The article reports the results and the advances of the experimentation in progress at the RSE laboratories for a diagnostic analysis of the causes of failures that affect MV cable joints, especially during the summer periods. To this purpose two different ad hoc experimental set-ups, consisting of cables equipped with different types of joints to form a ring in short-circuit, have been realized. The rings, energized at rated voltage, are loaded with current to reproduce the daily load variation typical of a MV cable network. The first set-up simulated the reduced thermal conductivity of the soil during summer periods and the second, now under test, allows to simulate, in a controlled way, the presence of rain, even of considerable intensity.
