Overheating of high voltage（HV）switchgear is a major source of asset failure and unplanned power outag-es. Most high voltage switchgears adopt metal clad structure

their electric connectors and conductors are shieldedby metal

and their temperatures are difficult to be measured by routine infrared temperature measurement device.Therefore

on-line temperature measurement systems are increasingly adopted to monitor the potential heating con-nectors of switchgear. Surface acoustic wave（SAW）on-line temperature measurement technology has many uniqueadvantages including passive and wireless design

high reliability

and lower maintenance. And SAW technologyhas become a widely adopted on-line temperature measurement technology. However

there are some divergences

even debates

about where to mount and how to mount these SAW sensors. Different installation locations and meth-ods can affect the safety of switchgear operation and the accuracy and effectiveness of SAW sensor’s monitoring data.This paper will illustrate the installation method of SAW sensor mounting on switchgear circuit breaker arms and dis-cuss the safety and effectiveness of this SAW installation method. The power frequency withstands voltage test

thelightning impulse test

and the partial discharge test are done to assess the insulation safety of the SAW installationmethod. Temperature-rise test is done to evaluate the accuracy

real-time

and effectiveness of the temperature monitoring data of SAW sensor mounting on switchgear circuit breaker arms.