An investigation into the effect of hanging water droplets on a high voltage electrode is presented. This study is extended to a real life application of water droplets hanging on the sheds of high voltage ceramic insulators. The role of the water droplets on the partial discharge and flash over activity is considered. The results show that hanging droplets have a significant influence on corona discharges, which are visible between the sheds of insulators in a power network. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3559850]