This presentation discusses failing overhead electrical line splices and connectors. It notes that there are over 300 million splices currently installed in North America, with 60% approaching the end of their useful life. Failures are caused by improper installation, misapplication, age, corrosion and excessive heat. The ClampStar connector is introduced as a permanent solution that can restore the integrity of failing splices and connectors. It is tested to higher standards than required and can be installed in a fraction of the time of replacement, saving utilities significant costs and minimizing outages. Success stories are shared where ClampStar helped utilities address critical, remote or energized line issues more efficiently.

1. North American Classic Connectors
ClampStar Presentation
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2. North American Classic Connectors
Sales Training Program
Topics
1. Yes, Problem Splices Exist
2. Why Problem Splices Exist
3. What is ANSI C119.4 Class A
4. ClampStar as a PERMANENT Solution
5. ClampStar Technical Attributes
6. Installation Photos
7. Labor Savings
8. Typical ClampStar Uses
9. Success Stories
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3. 3
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4. YES, Problem Splices Do Exist
EVERYWHERE!
∙ 10 Million overhead splices on average sold in the U.S. each year
∙ 300 Million splices presently installed (conservative estimate)
∙80% of them were installed over 40 years ago.
∙60% + are approaching the end of their life
∙300,000 splices are repaired or replaced annually in the U.S.
∙This number has increased by a factor of 10 over the last decade
NOTE: The above figures only pertain to splices. Dead-ends,
suspension clamps and up-rate projects are additional.
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5. Progression of Splice Failures
15,000,000
12,000,000
9,000,000
6,000,000
3,000,000
300,000
1940 1980 2000 2011 2030 2040
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6. Why Do Splices Fail?
1. Improper installation
a) Incorrect or insufficient amount of inhibitor
b) Conductor not properly brushed/prepared
c) Conductor not inserted all the way
d) Improper tooling
2. Mis-application (using wrong connector for the job)
3. Old age – Originally designed for 30 years
(Average useful life: automatics 20-40 years. Compression splices 40-70)
4. Highly corrosive environment
5. Excessive thermal excursions resulting from
frequently operating the line above ampacity
design limits of 70-75°C conductor temperatures.
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7. American National Standard For Electric Connectors
ANSI C119.4
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8. American National Standard ANSI C119.4-2010 For Electric
Connectors— Connectors for Use Between Aluminum-to-Aluminum
and Aluminum-to-Copper Conductors Designed for Normal Operation
at or Below 93°C
and Copper-to-Copper Conductors Designed for Normal Operation
At or Below 100°C
1 Scope and Purpose
1.1 Scope
This standard covers connectors used for making electrical connections between
aluminum-to-aluminum or aluminum-to-copper or copper-to-copper
conductors used on distribution and transmission lines for electric utilities.
This standard establishes the electrical and mechanical test requirements for
electrical connectors. This standard is not intended to recommend operating
conditions or temperatures.
1.2 Purpose
The purpose of this standard is to give reasonable assurance to the user that
connectors meeting the requirements of this standard will perform in a
satisfactory manner, provided they have been properly selected for the intended
application and are installed in accordance with the manufacturer's
recommendations. The service operating conditions and the selection of the
connector class is the responsibility of the user.
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9. What Some Manufacturer‘s Say
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10. Continuous Maximum for ACSR is 75 C
―ACSR is not a high-temperature conductor: it is
rated for 75°C continuous operation and 100°C
emergency operation for a total of 1,500 hours over
the conductor life.‖
Mark Lancaster
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11. How Some Mfgs. Misconstrue Data
Development of ANSI C119.4 Class A includes an accelerated
aging temperature for the purpose of assessing long term
performance at “Operating Temperature” which is 75 C, in a
short term period of only 500 cycles.
The “accelerated aging” temperature is “100 C over ambient.”
Typical ambient it 25 C (77 F)
Aging temperature was determined by adding acceptable
operating rise of 50 C (25 C ambient + 50 C rise = 75 C
“Continuous Maximum Conductor Operating Temperature”)
twice, i.e., 100 C Rise.
Testing connectors to this temperature, per this standard DOES
NOT qualify a connector for use at 120 C.
Any manufacturer stating their connector, tested to this
standard, is suitable for applications at higher temperatures, is
imprudent and irresponsible.
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12. Class ―A‖ vs. Class ―AA‖
ANSI C119.4 Does have a provision for qualification of connectors for
application on used or weathered conductor operating
“at or below 93 C”, and that is Class “AA”
ANSI C119.4 Class AA requires heat cycle testing at 175 C rise above ambient
– only to qualify for applications on conductors “at or below 93 C” and not for
any conductor operating above that temperature!
Again, typical ambient being about 25 C, a 175 C rise above ambient therefore
yields a 200 C test temperature, which is 392 F!
ClampStar is tested and qualified to ANSI C119.4 Class AA as a minimum, but
we go far beyond that, testing ClampStar at 390 C (734 F ) conductor test
temperature, which is suitable to qualify for application on weathered
conductor at 250 C operations, the maximum continuous rating for any
conductor today!
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13. Why is ClampStar a Permanent Solution?
Similar design to:
Side Opening, Inline Deadend Shoe
• Long favored design
• Well proven to provide ample conductor tensile support
• Widely used by nearly every electric utility
• Clamped holding strength of 40-95% of conductor RBS
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14. Why is ClampStar Superior to deadends?
• More keepers, typically twice as many
• Greater holding strength
• In most applications ClampStar sees no tension load
• ClampStar restores aged connectors to their original
mechanical performance ratings and exceeds the
electrical ratings
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15. ClampStar Technical Attributes
• Designed to restore full mechanical integrity to an
aged splice.
• Restore mechanical integrity to Dead-Ends and
Suspension Clamps with use of ClampStar Safety
Tether.
• No restriction on current, continuous operation up to
250° C
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16. Mechanical & Electrical Testing
EPRI Laboratory, Charlotte, NC
2000 Thermal Cycles with conductor at 35.6 kN (8,000 lbs) tension, and
conductor temperature of 200° C (No connector in between – ClampStar
serving full electrical and mechanical load).
Test photos courtesy EPRI
Test laboratory, Charlotte, NC.
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17. ClampStar Used to Restore Test at
EPRI Laboratory-Charlotte, NC
Testing of Single Die Compression Connectors at 200° C. Upon Thermal
failure of one splice, rather than terminate the test, EPRI technicians
used a ClampStar CSF-1108 to continue testing!
Failed Connector
220° C
Test photos courtesy EPRI
Test laboratory, Charlotte, NC.
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18. ClampStar Used to Restore Test at
EPRI Laboratory-Charlotte, NC
Lower Temp.
Test photos courtesy EPRI
Test laboratory, Charlotte, NC.
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19. ClampStar Test - IR Image
EPRI Laboratory-Charlotte, NC
Test photos courtesy EPRI
Test laboratory, Charlotte, NC.
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20. Broken Strands Shown With X-Ray
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21. X-Ray of Improperly Crimped Splice
Incomplete compression
• Improper crimping causes premature failure
• Lack of stranding compaction is evident
• Difficult to detect without infrared
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22. Failed Dead-End Examples
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23. Failed Connector Examples
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24. Conductor Fatigue &
Corrosion under
Rods & Helical Type
Suspension
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25. Strand Fatigue in Bolted Dead-End
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26. Dead-End Repaired With CSF-0883-036
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27. Strand Fatigue in Trunnion Suspension
Problem…
CSS-0883-036
Fixing…
No Problem
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28. Trunnion Suspension Repaired with CSS-0883-036
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29. Failed Splice
Problem…
CSR-0883-030
Fixing…
No Problem
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30. Splice Corrected with CSR-0883-030
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31. Gun Shot Damage
Problem…
CSR-1108-030
Fixing…
No Problem
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32. Gun Shot Damaged Conductor
Repaired with a CSR-1108-030
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33. Labor Savings With ClampStar
Why Do This…..? When You Can Do This
45 minutes Vs. 5 minutes
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34. Typical ClampStar Uses
1. Failing or compromised splices
a) Usually found thru IR or visual inspection
2. Up-rating Lines For Higher Ampacity
a) Connectors are the weak link in the ampacity/thermal ratings of the line
b) Reliability Standard TPL-002-0, requirement for (N-1) contingency
3. Critical splice/deadend protection
a) Major highway, railroad and river crossings
b) Heavily populated areas; school yards, shopping centers & sidewalks
c) Lines that feed critical customers; hospitals, airports, transportation
systems, stadiums and convention centers
d) Close proximity to sub stations subject to extreme fault current
4. Conductor damage (gun shot, abrasion and arcing from contact with vegetation)
5. Damaged conductor and suspension systems due to vibration
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35. Success Stories
EXAMPLE #1: National Grid was diligently conducting line assessments
which identified lots of hot splices. Due to the difficulty of getting a line
outage (6-8 weeks schedule time) and the public commission was
pushing them to make some changes, ClampStar was an instant solution
for them. They could now do their required work on energized lines in
poor weather conditions.
EXAMPLE#2: Soon after a critical line fell, a ClampStar sample and
literature was dropped off at LADWP‘s ‗trouble crew‘ office. They had
recently received orders to replace every automatic splice on that line
with 2 compression splices. Once they learned about ClampStar, the plan
was soon revised to repair the splices with ClampStar instead of cutting
them out.
EXAMPLE #3. While conducting routine IR inspections, linemen for
Sacramento Municipal Utility District identified some hot splices on a
transmission line in a very remote area, not accessible with a bucket
truck. Correcting those splices with ClampStar and a helicopter saved
SMUD thousands of dollars and many man-hours.
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36. Thank You For Your Time!
Please vist
www.ClassicConnectors.com
for more information
Email: Info@ClassicConnectors.com
Tel: 800-269-1462
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