in lieu of a Split-bolt

[K8MHZ]

Originally Posted by flashlight

I'm late onto this thread, but it seems to still be open:

In large older apartment buildings, such as in NYC or other cities, the meter banks for 30 or more apartments are typically bugged off of, say, 500 kcmil laterals, (may be more or less) coming off of a large disconnect which is fed from the street.

In upgrading service for a commercial space (or individual apartment in some cases) we have to use split bolts to feed from the laterals. This must be done hot. I have looked at Polaris and Illco products but there doesn't seem to be a comparable product to splice onto a conductor without cutting it. The newer installations have tappable bus bars, or phase blocks. However, in these older
installations we are stuck with split bolts. (There is a product called locally a "bug-bite" which pierces the insulation and
taps in that fashion, but I don't trust it--not sure if accepted by AHJ)

Buchanan used to make a hot tap. They still may, I just haven't seen one lately.

[gndrod]

Anybody use H-frame crimp connectors for service drop splicing? rbj

[LarryFine]

Originally Posted by gndrod

Anybody use H-frame crimp connectors for service drop splicing?

The POCO does here.

[PetrosA]

Originally Posted by gndrod

Anybody use H-frame crimp connectors for service drop splicing? rbj

That's all we use for 4/0. They're what, about $2 a piece or less? Even if you have to buy a crimper, it'll pay for itself after a few services.

The last time I had to connect 500 MCM to a triplex, I checked the prices of alloy split bolts (cheaper than the bronze) and Polaris. The Polaris black were more than $20 cheaper per piece than the bugs. Add to that rubber and vinyl tapes plus time and there's no comparison in savings.

[Howard Burger]

[quote=K8MHZ;1120053]Brundy's are listed for indoor use only while Polaris connectors actually have a submerged rating.

Even the non-submersible black Polaris do fine under water. I splice 500 mcm to 4/0 at my house in a fiber vault - supposedly in well drained ground. Two breakups later I found the vault under water - runnoff from my roof that was supposed to go into a french drain, but the drain froze. When everything dried off, I discovered that the lugs had been under a foot of water for I don't know how long. Not recommeded, but they are good!

[Howard Burger]

This is what the lugs looked like after two seasons. (this is my first try at adding a photo, hope it works...)

[hurk27]

Originally Posted by LarryFine

Water gets inside the tube, between the butted conductor ends, and expands when it freezes, moving the softer of the two wires.

Each thaw/rain/freeze cycle refills the space with more water, and it keeps going until the softer conductor pops free of the end.

Even POCO butt-splice crimps do it. I've seen a couple, and the POCO guys have confirmed it. Compound-filled ones do it less.

even though we still use split bolts, any connector that can hold water should always have to wire side pointed down so it will drain, any connector located in a wet or damp location including wire nuts should always be installed like this IMO, if water can accumulate in the connector even without the freezing part will eventually corrode and fail. and now add freezing which will expand the connector and cause a loose connection, and can even break the connector.

[HotWire367]

My first dozen or so service upgrades were reconnected to the POCO service drop using the split-bolt method. Once the cut in card was submitted, the POCO would then come out, cut the split-bolts off, and make their "permanent " crimped connection. Essentially, the POCO guys were just gathering all of my split bolts, and keeping them for later use. I then switched to the Blackburn connectors, that I would crimp myself, and any job I have completed using these connectors, still has these connections intact, years after the upgrade and inspections were complete.

[goldstar]

I stopped using split bolts years ago. On a service upgrade the POCO only comes out, cuts them off and crimps the tri-plex to the SE cable. Depending on the POCO, if you know they're going to come out within the month to crimp, you can use RX connectors and tape them. Myself, I don't trust that the POCO will come out in a timely fashion so I use aluminum butt splicers. If you do a lot of service upgrades and want to invest about $200.00 in a crimper the barrel crimps cost about half what an aluminum butt splicer costs.

If I were splicing in a trough the Polaris type insulated connectors are undoubtedly the way to go. I would not use them for connecting to SE cable outdoors. They're unnecessarily expensive and the POCO throws them out when they crimp. And, if you think they're going to leave them on top of the meter enclosure for you to pick up at a later date because they know how expensive they are - think again.

[flashlight]

Originally Posted by goldstar

... And, if you think they're going to leave them on top of the meter enclosure for you to pick up at a later date because they know how expensive they are - think again.

Are you telling us you doubt the altruism of the POCOs ?