Al wire connections under ground

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bure961

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Location
Farmingham, MA
I like to ask you guys your opinun on the use of large al cable [400] being spliced underground using a copresson connection. What is the best method to seal the connection with since the wire will be in water @ times ? We have used the 3m splice cover , doesnt seem like enough protection . Does anyone use something better thats going to last ?
The cables had a couple of burn out spots and we made repairs to them.
Thanks for the time dealing with my questions.
 
RUWired said:
3M makes a nice "cold shrink tubing" for splices, no heat needed.
Click to expand...

Just backfill with care, the 3M punctures easily (unless they have changed the design). Other that that they are excellent, also the 3M epoxy splice kits work quite well.
 
We use compression butt splices and Epco heat shrinks most of the time. Occasionally we use a gel filled one that wraps around the splice, snaps together and is secured with cable ties. We have not had a call back on those yet but they are fairly new. IMO the ones that have the plugs you insert into them after tightening a setscrew butt splice a POS. They leak and I have replaced way to many of them...including.

I have had very limited experience with the cold shrinks.
 
Never seen heat shrink fail, have seen other methods fail. It needs to be heat shrink with a sealant added, which all that are rated for underground use have AKAIK.
 
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