Polaris Connectors

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

tybkeith

Member
Location
Orange, CA
Occupation
QAQC Technical Reviewer
Five parallel sets of four conductors were installed. Now it is determined that the gear does not accommodate five parrallel conductors. The contractors is proposing using Polaris Connectors to reduce from five parallel conductors to four larger parallel conductors to jumper into the new switch gear.

Are Polaris Connectors designed to have five conductors in and four conductors out?
 
Sure, if you can find a 9-port block. Alternate in and out conductors.

Added: I see 10-port blocks are available:

1694033764491.jpeg
 
LarryFine said:
Sure, if you can find a 9-port block. Alternate in and out conductors.

Added: I see 10-port blocks are available:

View attachment 2567323
Click to expand...
I see 9-Port blocks in the Polaris Catalog (attached). I know the feed is (5) 4-400MCM and they are proposing (4) larger jumpers to terminate to the four lungs in the new gear.
 

Attachments

  • Polaris.pdf
    1.3 MB · Views: 4
If there is room they could also use power distribution blocks
 
electrofelon said:
I would investigate changing / adding lugs to the gear first, but maybe they already tried that.

Lots of equipment has too few lug ports IMO, it's annoying.
Click to expand...
I agree. I would question if this can even be done in a compliant manner due to space concerns. Even if it meets space requirements it's going to be expensive a look like the poor planning it was. These are the kind of things that I have never understood as with a little planning this could have been avoided. As an owner I would never tolerate such poor planning.
 
So, it sounds like using a Polaris Connector to go from (5) feeder cables to (4) larger jumper cables into the switchgear is acceptable. But please confirm that it is okay to splice the feeder cables and reduce the quantity but increase the size of the jumpers running from the Polaris Connector to the switchgear breaker lugs.
I looked in NEC 70 and don't see anything saying you can't splice a feeder. I only see info on taps which is a different situation.
Here is a photo of the exterior pull box the contractor wants to put Polaris Connectors in to go from (5) feeders to (4) jumpers to land in the switchgear.
 

Attachments

  • Pull Box with Polaris Connectors.JPG
    Pull Box with Polaris Connectors.JPG
    45.3 KB · Views: 22
tybkeith said:
But please confirm that it is okay to splice the feeder cables and reduce the quantity but increase the size of the jumpers running from the Polaris Connector to the switchgear breaker lugs.
Click to expand...
Yes it is code complaint as long as the instructions that are part of the listing of the Polaris are followed. Some of these on large conductors require the conductors to be staggered.Staggered Ilscos.jpg
 
infinity said:
Yes it is code complaint as long as the instructions that are part of the listing of the Polaris are followed. Some of these on large conductors require the conductors to be staggered.View attachment 2567340
Click to expand...
Thank you! And, one last thing... are these type of Polaris Connectors approved for permanent installation? We have someone here who is concerned that the Allen bolts will loosen over time due to metals expanding and contracting.
 
tybkeith said:
Thank you! And, one last thing... are these type of Polaris Connectors approved for permanent installation? We have someone here who is concerned that the Allen bolts will loosen over time due to metals expanding and contracting.
Click to expand...
Yes of course they're for permanent installations. Just follow the instructions regarding wire stripping and torquing. They won't expand and contract any more than a standard terminal.
 
tybkeith said:
Thank you! And, one last thing... are these type of Polaris Connectors approved for permanent installation? We have someone here who is concerned that the Allen bolts will loosen over time due to metals expanding and contracting.
Click to expand...
Tell that person that the other lugs on the neutral bar and large frame breakers are also allen bolts
 
While we don't know all the details such as length and ampacity, but if the OP is going to put in a pull box w/Polaris connectors ahead of the gear anyway, there may be an opportunity here if the conductors are not yet installed. If the math works one could recalculate the main run at the 90 degree ampacity and possibly going from 5 runs to 4 and then use 75 degree calcs from the connectors to the gear using slightly larger conductor. Then just abandon and/or remove the 5th raceway.
 
tybkeith said:
So, it sounds like using a Polaris Connector to go from (5) feeder cables to (4) larger jumper cables into the switchgear is acceptable. But please confirm that it is okay to splice the feeder cables and reduce the quantity but increase the size of the jumpers running from the Polaris Connector to the switchgear breaker lugs.
Click to expand...
As long as each block has all the conductors coming and all the conductors going out for each phase, which terminates one set of parallel conductors and starts another, you are OK.
 
The line and load conductors should be staggered. If all the line is on one end and all the load on the other, the full load current will be passing though the center of the polaris which it is likely not capable carrying.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top