Networking, Knowledge Sharing & Innovation with Klauke
7th February 2024
Thorne & Derrick | Preferred UK Stockists & Distributors for Klauke
Danke Schon Klauke for an electrifying experience at the UK Partnership Conference held at their Remscheid/Germany HQ this week.
Excellence in Electrical Engineering – over 3 days we were all extremely privileged to benefit from “pre-release” product reveals of the NextGen Tools for Engineers, Jointers & Linesmen. These Innovations by Klauke will soon give our industry seriously significant safety, productivity and reliability gains to maintain power whether underground, overhead or subsea. Innovation glimpses gave attendees a view into the future of solar connections, high voltage cable cutting and crimping best-practices.
Leadership in Learning – from immersive theoretical drill-downs into Connectors (IEC 60228) to practical “hands-on” Cut & Crimp Tool Demonstrations on LV DC solar to HV 2500sqmm 110kV renewable energy cable.
Thanks for the warmest of welcomes and excellent genial hosting led by Paul Morrow and supported by John Muckle, Alex Hart, Tom Betts, Tom O’Neil and John Lake – special thanks for the incredible insights and high-value Presentations from Ufuk Tasli, Luciana Lazar and Roman Esser and their colleagues.
Thank you to the Channel Partners, and to the new friends we made, for the excellent round-table talks, tips and industry insight sharing.
THORNE & DERRICK are Specialist Distributors of LV HV Cable Jointing, Earthing, Substation & Electrical Eqpt up to 66kV – this includes the most extensive range of Ex Stock Innovation Tooling to facilitate safe and reliable crimping, cutting, preparation, termination and installation of cables.
Specialist Distributor & Customer Service
Thorne and Derrick are Approved Specialist Suppliers & Distributors of ProGARM Arc Flash Clothing & PPE providing competitive prices from extensive stocks with excellent customer service levels. We protect LV HV Cable Jointers, SAP’s, Overhead Linesmen, Substation & Electrical Engineers; whether racking and switching Medium Voltage switchgear or fusing Low Voltage feeder pillars – we have the correct clothing and workwear to provide safe protection against all calculated levels of arc flash hazards.
Working alongside High Voltage Power Services (SW) Ltd and ProGARM we are committed to providing Jointer & SAP protection against the risk of arc flash incidence.
All clothing can be supplied transferred with company logo, this includes their 6444 Coveralls with Arc Flash Protection (ARC 2) using FR Fabric to provide ultimate worker protection.
The HVPS Team is a well-established, highly accomplished, and competent High Voltage Engineering Team, who between them has over one hundred years of experience in the electrical industry – look them up and Link-In with Paul Birch to discover more.
ProGARM garments and arc flash clothing protection provides worker comfort and durability to your designs and printed preferences.
Overview of Arc Flash Clothing | Contact us to discuss your garment and PPE requirements, we can mitigate risk with guidance on safe working practices and by providing appropriate worker clothing that offers advanced Arc Flash Protection that saves lives every day. Whether working on underground cables or overhead lines, here is a selection of workwear clothing – contact us to discuss your requirements;
HV Cable Joints, Terminations & Connectors | Approved Stockists & Distributors | 3M Electrical (Cold Shrink) | Nexans (Euromold JTS MONO) | Pfisterer (CONNEX SEANEX) | 11kV 33kV 66kV Medium & High Voltage Cable Accessories
Operational Problem | Recurring 33kV Joint Failures Caused by Water Ingress to AXAL-F-TT Cables – a Medium Voltage Cable with XLPE Insulation 3 Core Construction.
Approved Technical Recommendation | Design, Specification & Supply of Customised Medium Voltage Polymeric Trifurcating Cable Joints (3 Core to 3 Single Core Cables).
Uploaded by Chris Dodds | Sales & Marketing Manager Thorne & Derrick
Thorne & Derrick have been working across several portfolios of renewable assets in the UK with Solar EPC’s to produce a reliable rectification to 33kV cable joint failures caused by water ingress. The Approved Polymeric Heat Shrink Trifurcating Joint with integral water-barrier features a “resin block” before the cable joint to prevent additional water from penetrating the seals of the joint shell.
Rather than use heat shrink shapes, such as a cable break-out, the client preference for the MV Joint was to include a combined Resin & Shell Water-Blocking Kit to overcome future water penetration compromising solar cable service, reliability and circuit integrity.
Cable reliability increases plant profitability and overall operational efficiency with reduced downtime caused by cable failures on PV power plants.
Water spread and the capillary effect under the cable sheath can cause excess stress on the seal leading to premature joint failure. The solution covered in the Jointing Instruction is to install the jointing encapsulation resin and shell 1000mm from the cable sheath and create a birdcage with the cores – note the core of the medium voltage cable must be separated to allow the resin to flow fully into all voids to eliminate air gaps and possible pathways for water ingress to travel into the Joint and minimise the risk of future failure.
With an expected shelf-life of 2-3 years the Joints have now been introduced to several solar farm sites as Strategic Spares – this provides the client with contingency planning, emergency response and immediate fault repair to any future 33kV cable failures.
The Joint features a “single-tube” shrink over the mechanical shearbolt connector overcoming the traditional multi-tube process with independent stress control and triple wall heat shrink tubes requiring additional working time. Repair and Jointing work should only ever be carried out by an Authorised & Competent Jointers.
The existing faulted 33kV 3 Core AXAL-F-TT specification cable was jointed onto new 33kV BS7870 Single Core BS7870 type cables in accordance with the manufacturers Jointing Instruction – here is an excerpt from the JI Document, ownership of Shrink Polymer Systems.
33kV Cable Specification | AXAL-F-TT 18/30 (36kV) 3 x 230 / 50 AL
AXAL-F-TT Cables with Aluminium, Compacted Stranded, Longitudinally Watertight Conductors, XLPE Insulation with Extruded, Bonded Semi -conducting Insulation Screen.
Further Reading
Thorne & Derrick are Specialist Distributors to Solar EPC’s & High Voltage Jointing Contractors working on the design, construction and maintenance of UK, European and international projects supplying an extensive range of LV HV Solar Cables, Jointing, Substation & Electrical Eqpt.
Based in the UK, we are highly customer responsive and absolutely committed to providing a world-class service.
We stock LV HV Solar Cables, Accessories & Electrical Equipment to enable the construction, maintenance and operation of utility-scale PV installations – our products connect 600V/1500V solar cables into combiner boxes, inverters, transformers and energise switchgear up to 33kV/132kV for high voltage grid connections.
Since 1985, we have provided expert technical support and express delivery from extensive UK stocks to world-wide destinations.
Uploaded by Chris Dodds | Sales & Marketing Manager at Thorne & Derrick
Here the Jointer, Steffan Evans, from HVSM is shown expertly removing the cable sheath and bonded aluminium screen using the Ripley US15 Cable Sheath Stripping Tool (10-50mm) – the Jointing tool when used by Trained & Competent Jointers effortlessly and safely removes both the outer sheath jacket with aluminium foil screen without incurring damage to the copper wire screens on a 33kV single core 800sqmm XLPE insulated cable.
Cable Preparation | Excerpt from Nexans Euromold Type C Interface Connectors (K), (M), (P) 800PB/G Up to 20.8/36 (42)kV | Note the instruction references the requirement to remove the outer cable sheath with Aluminium foil together.
Caution: in the case of conductive coated outer cable sheaths, the conductive coating must be removed during the installation of accessories in order to be able to carry out e.g. cable sheath testing. For this purpose, the conductive coating of the outer cable sheath must be removed with a suitable stripping tool for a length of approx. 400 mm below the end of the cable sheath.
Sheath Stripping with the Ripley US15
Here Steffan is shownly stripping bonded semi-conductor screen from medium voltage power cables (20/22kV) prior to terminating the cable into Siemens NXAIR type Vacuum Circuit Breaker – the Ripley US02-7000 comfortably caters for the precision stripping of the bonded screen from the 400sqmm cable for preparation of the Raychem (Tyco) heat shrink termination to be installed.
The US02 Tool manufactured by Ripley Tools features a revolving ergonomic handle and accessible adjustment knobs for comfort and ease-of-use, reducing effort and potential strain for cable jointers performing repetitive shaving functions in the field.
“Investing in innovation and introducing cable jointing tools to HVSM improves safety and reliability for our clients. The Ripley US02 is very Jointer-friendly with a spectacular finish to the XLPE insulation – the automatic cut-off and incremental blade adjustments ensure a professional perfection of cable preparation at medium voltages,” comments Steffan.
Stripping in the Switch | the US02 Tool is compact but robust allowing confined space working in Medium Voltage Electrical Equipment.
Cable Preparation Tools | Distributed From Stock | Approved Supplier
HVSM are one of Ireland’s most long-standing High Voltage Engineering companies, which has been operating since 1991. Headquartered in Ireland but present and operating globally, they
provide best in class specialist service for High Voltage Power Industries such as Commercial, Utilities, Manufacturing, Life Science, Data Centres as well as the Renewable Energy Sector.
Thorne & Derrick are now Official Distributors for the Vicera range of Cable Jointing Stands – the introduction of this new product range is an excellent extension to our core ranges of Cable Jointing, Pulling Equipment & Preparation Tooling and we look forward to further supporting efficient, easier and more reliable power cable installations.
Thorne & Derrick distribute the most extensive range of MV HV Medium & High Voltage Cable Joints, Terminations & Connectors from manufacturers including 3M, Prysmian, Nexans Euromold, Elastimold, Pfisterer CONNEX & SEANEX. Heat shrink, cold shrink, push-on and slip-over cable accessories enable the jointing, terminating and connection of 11kV-33kV and 66kV-132kV cables to oil, air or gas insulated switchgear, transformers, motors and overhead lines distributing electricity at medium/high voltages.
T&D hold large stocks of 11kV 33kV 66kV Joints & Terminations suitable for XLPE, PILC and EPR cables, in both heat shrink and Cold Shrink technologies, to service the medium/high voltage power cable accessory requirements of UK and international customers.
Joint | Terminate | Connect Medium & High Voltage Cables MV HV
MV HV High Voltage Cable Joints | Cable Terminations | Cable Connectors
Each HV cable sheath bonding method has its advantages and applications.
Solid bonding of high voltage cables is simple but leads to sheath losses, single-point bonding eliminates circulating currents but requires voltage control, and cross-bonding is the most efficient for long HV cables, minimizing losses.
The choice depends on High Voltage Power System requirements, cable length and operational efficiency.
In this method, the metallic sheath of the cable is bonded at both ends and connected to the earth. This results in continuous current flow in the sheath due to the induced voltage.
Solid Bonding Advantages: Simple to install.
Disadvantages: High circulating currents in the sheath lead to power losses and increased heating. Best suited for: Short high voltage cable routes where sheath current losses are minimal.
The sheath is bonded to the earth at only one end, with the other end left open and insulated. An earth continuity conductor is used to maintain equipotential grounding.
This method eliminates circulating currents but results in induced sheath voltages, which can be high. To control this, sheath voltage limiters (SVL) are used.
Single Point Bonding Advantages: Reduces power losses as no sheath currents circulate.
Disadvantages: Requires careful management of sheath voltages. Best suited for: Medium-length high voltage cable systems.
The high voltage cable length is divided into three equal sections (minor sections) within a major section. At each section junction, the cable sheaths are cross-bonded using link boxes to balance out induced voltages. This technique cancels out circulating currents, reducing sheath losses significantly.
Cross Bonding Advantages: The most efficient method, significantly reducing losses.
Disadvantages: Complex installation and maintenance. Best suited for: Long-distance high voltage cable routes.
LV ♦ MV ♦ HV
T&D distribute the most extensive range of LV, MV & HV Cable Jointing, Terminating, Installation & Cable Pulling Equipment – we service UK and international clients working on underground cables, overhead lines, substations and electrical construction at LV, 11kV, 33kV and EHV transmission and distribution voltages.
LV – Low Voltage Cable Joints, Glands, Cleats, Lugs & Accessories (1000 Volts)
MV HV – Medium & High Voltage Cable Joints, Terminations & Connectors (11kV 33kV EHV)
Cable Laying – Underground Cable Covers, Ducting, Seals & Cable Pulling Equipment
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