• 3M Electrical tapes are a robust and convenient solution to repair cable jacket damages in the field.
• Tape fits all cable diameters  - versatile taped repair of cables with reduced inventory, cost and disruption.
• Quicka and easy repair with tapes does not require flames or heating. Cold applied repair solution is suitable for confined spaces and potentially explosive atmospheres with hazardous area Zone 1 or Zone 2. 

In the following circumstances, methods of Cable Jacket repair from 3M, including 3M Scotch Electrical Tapes, can be used:

• For PVC, XLPE or rubber cables LV MV HV 
• For single or multi-core cables
• For damage which does not penetrate to conductor 

Rubber mastic tapes are the main components of cable jacket repair solutions. Flexible tapes apply smoothly and bond instantly for rapid field repair of cables - a mastic adhesive securely adheres to most power cable jacket materials without loosening or separating, delivering a reliable seal that will maintain the integrity of the cable jacket in the long term.

See: 3M Mastic Tapes

Sign up for the Webinar today and learn more about Cable Jacket Repair using 3M Electrical Tapes and their Applications in our Webinar Session.

• Date: Wed 11th November
• Time: 12.00 - 12.30pm

Levingston George, Lead Specialist Electrical Engineer at AM/NS Calvert in Alabama shares some cable jointing tips using 3M Scotch Tapes.

Levingston kindly shares some “tips n tricks” using 3M Scotch Electrical Tapes in the medium voltage power industry.

“In cable splicing and jointing all cable insulation needs to be sanded, be it XLPE or EPR insulation.”

“A good rule of thumb is “cleanliness is the rule and the cleaner the cable joint the better it will operate and test.”

Read More: MV Cable Jointing & Some Jointer's Tips Using 3M Scotch Tapes

All 3M Scotch electrical tapes exhibit smooth unwind and excellent handling characteristics.

Essentially, 3 basic qualities must be carefully evaluated when choosing your tape:

• Shear Adhesion or “Holding Power”
• Peel Back or “Pull-off Strength
• Thumb Appeal or “Quick Stick”

3M Electrical Tapes offer long-term performance, excellent adhesion, chemical resistance and temperature performance – they can provide “quick-fix” and simple solutions to electrical insulation tasks straight out of the engineers pocket.

In this Article we show how 3M Scotch Fire Retardant Electric Arc Proofing Tape 77, can protect low (LV) and medium voltage (MV) electrical cables from arc faults and fires.

The catastrophic effects of an electrical arc fault generated fire means that we have to find a solution to protect cables against these dangerous and damaging fires. Watch Video. 

This video by 3M Electrical shows how to abandon cables safely using 3M CSCAK Cable Abandonment Kits.

Onshore & Offshore Cables

3M Cold Shrink Cable Abandonment Kits are suitable to abandon onshore and offshore polymeric (XLPE and EPR) insulated cables with lead sheath and steel wire armour or wire braid up to 3.3kV.

Heat shrink cable sheath repair kits to reinstate and repair cable damage to BS6883 offshore cables (600/1000 volts low voltage) – during installation of the shipboard type cables the bending radius was exceeded causing stress cracks and splits on the EPR rubber insulation.

The lay-flat wrap-around design of heat shrink cable repair kits enable fast and reliable repairs to cable damage without resort to cable jointing or electrical circuit isolation

In this post we clarify the situation with respect to the relationship between the product category “LV Cable Joints” and the European hazardous area ATEX Directive.

Why Specify & Install 3M Hydrocarbon Resistant Cable Joints?

Standard industrial cable joints will not provide adequate electrical insulation and mechanical protection.

3M Cold Shrink technology joints, splices and terminations require no heat for installation and are consequently preferred for jointing medium voltage cables in confined spaces where potentially explosive gases could be present in the cable vault or basement atmosphere.

Generally, heat shrink joints and terminations requiring naked flames and hot-working permits are not allowed in confined spaces.

Thorne & Derrick hold the most extensive stock of Cold Shrink products in the UK. 

• Joints
• Terminations
• Tubes, Caps & Breakouts
• Abandonment Kits LV MV HV

Thorne & Derrick supply 3M Electrical, Prysmian, Filoform and SPS low voltage cable joints suitable for connecting and jointing single and multi-core/pair power, control and instrumentation cables up to 600/1000V (3.3kV) in industrial and hazardous area locations.

Specialist applications include fire resistant, low smoke zero halogen, hydrocarbon resistant and utility cable joints utilising Cold Shrink or Scotchcast resins.

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.

Stockists of separable connectors including Pfisterer CONNEX and Nexans Euromold for inner or outer cone cable termination.

Arc flash clothing and protection equipment including coveralls, gloves, helmets, face shields, insulating gloves and general head-to-toe PPE is used to protect against flashover. 

Contact us to discuss and calculate your arc flash protective clothing requirements.

Arc Flash Helmets

Insulating Boots

BLOG : Can Arc Flash Clothing Save Utility Workers Lives?

A complete range of cable cleats manufactured by Ellis Patents used to clamp and retain low, medium and high voltage cables in the event of a short circuit, including 11kV/33kV MV-HV power cables – single, trefoil, quadrofoil and multiple bundled cable cleat configurations.

LV MV HV EHV Cable Cleats

BLOG : IEC 61914 – Cable Cleats & Short Circuit Protection Calculations

The complete range of electrical connectors for jointing and terminating cables and connecting conductors into low, medium and high voltage switchgear, control panels and transformers using compression (crimping) or mechanical shearbolt (“snap-off”) type cable lugs and connectors.

BLOG : BS7609 | Crimping Cables With Cembre Cable Lugs & Tools

Cable cutting tools to suit LV-HV cables with copper or aluminium conductors, steel wire armoured (SWA) / braided cables with lead sheath and insulation types including XLPE, EPR and paper types – commonly used to cut armoured LV cables and medium/high voltage power cables 11kV-33kV, single and 3 core type.

Cable crimping tools using hydraulic or battery operated to crimp conductors 1.5sqmm-1000sqmm suit aluminium and copper conductors with sector shaped, stranded or solid cores.

Cable jointing tools for stripping and preparing low, medium and high voltage power cables including 11kV, 33kV, 66kV and 132kV-400kV polymeric cables with XLPE or EPR insulation and bonded/peelable semi-conductive cable screens.

• Remove Cable Sheath

• Remove Semicon Screen

• Remove Cable Insulation

T&D distribute Cable Jointing Tools from leading manufacturers including Alroc, Ripley, Boddingtons and Hivotec for all types of LV, MV or HV cable stripping, preparation and jointing requirements – insulated tools are available for live-working on low voltage cables, joints and electrical equipment up to 1,000v.

Cable protection covers, tile tapes and underground warning tapes are installed over LV, MV and HV power cables in trench and ducted cable installations with high visibility colour providing a visual warning of danger when excavating cables.

11kV and 33kV cable protection tapes (Tapetile and Stokbord covers) are manufactured from heavy duty plastic for reliable protection.

Underground protective covers are used to provide a clear and effective visual warning to the presence of LV-HV underground cables, cable duct or high voltage cable joints.

BLOG : Tape Tile & Stokbord Cable Protection Covers For MV HV Power Cables

Thorne & Derrick distribute the most extensive range of Cable Pulling & Cable Laying Equipment to enable the installation of low, medium and high voltage power cables into underground trench or duct. 

Cable Rollers | Socks | Duct Rods | Jacks | Lubricant

Cable Transits manufactured by Roxtec to provide effective sealing of single and multiple low and high voltage cables and ducts against constant water pressure, fire spread and gas migration.

Extensively specified in the Utility Power, Transmission & Distribution sectors for sealing cable ducts and protecting 11kV/33kV medium/high voltage substations against flood risk.

Earthing & Lightning Protection products including bare and covered copper earth tapes to provide effective earthing protection to LV, MV & HV substations, buildings and electrical infrastructure supported by a complete range of earthing products such as earth rods, plates and lattice or solid type copper earth mats.

BLOG: Earthing System Design Services 

T&D supply both standard and bespoke feeder pillars in a selection of materials, paint finishes and dimensions to meet all indoor and exterior power distribution, control and lighting requirements up to 1,000 volts with IP65 door seal – this includes LV substation and network pillars with DNO supply cut-outs for utility applications.

Non-radial, rough and jagged semicon screens with protuding points at the cutback will cause termination or joint FAILURE.

Leading to OUTAGE. BLACKOUT.

See our range of Jointing Tools including fully bonded and peelable ("easy strip") semicon screen removers. 

Also : MV Heat Shrink Cable Terminations Can Fail Despite Passing VLF Tests

In this BLOG we discuss to processes and Furse products used for the Earthing of electricity substations with site installation photographs from an EHV 275kV substation earthing project.

Thorne & Derrick promote professional businesses providing leading technical skills and services to the power distribution industry.

Take a look at our Guest Articles.

The Distribution Network Operator (DNO) Transition to Distribution System Operator (DSO)

UPS – The Key Role of Back-up Battery Testing & Maintenance For Reliable Power Supply by BCL Power

Cable Ploughing | Meet ATP The European Utility Ploughing Specialists

The following sequence of photographs provide a behind the scenes glimpse of Cable Splicer Training at the Quanta Services Lazy Q Ranch, a state-of-the-art facility where the Art & Craft of Cable Splicing is alive and kicking.

Cable Splicing At The Lazy Q

PILC - Cable Longevity

Cold Shrink Splicer Training

“You’re Just A Cable Splicer!”

“You’re Still Just A Splicer!”

Special thanks to James Craven & John Perez - Quanta Services.

BASEC are collaborating on knowledge and content sharing with Thorne & Derrick.

With a shared passion and ambition to enhance LV MV HV electrical safety by the education of industry stakeholders to specify and buy accredited, tested and certified Quality Cables & Cable Accessories.

The following article has been republished with kind permission of Martha Davis (Senior Director of Content – T&D World and Utility Analytics Institute) from Transmission & Distribution World and their video sponsor Burns & McDonnell.

The 5 Videos videos are real-life and shot-on-site, showing transmission and distribution crews and splicers at work.