Pinned joints assemble tubular transmission poles faster

The arms on tubular steel transmission poles typically attach using as many as 16 bolts. It takes a small crew about a half an hour to get an arm in place, attach all of those bolts and nuts, and then tighten to specifications. Engineers at Thomas & Betts developed a connection using a pinned joint that requires a fraction of the time and fewer people to install. The “QuickPin” arm connection uses long pins instead of bolts, though made of the same material as bolts. The tapered pins can be hammered into position to force quick alignment. A flat on the pin heads lets a worker turn them so locking holes in the point end line up with the other pins. A locking rod then goes through the pins to secure them in the joint. Available only on Meyer poles, the QuickPin costs about the same as traditional arm connections but has significant time and crew savings.

Thomas & Betts
Meyer Steel Structures
www.meyersteelstructures.com

WPE

Storm-safe disconnects minimizes hazard

The Blackburn Storm-Safe Service Entrance Disconnect System from Thomas & Betts de-energizes and releases utility service entrance cables when they are struck by debris, eliminating a safety hazard to the public, emergency responders and utility repair personnel. The Storm-Safe system lets utility repair personnel restore power quickly and at minimal cost by installing a

new link and re-inserting the contacts. The disconnect system is comprised of a mechanical breakaway link and mating contacts for the electrical service. When the service cable is struck by debris, such as falling tree branches during a storm, the Storm-Safe system’s breakaway link releases the service mechanical support and disconnects the electrical service, which de-energizes the cable without damaging utility equipment or customer premises.

“Utility lines downed by falling debris are not only a safety hazard, but also may cause costly damage to utility equipment and the customer’s property,” said Thomas & Betts product manager Mike Cawood. “The damage, as well as the risks posed when the cable remains energized, often delays restoration of service.”
The mechanical breakaway link breaks at a prescribed force to prevent damage. The mating contacts separate after the line breaks for a safe disconnect of power.

Thomas & Betts Corp.
http://www.tnb.com/ps/pubint/index.cgi?a=m_util

Battery-powered crimper crimps with 6-tons

 

Crimping selected Homac, Blackburn, and Color-Keyed connectors and lugs is easier with the recent lightweight and ergonomically designed T&B 6-Ton Battery-Powered Crimping Tool from Thomas & Betts. It features a balanced, ergonomic, in-line design, the 6.4-lb crimper operates easily with one hand while yielding six tons of output force. This makes it well suited for crimping service entry connectors and lugs, as well as splicing up to 300 kcmil copper or 4/0 AWG aluminum wire.

Reducing user fatigue was a key goal in designing the crimper. “We reduced the tool weight, making one-handed operation possible and improved the ergonomics,” says Pam Pagenkopf, product manager for Thomas & Betts. “Plus, we designed the jaws to rotate 180 degrees, so the tool works better in confined spaces.”

The tool head includes fixed 5/8-in. BG and D crimp grooves, includes an O-die insert, and it’s compatible with all W-style dies. Its jaws return to the open position after completing a crimp, but the setting can be disabled to make the tool easier to operate in confined positions.

Thomas & Betts Corp.
www.tnb.com

Current-limiting backup fuses allow visual ID of fault location

A recent line of Hi-Tech Trans-Guard EXT Current-Limiting Backup Fuses from Thomas & Betts, the smallest size in the industry, interrupts high-fault currents and limits the amount of energy let-through to the source of the fault to a value well below the typical withstand capacity of the equipment, providing greater protection and safety. Applied in series with a cutout expulsion fuse for interrupting low- to mid-level currents, the backup fuses reduce energy let-through during a fault while still allowing enough let-through current to melt and drop open the coordinated cutout fuse, making it easy to identify visually where the fault occurred.

A few features of the fuses include:

Lowest energy let-through in the industry. The fuses’ allow the lowest total l²t let-throughs in the industry, providing maximum protection for overhead distribution equipment by minimizing energy let-through during a fault.

A complete range of ratings available. A high-fault interrupting capability of as high as 50kA symmetrical, as well as the broadest range of ratings available, at up to 100K at 8.3kV and 15.5kV, and up to 80K at 23kV.

Smallest size. The Hi-Tech Trans-Guard EXT fuse is the smallest fuse of its type in the industry, making it easier to handle and install. A durable design extends outdoor life and includes machined brass end caps and filament-wound epoxy, center-less ground tubular bodies with an oven-baked acrylic paint finish. They are come in a variety of mounts and connections.

Thomas & Betts
www.tnb.com

HEX-FLEX crimps increase connectivity for flexible cables

As flexible-conductor cabling becomes more common in wind turbine applications, new challenges are arising for electric installers. Due to the nature of flexible conductors, the traditional hex-style crimp can leave the connection vulnerable in certain applications to a reduction in pull-out rating. The indent-style crimp works better than the hex-style crimp on a flex cable, but creates the same problem on flex cable as it does on the code cable — limited ability to inspect for a proper crimp.

Electric connector manufacturer Thomas & Betts has devised a product to address this issue. Their HEX-FLEX crimp uses a hex-shaped upper die to create an inspect-able, verifiable, embossed hex crimp on the top side of the connector, while an indented crimp on the bottom increases the pull-out resistance of the connector.

Wind Brochure from Electrical Component Manufacturer

The 16-page brochure from Thomas & Betts says the company understands the challenges faced by wind power electricians. For instance, products available for work in the nacelle include Color-Keyed Power Connectors that feature superior compression connections, a broad range of tooling and dies, with hydraulic, pneumatic and manual tools, along with hydraulic tools to produce the preferred hex-shaped circumferential crimp. Blackburn Grounding Products feature easy to install compression, mechanical, exothermic devices made of corrosion-resistant alloys that  provide a low-resistance path. And T&B Liquidtight has a complete line of Cord and Rigid Fittings for every application. To tolerate demanding, wet or corrosive environments. The Safe Edge ground cone accepts variations in raceway convolutions.

Thomas & Betts
tnb-canada.com

CanWEA attracts top OEMs

Officials for the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) Annual Conference and Exhibition in Toronto say they sold out all 350-booth spaces to 235 exhibitors at the September event. The attendee count topped 2,000. What’s more, the conference drew ten utility and commercial wind turbine OEMs, a list that includes Acciona, Enercon, GE, Mitsubishi, Northern Power, and Siemens.

In conferences, several executives expressed a need for the loosening of credit to grow the market, which remains slower, they say, than most expected this late in the year. There was talk of supply-chain expansion as OEMs work to domesticate their version while other firms look to get started in North America.

There was good news for Ontario. The parliament for Canada’s largest province passed legislation for a Feed-in-Tariff ($0.19/kWh by one account) that will encourage new wind installations by providing fixed prices for onshore and offshore wind parks for the next 20 years. The law also calls for 25% domestic content for Ontario projects. That provision got high scores from local manufacturers.

In addition to OEMs, a range of support companies displayed equipment such as:

• NRG Systems (nrgsystems.com), a manufacturer of met masts and related equipment, showed devices such as 95-in. mounting booms for sensors, and sensors that assess wind shear and turbulence, and help calculate a total wind volume and density.
• Kluber Lubricants (kluber.com) had information on its oils and greases. Among its recent products were three synthetic lubricants for wind turbines.
• Thomas & Betts (meyersteelstructures.com) showed the Quickpin, one way to get away from slow-to-apply nuts and bolts that often attach line-support arms to power transmission towers. It is a long unthreaded pin placed in the same connection holes drilled for bolts, but secured without the precise torque required by conventional fasteners.
• Tyco Electronics (http://energy.tycoelectronics.com/elbow) introduced the 35 kV 600 Amp T-body elbow arrester. The device is intended to protect underground cables and high voltage apparatus from lightening and switching-transient surges.
• Carbone of America (carbonebrush.com) displayed several new slip-ring designs.
  

  Among the many new devices on display at CanWEA 2009 was the Tyco T-body elbow arrester. The devices are shielded and submersible, and meet performance requirements of IEEE C62.11.