NEC Code on maintenance for splices on feeder cables

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Ainsley Whyte

Senior Member
Location
Jamaica
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Senior Electrical Engineer
What does the code said about maintenance of splices on feeder cable ? i have a feeder cable that is very old and there are seven splices on this cable this cable started to develop faults and every time all the splice have to pull apart to fix the faults. Any suggestions
 
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NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
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What does the code said about maintenance of splices on feeder cable ? i have a feeder cable that is very old and there are seven splices on this cable this cable started to develop faults and every time all the splice have to pull apart to fix the faults. Any suggestions
Why would you need to open splices to fix faults? What voltage are you dealing with?
 

Ainsley Whyte

Senior Member
Location
Jamaica
Occupation
Senior Electrical Engineer
Why would you need to open splices to fix faults? What voltage are you dealing with?
460VAC at times the tapes insulation break down causing current to leak to ground the cable is about 1600feet long and have over seven splices due to problem over the years.
 

mayanees

Senior Member
Location
Westminster, MD
Occupation
Electrical Engineer and Master Electrician
is there a section that cover Splices maintenance
There's not a section, but splices are mentioned 14 times throughout the document. They need to be inspected and thermally scanned as a routine maintenance procedure. I recall a case where a Data Center giant installed 100-foot runs of 3200-amp aluminum transformer secondary cables and the termination points were left accessible so that the splices could be monitored. If your splices are underground I don't think there's much you can do other than make them accessible.
 

Ainsley Whyte

Senior Member
Location
Jamaica
Occupation
Senior Electrical Engineer
There's not a section, but splices are mentioned 14 times throughout the document. They need to be inspected and thermally scanned as a routine maintenance procedure. I recall a case where a Data Center giant installed 100-foot runs of 3200-amp aluminum transformer secondary cables and the termination points were left accessible so that the splices could be monitored. If your splices are underground I don't think there's much you can do other than make them accessible.
Which document are you talking the NEC or NFPA can you quote ?
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
Nothing. The NEC is an installation standard. Thete is an NFPA standard on electrical maintenance, NFPA 70 B?
Again, nothing in NFPA 70, but look at NFPA 70B, recommeded practice for electrical maintenance. There are various documents that will list the mimimum resistance for a megger test. Have you megged the conductors?
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
I agree the failures are a workmanship issue. Compression connectors and heavy wall heat shrink w/ sealant, or 33 with scotch coat. I have used both on submersible splices over 100 ft deep that are in service for 25+ years.
 
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tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
The only applicable section on splices in the NEC is 110.14 (B) Splices, which deals with how to make splices. Since the OP has been answered, the poster can look for other recommendations in mfg information, test equipment mfgs recommendations, and NFPA70B
 
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