#cable terminals

What is IP rating?

IP rating or IEC 60529 grades the resistance of an enclosure against dust, water or other contaminants. It provides a list of the degree of protection offered by mechanical and electrical casings or enclosures. Electric equipment malfunctions or gets damaged when water or dust enters it. To avoid such situations, the equipment enclosures should be resistant to such ingression. This can be ensured by the IP ratings of the equipment as they give a more specific understanding of the protection offered. It also defines the tests to be performed to verify that the enclosure (product) meets these requirements. IP ratings are of prime importance throughout various industries like mechanical, electrical, electronics, instrumentation, automobile, etc.

The IP code is composed of the two letters IP which means ingress protection, followed by two numerals:

1) The first numeral refers to the protection against solid objects and is rated on a scale from 0 (no protection) to 6 (no ingress of dust).

2) The second numeral rates the protection against liquids and uses a scale from 0 (no protection) to 9 (high-pressure hot water from different angles).

 The two digits indicate adherence to the conditions listed in the table below. The digit 0 is used when no protection is provided. A digit is replaced with the letter X when no sufficient data is available to assign a protection level. The device is considered to be less capable in such cases.

 DIN 40050-9 extended the IEC 60529 rating system with an IP69K rating. IP69K stands for high-pressure, high-temperature wash-down applications. It was originally developed for road vehicles, especially those that need regular intensive cleaning. It is also useful in areas like food processing machinery and car wash systems.

 What does Ingress Protection Rating mean?

First Digit – The first digit stands for protection from solid material mainly dust. The value can range from 0 to 6. As the value increases, the ability of the product to withstand solid foreign objects or dust from entering the enclosure increases.

 For example, a product that has a rating of IP20 can withstand solid foreign objects up to 12mm or greater in size. An object with a rating of IP6X has protection from dust ingress. The “X” is used to represent an area where the product has not been tested for ingress protection.

 Second Digit – The second digit represents protection from liquid ingress. It has values ranging from 1 to 9. As the value of the second digit increases, protection from liquid ingress increases.

 For example, a product with an IPX4 rating can withstand vertical water splashing at an angle up to 600. As the chart indicates, there are specific angles, pressures, and volume requirements that must be followed during testing. Here since the first digit is indicated as X, we can say that it is not certified for foreign body ingress protection.

 Extra Letters – Sometimes, there might be an extra letter at the end of the IP code, these are optional letters. This is the supplementary letter, and it can be used to denote the supplementary information from the product standard. The letter can provide additional information related to the protection of the device from:

 Letters and Meanings

 F- Oil resistant

 H – High voltage device

 M- Device monitoring during water test

 S- Device standing still during water test

 W – Weather conditions

 Electrical IP Rating:

IP ratings for electrical applications follow the same universal codes similar to all other types of enclosures, for ease of understanding and standardisation. However, it is more important with electrical IP ratings to strictly consider the potential exposure types and protection needed for all electrical or electronic components or systems. This is because any ingress from either particulates or moisture of any kind can result in greater damage or increased hazards.

 Conclusion:

There are various types of IP-rated products available on the market now. The IP rating requires stringent testing procedures, which ensures standardization between all the different testing facilities around the world. The standardisation of IP codes enables users to gain a clear understanding of each product’s abilities and limitations in different environments. It makes the selection easy with the IP rating indicated on the product. One must always be careful in checking the IP ratings for less obvious sources of moisture or foreign bodies, such as condensation, steam, accumulating dust, and corrosion or chemical attack if the product is to be used in challenging industrial environments.

 Thank you for reading the blog, Axis is a leading manufacturer and supplier of Electrical Components to over 80+ Countries. Talk to our industry expert by visiting our contact us section. You can also watch our videos by our experts – click here.

Being outdoors, electrical networks are subject to the ravages of nature throughout the year. From lightning, heavy rain, dust or even just local wildlife, these electrical networks become susceptible to faults forming over time.

When these faults occur, outages can take place which can affect large populations of end customers or industrial areas, causing dissatisfaction and revenue losses for the local utility. In our conversations with Utilities and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) firms, in the absence of a fault indicator, the standard practice involves several technicians walking or driving along the length of the line to find the exact location of the fault. In the case of a line such as an Aerial Bundled Cable (AB Cable) where the cables are bunched together, this practice becomes even more difficult as the technicians need to lower the line to find the fault. Additionally, if the fault occurs at night or in highly forested or hilly areas, this endeavour becomes increasingly difficult.

These revenue losses for Utilities and the extra cost of O&M for fault detection have led to the development of products to aid utilities or maintenance firms to quickly detect faults in their network. A Fault Indicator is a device placed underground or on overground electrical lines to provide utilities with either a visual or remote indication and location of a fault. These Fault Indicators are also referred to as Fault Passage Indicators (FPI), help the utility attain early information on the location of the fault, and take immediate action.

What is an Overhead Line Fault Passage Indicator?

An Overhead Line Fault Passage Indicator detects and indicates faults that occur in an electrical distribution network. It monitors the system 24×7 for fault occurrence and reduces downtime time by quickly identifying the fault location. A Fault Passage Indicator is installed under live conditions with the help of a hot stick and an adapter.

How does a Fault Passage Indicator work?

One Fault Passage Indicator is usually clipped onto each phase of the circuit allowing the utility or O&M firm to monitor current and faults in each phase. By placing the FPI’s at regular intervals along the line, the device can identify faults in the downstream section from its point of installation by monitoring the electromagnetic field surrounding the conductor. During the fault condition, the magnetic field around the conductor increases rapidly as a high current will flow through that path for a fraction of time (di/dt) & then suddenly breaks to zero as circuit breaker trips, this condition is sensed by the FPI & gives the alarm physically on-site & remotely to SCADA centre.

In the case of a non-communicable type, the FPI will give alarm physically on-site by blinking the RED Ultra bright LED & in the case of a communicable type the FPI gives alarm physically on-site as well as send the data to the SCADA centre through DCU over GSM/GPRS.

The illustration below provides a basic topology of a communicable system.

The FPI product ultimately aims to reduce the time and effort taken by maintenance technicians to find faults by providing visual and/or remote cues.

When a fault occurs, the fault indicators in front of the fault point will flash an LED to indicate the fault, the ones behind the fault point will not indicate the fault. The operator can easily identify the fault position (between the flashing and non-flashing indicators) by tracking the flashed indicators. It can help the operator to find out the fault point quickly. Permanent fault, transient fault and battery low voltage alarm can be indicated and distinguished separately by 3 different ultra-bright blinking LEDs. Two different alternating ultra-bright blinking LEDs indicate an Earth-fault. The parameters such as trip current, reset time, blinking interval, etc. are also read and adjusted over the wireless bidirectional network.

Features:

Axis Overhead Line Fault Passage Indicator detects an earth-fault using the signal injection method with the assistance of a device called signal source. The signal source provides improved accuracy in earth-fault detection. The Axis Overhead Line Fault Passage Indicator is designed as per IEEE 495-2007 international standard. An earth-fault and short-circuit fault indicator consists of three indicators, one for each phase and one for Data Concentrator Unit (DCU) for uploading data to System Server.

Overhead Line Remote Fault Indicators are usually used to monitor short-circuit faults and earth-faults. Three ultra-bright blinking LEDs indicate a fault in the network. The information about the fault and the current values can be uploaded to the Server System by utilizing available 2G/3G/4G networks.

 Advantage:

The main aim of an Overhead Line Fault Passage Indicator is to reduce the physical efforts needed to identify the faults & that occur in distribution networks. There is a significant reduction in the time, effort and manpower required for identifying faults.

Aerial Bundled Cable (ABC) is an innovative concept for Over Head (OH) power distribution. When compared to the conventional bare conductor OH distribution system, ABC provides higher safety and reliability, lower power losses, stability in voltage regulation and ultimate system economy by reducing installation, maintenance, and operation cost.

The construction and mechanical properties of the AB Cable system originate from the HD 626 standard. The AB Cable itself is available in several constructions including the Insulated Messenger system, the Self-Supporting System (2 core or 4 core), and the uninsulated messenger system. The commonality amongst all these systems is that the current-carrying high strength aluminum alloy phase conductors are insulated with PE or XLPE material and then twisted around the messenger cable (insulated messenger and uninsulated messenger systems) or twisted amongst themselves (self-supporting system). You can read more about the cable construction of AB Cables in our article here: Components of an LV AB Cable Distribution Line

As mentioned in our article on the ‘Lifespan of ABC Lines in Moist / Wet Environments’, the most influential factor in aging ABC cables is the use of non-standard cable connectors, accessories and clamps because they allow water ingress which slowly damages the cable.

Thus, as with any power distribution system, if the goal is to minimise downtime of the line and extend its lifetime, then the accessories that are used along with a LV AB Cable system should be tested according to the relevant testing standards. The following article goes into detail on the testing standards and their requirements for the various accessories and components used along with a LV AB Cable Power Distribution system.

Testing of AB Cable Accessories

The testing of Accessories to Low Voltage AB Cable systems can be broken down into 3 major testing buckets:

1.     Mechanical Testing

2.     Electrical Testing

3.     Environmental Testing

The major products that are used as accessories to Low Voltage AB Cable systems are as follows:

 Suspension Clamps:

Suspension Clamps are used along with a bracket or other supporting hardware to suspend and grip, without damaging, a LV AB Cable system. As shown in the images below, they can also be used in conjunction with insulation piercing connectors to provide service connections by tapping the mainline.

Anchoring Clamps:

Anchoring Clamps are used along with a bracket or other supporting hardware to strain the messenger or cable to terminate the line or to provide an angle of up to 90 degrees for the LV AB Cable system without damaging the cable’s insulation.

Service Clamps

Service Clamps are used along with a bracket or other supporting hardware to strain the insulated service conductor of a LV AB Cable system to provide turn angles, anchor service lines on walls, or support tap-offs for the service lines without damaging the cable’s insulation.

Insulation Piercing Connectors (IPC’s)

Insulation Piercing Connectors are used on all AB cable systems (messenger wire & supporting system) to take a tap connection. This tap can be used to continue the line, distribute the line, used in street lighting or in-service connections to households. The design allows the connection to be completely sealed against any water ingress, thus acting as a waterproof connector

Midspan Joints or Insulated Bimetallic Lugs

1.     Pre-insulated midspan joints are used for the insulated AB cables phase or neutral to join two cables.

2.     Pre-insulated Bimetallic lugs are used for insulated AB cables phase or neutral to terminate the cables.

Low Voltage Distribution Boxes

A distribution box is a key component of an electrical supply system. From a single, common enclosure, it helps to divide an electrical power main feed into multiple subsidiary outgoing connections that can be used to provide electrical connections to individual homes, buildings, or other requirements.

Mechanical Testing

The clamps and connectors mentioned above undergo load tests, slip tests & endurance tests to ensure that the device can withstand the load conditions of the AB Cable in real-world scenarios without slippage. The midspan joints and pre-insulated bimetallic lugs are put through their mechanical tests after the crimping of the products.

The insulation piercing connectors also have to make their connection without causing damage to the conductor. Thus, the tap and main conductor are put through a tensile strength test after the application of the IPC to ensure that cable strands have not been cut through the application of the product which would weaken the conductor.

Electrical Testing

The clamps and connectors are put through a 6 kV test to ensure that none of the components of the product become electrified during the test. The reason for this test is to ensure the safety of the power line worker or any other person who may accidentally touch the product while the line is live.

As mentioned earlier in the article, the most influential factor in aging ABC cables is the use of non-standard cable connectors, accessories, and clamps because they allow water ingress which slowly damages the cable. Since the primary function of the Insulation Piercing Connector is to pierce through the XLPE insulation covering the aluminium conductor to form an electrical connection, water ingress on an AB Cable is most likely at the location of the IPC if non-standard products are used. Axis IPC’s are tested to a 6kV underwater test to ensure a waterproof connection without any electrical leakage.

Environmental Testing

Since these products are used on outdoor overhead power distribution systems, the clamps must undergo corrosion & climatic aging to ensure that the clamps can withstand the harsh conditions that exist outdoors such as direct sunlight, rain, etc.

Distribution Boxes

Low voltage distribution boxes for AB Cable Systems are a complex product that requires testing as per many different standards including IS 14772, IS 8623, UL 746C & IEC:60695-2.

Mechanical Testing

The distribution boxes are put through several mechanical testing including impact tests, IP tests, glow wire tests and flammability tests. The purpose of the impact tests is to ensure that the product is not brittle and can endure some physical damage in the outdoor environment. IP testing ensures safety from water and dust ingress. The glow wire and flammability test are both conducted to make sure that, in case of a fire, the box is able to self-extinguish a fire and not propagate the fire.

Electrical Testing

Axis Low Voltage Distribution Boxes are also put through electrical tests where they are tested for surges from 2 kV to 4 kV. The purpose of the test is to ensure that there is no leakage current and therefore no chance of a human suffering an electrical shock in case they touch the product. This test also showcases that the box would be intact without any failure in case of an electrical surge.

Environmental Testing

As with all the other products in the system, these distribution boxes are used outdoors and are thus tested to check for the effect of UV rays on the product.

Conclusion

At Axis, we conduct an intensive system of testing for all our products as per the appropriate international testing standards during design, validation, and final production. We are confident of our products and offer them to our customers with the assurance that our products will not fail on the line. It is paramount that contractors use tested products along with their AB Cable systems. To learn more about Axis’s range of tested AB Cable Accessories, please read our catalogue here or contact us through this form.

Along with using the correct products, it is also important that the products are installed correctly. To watch how to correctly install our range of AB Cable Accessories, please watch our series of videos here.

Importance of Earthing & Lightning Protection for Building

Lightning is an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon that can discharge up to 200,000 amps in a fraction of a second. A direct strike can have devastating effects on people, buildings and the natural environment. Especially during stormy seasons, we witness numerous accounts of people losing their lives due to lightning strikes. Beyond this obvious impact of lightning, the voltage spikes that accompany even indirect strikes can be catastrophic to a building’s electronic systems. With the advent of sensitive electronic equipment in our everyday life in recent times, the importance of proper lightning protection for building and other structures has become extremely critical.

To ensure 360-degree safety, earthing & lightning protection for building and other structures is a must. This equipment are been designed and tested according to the best international standards. Axis products, which are designed in accordance with these international standards, help customers identify the risks and solutions to any lightning protection and earthing needs.

This blog is an introduction to the standards that help guide international lightning protection for buildings and earthing/grounding system design. Our next blog will look at system design and products.

Standards

(IEC)

The International Electrotechnical Commission prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies and is the leading international organization in its field.

IEC 62305 – Protection Against Lightning, is the apex level document that informs the standards for lightning protection around the world. Axis’s Risk Assessment software and our lightning protection and earthing products are designed to work with systems designed as per IEC 62305.

UL & CSA are North American certification bodies that are followed widely in the US, Canada and other parts of the world.

UL 467: Grounding and Bonding Equipment, UL 96A: Installation requirement and C22 for lightning protection system are few important standards in this field.

To learn more about the Axis range of Earthing/Grounding Solutions and Lightning Protection, you can download our catalogue.

You can also watch our videos on YouTube to learn more about Earthing/Grounding and Lightning Protection.

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Why is the design of a Lightning Protection System and Earthing Important?

Lightning is an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon that can discharge up to 200,000 amps in a fraction of a second. A direct strike can have devastating effects on people, buildings and the natural environment. Beyond the obvious impact of lightning, the voltage spikes that accompany even indirect strikes can be catastrophic to a building’s electronic systems. With the advent of sensitive electronic equipment in our everyday life in recent, the importance of proper protection has become extremely critical. In this blog, get an overview of the design of the lightning protection system.

In order to fully protect themselves, buildings and other structures must use Lightning Protection and Earthing equipment that has been designed and tested according to the best international standards. Axis products, which are designed in accordance with these international standards, help customers identify the risks and solutions to any lightning protection and earthing needs.

Standards

IEC 62305 – Protection Against Lightning, is the apex level document that informs the standards for lightning protection around the world. Axis’s Risk Assessment software and our lightning protection and earthing products are designed to work with systems designed as per IEC 62305.

UL 467: Grounding and Bonding Equipment and UL 96A: Installation requirements for the lightning protection system are two other important standards that are followed in the United States, Canada and other parts of the world.

Design of Lightning Protection System

The first step in the design of a lightning protection system is Risk Assessment. Axis’s Risk Assessment software uses a range of parameters that allow users to determine the risk and thus the Class of Lightning Protection System (LPS) that is required for their specific structure.

Based on this, you can now design the external and internal protection systems for your building. The External protection system would include an Air Termination, Down Conductor and an Earth Termination System. For internal protection, one would use surge protection devices and equipotential bonding.

 The positions of the Air Termination can be decided based on the rolling sphere method, the protective angle method and the mesh method. The rolling sphere method can even be used to define the zones of protection for structures with complex geometry.  The radii for the sphere is determined directly from the Class of LPS. The Protection Angle method is used for simple structures but only up to a certain height as determined by the class of LPS. The Mesh Method is best used for flat surfaces where the air termination conductors are to be placed at the roof edges and where no other metallic structure will be above the air termination system.

Axis Air Termination Rods are made from high-grade electrolytic Copper that provides the highest conductivity to allow the flow of high-intensity lightning strikes preventing any damage to the structure or equipment.

Non-Conventional Air Termination Systems

According to IEC-62305, the zone of protection determined for an air termination system shall be defined only by the physical size of the system and there is a lack of proof if this zone cannot be enhanced, as claimed by manufacturers of other technologies.

Down Conductors

Down conductors, connected to the Air termination system with suitable products, should take the most direct route down the structure, with spacing between each one defined by the Class of LPS. IEC 62305 also allows the use of rebars inside concrete structures to be used as down conductors under certain conditions.

Earth Termination

An Earth Electrode should provide low electrical resistance with the earth to allow for the dissipation of currents. It should also be resistant to corrosion because it will be buried underground for a long period of time.

Worldwide, one of the most popular Earth Electrodes is copper bonded earth rods, which comply with IEC 62561 Part 2. Since electricity is a surface phenomenon, the copper layer allows for a conductive path while the inner core of high strength steel provides the strength required for driving the rod inside the ground. Axis Copper Bonded Earth Rods have been are approved by Utilities across the world and continue to be popular due to their consistently high quality.

Internal LPS

This is a crucial aspect of the design of a lightning protection system. The two major components of internal LPS are Equipotential bonding and surge protection devices (SPDs). The purpose of Equipotential Bonding equipment is to bring all the metallic parts and equipment in a structure to the same Voltage Potential, to avoid hazards to human life or other damage. SPD’s protect the electronic devices by breaking the circuit in case of an equipment system fault.

Conclusion

Axis has been manufacturing and supplying lightning protection and earthing equipment internationally since 1994 and has a proven track record of high-quality protection. Our customers include utilities, Government Organisations, and private projects across the globe.

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Lightning protection for buildings is a very crucial aspect of safety. The Rolling sphere method is one of the three routes for lightning protection system design defined by IEC 62305, the international standard for lightning protection design. After the first step of determining the class of lightning protection decided by the Risk Assessment, the lightning protection for buildings and system design can be done using the Rolling Sphere, Protection Angle method or the Mesh method. The system design will provide information such as the location of the lightning arresters, down conductors, earth electrodes, other equipment, and the complete Bill of Material.

Rolling Sphere Method

The Rolling Sphere Method is an aid to identify the areas of a building or structure that needs protection using air termination rods. This method also takes into account the possibilities of strikes to the side of the building. As illustrated below, a sphere, with a radius defined by the Class of LPS, is rolled across a structure. Wherever the surface of the sphere comes into contact with the structure is deemed to be unprotected, thus requiring air termination.

What is the radius of the Rolling Sphere?

The table below shows the radius of the rolling sphere for different classes of LPS. As we can see in the table, Class I has the smallest rolling sphere radius and as a result, this smaller sphere would touch parts of the building (deemed unprotected) that the larger spheres would not touch (deemed protected). Thus, structures with Class I protection have the highest level of protection.

While side strikes could occur on buildings that are higher than the radius of the rolling sphere, the probability of these side strikes is negligible on structures less than 60m in height.

The Rolling Sphere also allows designers to divide the outer structure into distinct Lightning Protection Zones, LPZ0A and LPZ0B. As discussed in our blog, “Lightning Protection Zones and their Application to SPD Selection”, IEC 62305 Part 4 defines these Lightning Protection Zones as shown below.

Outer Zone

Zone 0: Zone where the threat is due to the attenuated lightning electromagnetic field and where the internal systems may be subjected to full or partial lightning surge current.

LPZ 0 is subdivided into:

LPZ 0A: Zone where the threat is due to direct lightning flash and full lightning electromagnetic field. Internal systems may be subjected to full lightning surge current.

LPZ 0B: Zone protected against direct lightning flashes but where the threat is the full lightning electromagnetic field. The internal systems may be subjected to partial lightning surge current.

Air Termination Calculations for Rolling Sphere Method

Separation Distance between the Air Termination Rods

When multiple air termination rods are to be used to protect a plane surface, the following equation can be used:

d=2√(2rh-h^2 )

d = separation distance between the rods (metres)

r = radius of the rolling sphere (metres)

h = height of the rods (metres)

Penetration Distance of a Rolling Sphere

When designing the air termination system for a building or for a roof-mounted structure, the penetration depth of the rolling sphere between two air termination rods becomes a decisive factor.

p=r-√(r^2-(d/2)^2 )

p = penetration distance (meters)

r = radius of the rolling sphere (meters)

d = distance between two air termination rods

Software to aid Lightning Protection Design

The importance of Lightning Protection!

When we imagine natural disasters, often the first things to come to mind are the cyclones, earthquakes and floods that can affect us on the Indian subcontinent. Sometimes we turn on the TV and can see the tornadoes that wreak havoc through the American Mid-west or the fires that are affecting the Australian bush. In all these cases, unsuspecting homeowners and building societies were completely taken by surprise by the unimaginable damage that ensued and that they often cannot prepare to handle.

Despite being a weather threat that affects people across the world, there is one natural disaster that homeowners and building societies often do not think about until it is too late. But people can prepare and protect themselves against this threat – Natural Disaster Lightning. These beautiful and powerful natural occurrences are a photographer’s best friend. They present awe-inspiring scenes that can capture an audience’s imagination. But they also have a huge potential to cause damage to structures, homes, the natural environment, and living beings. A discharge of lightning can carry over 100 million volts of electricity which can easily cause damage to any kind of structure – they can destroy monuments, explode walls and often be the cause of devastating fires. With new and expensive technology, it might be possible to foresee lightning strikes in a vicinity maybe 15 minutes before they occur, it is impossible to pinpoint exactly where it would strike. Due to their devastating impact, there are steps that any homeowner or building manager can take to minimise the damage of a strike.

 Educate Yourself Against Natural Disaster of Lightning

According to CROPC 2019 Report, there were as many as 6.5 million lightning strikes that occurred only in the four months from April to July 2019. Out of these 6.5 million lightning strikes, 2.3 million were Cloud to Ground lightning strikes that impacted locations across the Indian subcontinent. These were the statistics for only 4 months and these numbers make India one of the most vulnerable geographies in the world for lightning strikes. Lightning does not discriminate on geography and strikes across the entire country.

However, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha lead the country for deaths due to lightning strikes.

Protection from Natural Disaster – Lightning

For homeowners and building societies, who want to ensure the safety of their residents against the odds of lightning striking their structure, a professionally designed and installed lightning protection system is the most viable idea. This professionally designed and installed lightning protection system would work by channeling the immense energy of lightning strikes along the path of least resistance, providing a safe path for it into the earth. Axis has been in the business of manufacturing material for Lightning Protection Systems for exports around the world since 1994 and through this experience, we have learned the importance to the end customer that they should only use products that comply to strict international standards for lightning protection and earthing such as IEC 62561 or UL 467 and UL 96. The National Building Code of India also has strict regulations on the material used for lightning protection systems. Improper material use can lead to serious consequences and in the worst-case scenario, it may not provide any protection to the structure at all. The use of an experienced lightning protection contractor is also important to ensure the correct placement and fitting of the entire system. Building societies or homeowners should not try to install a lightning protection system by themselves.

Usually, this kind of lightning protection system is made up of the following components:

“Air Terminals” or “Lightning Rods” or “Franklin Rods” or “Lightning Arrester”     – these are usually made out of copper and are set on the roof of the structure at regular intervals as per the standard design requirements.

Down conductors are made of strips of copper, copper-clad steel or braided cables of copper or aluminium. These conductors connect the air terminals to the rest of the system and the earth rods.

Earth rods or Ground rods, which are driven deep in the earth. These help direct the current into the ground.

Bonding connects the metallic components of the structure such as pipes or roof structures to the ground rods to ensure conductivity and prevent side flashing.

Surge Protection Devices are discussed more in detail below.

 Surge Protection for some Extra Protection

With the increasing importance of electronic devices in every aspect of our modern personal and professional lives, it becomes increasingly important that we protect these devices even from small indirect lightning strikes. Even a small strike that hits the ground around a structure can possibly damage sensitive electronic devices inside the structure by causing a surge. This surge can cause all the electronic devices in a home such as refrigerators, televisions, computers, etc. completely inoperable, causing severe financial damage. In structures such as hospitals or data centers where the equipment is even more sensitive, protection against these surges becomes paramount. We have explained the importance of surge protection devices and their usage in more detail at our blog: Surge Protection Devices (SPD)

For more information on protecting yourself, your family, your home, or your building society, please feel free to contact us for more information.

You can also get more information on our video on the basics of Lightning Protection.

You can read more about Lightning Protection in our blog post: Lightning Protection Zones and their Application to SPD Selection

Introduction to Insulation Piercing Connectors (IPC)

Insulation Piercing Connectors are used on all AB cable systems (messenger wire as well as self-supporting system) to take a tap connection. This tap can be used to continue the line, distribute the line, used in street lighting or in service connections to households. The design allows the connection to be completely sealed against any water ingress, thus acting as a waterproof connector.

 Application Guide

There are four main applications to IPCs, namely street lighting, tap off, distribution box charging, and jumper connections.

 1. Street Light Connections

In this application, IPCs are generally used to tap the main AB Cable and connecting it to a service line that powers streetlights or other applications.

 2. Tap off/Multi-Tap Connection to Households

These IPCs are used to tap the main AB Cable and bring power to households. Using the Multiport IPC, a one-tap connection from the mainline can be used to bring connections to multiple households.

 3. Distribution Box Charging Connection

These IPCs are used to tap the main AB Cable Line to charge Low Voltage Distribution Boxes which are further connected to different applications such as residential connections, street lights, etc. Axis Low Voltage Distribution Boxes can provide up to 9 outgoing connections for each incoming line.

 4. Jumper Connection

These IPCs are generally used with the same size of cable on each side to facilitate T-Connections (90° turns) or any other high angle turn.

 Axis provides the full range of insulation piercing connectors for all the applications listed above. The Axis range of IPCs and their applications are listed below.

 To learn more about our full range of Accessories for AB Cable Systems, please view our catalogue here.

 Along with using the correct products, it is also important that the products are installed correctly. To watch how to correctly install our range of Insulation Piercing Connectors, please watch our application video here.