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1. INTRODUCTION

Bare Low Voltage Lines have been used over years in within the Authority.
However these have the following disadvantage.

(i) High Outages or faults of the order of 140 faults per 100km per year.
(ii) High Labour and Transport Costs during construction
(iii) Long Construction periods
(iv) High Operation and Maintenance Costs due to the need to clear
wayleaves.

In light of the above the Authority has standardised on the use of low voltage
Aerial Bundled Conductors. Construction of Bare Low Voltage Lines will cease
with the current stocks and deliveries of Hard Drawn Aluminium Conductor.

1.1 Aerial Bundled Conductor Construction

An Aerial Bundled Conductor consists of insulated phase conductor and an


insulated messenger neutral. The neutral is made of stronger aluminium alloy and
supports the phase conductors. Due to the fact that under normal conditions the
Neutral carries less current than Phase conductors it cross sectional Area is
smaller than that of Phase conductors.

The phase conductors are round, stranded and compacted aluminium, insulated with
Black HDPE compound. The insulation thickness varies with the size of conductor from
1mm to 1.4mm (Section on Technical Data for details).
The messenger or the neutral is round, stranded aluminum alloy conductor, with
minimum breaking load of 20.6kN(for the 70mm2), insulated with Black HDPE.
The three phase cores are stranded around the messenger (neutral).
The phases cores are embossed at intervals of 250mm: the manufacturer, year of
manufacturing year, rated voltage. On the messenger the length of cables is marked in
metres.
The cores are identified by longitudinal ridges on the insulation:
NEUTRAL - one ridge
RED PHASE - two ridges
YELLOW PHASE - three
BLUE PHASE - four ridges

1.2 Standard sizes

The standard sizes of Aerial Bundled Conductors are as shown below:-

(i ) 3x95mm2 Phase +1x70mm2 Neutral This replaces 100mm2 HDA


(ii) 3x50mm2 Phase +1x352 Neutral This replaces 50mm2 HDA
(iii) 3x25mm2 Phase +1x25mm2 Neutral This replaces 25mm2 HDA
(iv) 1x25mm2 Phase +1x25mm2 Neutral: This replaces single phase 25mm2
HAD lines, and well as overhead wethedace which 2x16mm2 Phase +

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1x10mm2 Earth. This is about a third of the price of the wethedac service
cable.

1.3 Aerial Bundled Conductor Parameters

The Parameters for Aerial Bundled Conductor as shown in Appendix 1.

1.4 Standardised Practice

(i) All LV Lines shall be with aerial bundled conductors


(ii) The current protective multiple earthing practice shall continue, but with
appropriate bare to ABC connection being used for earth connections.
There shall be no peeling of ABC insulators.
(iii) Use of wetherdac service cable shall be phased out with delivery of
1x25mm2 Phase +1x25mm2 neutral ABC, which is the standard for
overhead service.
(iv) Use of 8.54mm poles shall be phased out in preferance for new shorter
7.5m concrete and 8m wood poles which will now be standard poles for
LV Lines.
(v) There shall be no future use of Shackle or bobbin insulators.
(vi) LV feeder lengths shall not exceed 1km in length. As this long feeders
result in excessive voltage drops and losses.
(vii) Span length with Aerial bundled conductors shall not exceed 50m.

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2. ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION

2.1 Materials

The item codes for ordering the Materials are as shown below:-

LOW VOLTAGE ABC-MATERIALS


Description of Item Item
Code
Low voltage ABC cable with 3 x 95mm2 & 1 468075-
x 70mm2 insulated. neutral 0395
Suspension Assembly c/w clamp & buckling 468804-
strap 0005
Dead end Assembly complete with Clamp & 468804-
bracket. 0010
Large Angle Assembly c/w 2 clamps & 468804-
buckling strap 0018
Insulated Piercing Connector 468806-
0095
Binding Steel Strap 19mm 468805-
1819
Binding Steel Strap 19mm - Buckles 468805-
1820

2.2Tools
Aerial Bundled Conductors special tool sets have be dispatched to your area stores. A set is
composed of :-
LOW VOLTAGE ABC-TOOLS
Description Qty Item Code
Phase separator 2 sets 469580-0010
Wide groove Pulley 20 sets 469580-0019
Nylon Sling 20 sets 469580-0022
Come Along 2 sets 469580-0024
Dyna-meter 1 set 469580-0026
Pulling Swivel 2 sets 469580-0028
Pulling Socks (Nylon & Steel) 2 sets 469580-0033
Crimping tool 2 sets 469580-0035
Strapping Tool Set 2 sets 469580-0039
Insulated Torque Wrench & Socket 2 sets 469580-0044
Hexagonal Key 2 sets 469580-0044
Fork Wrench 2 sets 469580-0048
A ground hoist or winch 1
Traction rope, having a length and a mechanical 1
resistance sufficient to allow pulling and stringing
operations up to ten spans of ABC.
Unwinding machine or similar equipment 1
provided with drum braking system .

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2.3. Pole Preparation


For an 8.54m pole planted at a depth of 1.5m the maximum span length shall be 50m this
will give 6.35m over level ground.
Minimum statutory ground clearances for LV lines are:-
5.5m for all road crossings
4.9m for all places.
Although not statutory, 6.5m ground clearance shall be maintained for major and truck
roads.
To obtain increased ground clearance, extensions pieces are available for use on
intermediates structure positions only.

1. Hardware can be fitted to poles before or after the poles are set up.

2. Hardware can be fixed to poles by means of:

a) 20mm x 0,7mm stainless steel strap and strapping buckles . (Strain


assembly requires at least two straps whereas the suspension assembly
needs only one).

or

b) 16mm hot dipped galvanised bolts, nuts and washers (BH16)

2.3.1 RECOMMENDED PROCEDURE FOR SETTING UP THE LINE

Before setting up the lines, necessary precautions must be taken such as


the suitable staying of line poles to avoid the overstraining of the supports
and hardware, which are not designed to resist to dead end line stresses.

For the sake of convenient handling a maximum span length of 50m is


recommended.

Suspension fittings should be used where the line angle is less than 500

(Figure 2).

When the line angle exceeds this value double strain assemblies must be
used.

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Hardware should be fitted to either side of the poles to accommodate


angles in the line (Figure 3).

In the event of an accident this will allow the cable to swing free and
avoid damage.

When ABC lines are installed on a hill a double dead end assembly is
recommended instead of a suspension bracket on the peak of the hill, as
the weight of the ABC will load the bracket excessively. On a gradient the
cable is pulled from the higher to the lower point.

Following the line adjustment, the strained bundles sections will be kept
on stringing blocks during a minimum period of 24 hours before clamping
the line and angle suspension.

2.4 Running out preparation

Special care should be taken when handling the cable drums, and the
unwinding , pulling, stringing and clamping the cables.

Precautions should be taken to prevent the bundle from dragging over


the ground, ensure adequate protection when crossing fences or any
other obstacles to avoid damage to the cable insulation.

Fundamental principles

Strenuous muscular efforts of linesmen should preferably be exerted


on the ground.
Such efforts should not exceed 5kN.

2.4.1 Conductor Stringing


Line sections of not more than 500m sagged at time. This is important as
not to damage the insulation on the messenger conductor on the position
gripped by the come along.
Where line is more that 500m long a strain point should be installed at mid
way

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The drum is positioned 8-10 behind the support, used for final adjustment.
It is slightly set off (1m) from the pole on the side of the first stringing
block, to prevent any friction of the twisted cable against the pole.

In the case of strong gradient the drum is positioned at the higher point
(extremity) on a drum equipped with mechanical braking device to
regulate the running out of the cable.

The cable drum (drum carrier) should be positioned to allow the cable to
roll off the top of the cable drum and 8-10 metres from the first pole. (such
distance is equal to the length of the pole over the ground).

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The rotation of the cable drum will be controlled by the operator and if
necessary be regulated with a braking system.

Passing the conductors through the stringing blocs and pulling the bundle
with a pulling grip performs the pulling.

Stringing blocks (wide grooved pulley) shall be hung on poles, by means


of a nylon or rope sling in choker fashion (Figure 6) or a special device
developed for such application consisting of a pulley and a saddle with
bracket (Figure 7).

The pulled extremities must be tied with cable ties to avoid untwisting of
the bundle.

Pulleys are fitted on supports, just below the brackets in such a manner
that the bundle is near the level of the suspension clamp.
This ensures:

Easy placement of the neutral messenger in the suspension clamps.

Minimum untensioning during the installation of the strain clamps

Stringing blocks or pulleys must not be suspended from the brackets .


These are not designed to support the loads exerted during the
pulling.

The pulling of the bundle should be by mechanical means.

However, it can be done manually in the case of line section not exceeding
100 metres with maximum spans of 50 metres for a 3x70mm2 + 1x70mm2
ABC.

Precautions should be taken to avoid damage to the cable insulation.

2.4.2 LINK BETWEEN THE PULLING ROPE AND THE BUNDLE


(FIGURE 8)

1. A pulling rope is threaded through all the pulleys on the route. This
rope should be:

10mm Polyester rope, 30 metres long for a manual pulling

12mm polyamide rope, 300 metres long in case of


mechanical pulling

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2. Attach the pulling rope to the ABC by means of a ball bearing swivel and
pulling socks set.

This set includes:

a galvanised steel sock fixed permanence to the rope

a galvanised steel sock is slipped over the neutral


messenger

a swivel is fitted between the two galvanised steel socks

A nylon sock, which is slipped over the bundle to ensure


smooth passage through the pulleys.

It is important that the neutral messenger conductor carries all


mechanical loads.

2.4.3 Running Out

Prepare adequate protection where cables cross fences or any other


structures on route (figure 9).

The foreman verifies that the rope slides normally and that ABC does
not suffer any damage by sharp objects.

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The people in charge of the drum carrier regulate the braking according
to the sag chart instructions given to him.

IMPORTANT : the pulling action should be slow and continuous


avoiding unnecessary jerking.

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2.4.4 REALISATION OF THE FIRST TERMINAL POLE

No lineman has to remain on poles.

At the last pole of the run, the neutral messenger is clamped with a come-
along and tension is provided by A cable/chain hoist linked to the pole by
nylon or rope sling .

The recommended tension is obtained by a dynamometer and sagging of


conductors shall be made according to the sag chart. See appendix 3

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When the required tension/sag has been reached, locate with an adhesive
tape where the strain clamp shall be positioned and then proceed to fit the
strain clamp on the neutral messenger.

Exert an extra load on the bundle in order to facilitate the installation of


the strain clamp to the bracket

Fit a cable tie in front and behind the clamp to keep all conductors
together.

Release the apparatus and remove the stringing block.

The dead end assembly consists of:

One bracket
One wedge type dead end clamp made out of thermoplastic
material
Two cables ties made of polyamide for clamping bundled

conductors

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2.4..5 REALISATION OF THE FIRST LINE SECTION

The tensioning of the first line section shall be made at the first double strain point.

For such procedure a chain or cable hoist equipped with a reel is needed (Figure 12)

The loads being more or less equilibrated, no staying is required.

The line adjustment for the fixing of the dead end clamp on neutral messenger is obtained
as follows:

Proceed simultaneously on the two tensioning devices (one at the termination pole and
the other at the double strain assembly) in order to obtain the adjustment of the first line
section and the slack bridge needed for the double strain assembly (Figure 13).

Install the strain clamps by exerting a supplementary traction in order to facilitate the
fixing of the clamps on the bracket.

Release the loading device at the double strain point.

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Remove others line section are realised in the same manner

The last line section is realised as the first terminal pole (Figure 10)

2.4.6 INTERMEDIATE POLES

Separate the neutral messenger with two-phase separators at the suspension point.

Lift the cable from the pulley and fit the neutral messenger into the suspension clamp.

Close the securing clip and fit a cable ties around the phase conductors and the slot in the
bottom of the suspension clamp.

Fit a cable on the ABC either side of the suspension clamp (Figure 14)

The suspension assembly consist of:

One bracket
One suspension clamp with link

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2.4.6 JOINTS

Using pre-insulated ferrules (Figure 15) should join cables.

Lay the two cables to be joined in juxtaposition in order to stagger the joints as illustrated
(Figure 16) and prepare to join phase to phase, etc.

Strip the insulation according to the length (strip length) indicated on the ferrules. Take
particular care not to damage the aluminium strands.

Pass the conductor through the seal at the end of the ferrule and onto the centre barrier.
The seal should be securely seated on the insulation of the conductor.

Crimp the ferrule with standard ABC dies (17,3mm) starting at the centre progressing to
the outside. Pre-insulated ferrules are also used for repairing accidental damage to
conductors.

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2.4.7 CONNECTIONS

Connections are made by 6 kV watertight insulation piercing connectors (I.P.C)

TTD connectors (Figure 17) can be installed on enrgised main conductors; however, the
tap must not be under load.

If necessary, separate the conductors before making the connection by means of phase
separators

Determine direction for tap conductor to enter connector. Remove and sicard extra end
cap.

Insert tap conductor, making sure conductor is fully seated in end cap.

Place connector on main conductor. Tighten screw(s) with a closed-end wrench (or
socket) until shear head breaks off.

NOTES

Once the connector is installed it should not be removed. Only when the
connector is in place can the pierce marks be effectively sealed.

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The conductor should not be exposed at any point on the installation. ABC
systems are always fully insulated and fully waterproof.

Replacing the damaged section using pre-insulated ferrules can only perform
repairs to the conductor insulation.

I.P.C's can not be re-used.

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