En-Gauge

Kris-Tech Wire owners Jon and Graham Brodock will be attending the 2012 Corrosion Conference in Salt Lake City. This conference, which runs March 11-15, is hosted by the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE). NACE was founded in 1943 to provide a network and voice for the corrosion control and prevention industry, and has over 28,000 members worldwide. Over its 60+ year history the association has sought to educate corrosion professionals, promote research within the field, and advocate for its members.

Kris-Tech is a leading worldwide supplier of wire and cable material to the corrosion industry. They offer a full line of conventional cathodic protection cable products from basic HMWPE, to dual-insulated Halar/HMWPE and Kynar/HMWPE constructions. These high-performance cable products are designed for use as a direct burial feeder in deep anode ground-bed cathodic protection systems, and are ideally suited for use in harsh chemical environments involving brackish water, gases, acids, and petroleum based solvents.

Kris-Tech has supplied the cathodic protection industry domestically and internationally with its cable since 1988, and enjoys strong relationship within the industry. Jon and Graham plan to attend the conference on March 12^th and 13^th. They look forward to seeing some old friends while there, and making some new ones along the way.

For more information on Kris-Tech’s Cathodic Protection Cable products, please visit our website.

2011 was a special year for us here at Kris-Tech, marking 10 years of service in the Southern California region.  Since 2001, our Los Angeles hub has developed into a warehousing and distribution arm, providing among other things, Caltrans-spec THW (& THW-2), XHHW-2, RHW-2/USE-2, and SIS throughout the western states. The warehouse also provides a convenient will-call facility for local customers and shipping point for other regional business.

Electrical News featured us in their year-end issue if you’d like to learn more about our activity.

If we’ve done business you in the region, we look forward to continuing to doing so.  If we haven’t done business with you, we look forward to starting soon!

We’re delighted to be able to highlight our wire right here in our home town of Rome, NY, on City Hall.  A few thousand feet of  Kris-Tech’s USE-2 for Solar Wire was installed a few weeks ago on a project led by Solar Liberty that will finalize in late August, creating a renewable source of energy for the building, a trend that’s slowly creeping across Central and Western NY. Solar Liberty will be taking part in several projects across the region to increase the number of solar installations and opportunities for solar energy use.

We’ll give you a few more updates when the project is finished, but below are several photos:

Solar Panel Field

Kris-Tech USE-2 for Solar Wire

Because there are two different types of wires used for solar application – Photovoltaic (PV) Wire and USE-2 for Solar Wire – you should make sure you know the differences between the two before ordering and installing.

What is (Horizontal) Directional Drilling?

Horizontal Directional Drilling is a way to install underground pipes, conduits and cables in an arc along a specific path by using a steerable drilling rig. It’s used when overhead installation, trenching and/or excavating isn’t practical from a cost or permitting standpoint. Not only does Horizontal Directional Drilling offer a low level of impact on the surrounding environment, but it may be required to meet federal regulatory or local permit requirements.

What wire is used for Directional Drilling?

There are two wires commonly used in Directional Drilling:

• Horizontal Directional Drilling Wire (HDD): Often called the ‘wireline,’ HDD is used in directional drilling when a wireline monitoring system is needed, rather than an above-ground, or ‘walk-over,’ monitoring system. The wire runs inside the drill string and transmits information on the angle, rotation, direction and temperature of the drilling head while it’s working underground, out of sight.  It’s manufactured to withstand the harshness of the drill pipe process and deliver reliable electrical signals to the guidance control.
• Directional Drilling Tracer Wire: This wire works the same way that traditional tracer wire works, but is made of a more durable insulation able to withstand the harsher environments associated with the drilling process.  This guarantees that your tracer will still be in one piece when you need to use it.  Drilling and pulling back only once is always the low cost answer!

Curious about Kris-Tech Wire’s Directional Drilling Products? Visit our Directional Drilling page for more information.

At the request of an OEM manufacturer of guidance systems and directional steering equipment, we’ve developed a steering wireline product specifically designed for the HDD industry.  We’ve also developed special high-breaking strength cables to withstand the critical “pull-back” of pipe after all the drill work is done.

Have you ever wondered why XHHW is used in your electrical contracting work as opposed to, say, THHN?  Isn’t THHN cheaper?  Well, yes, it is, but there are several performance advantages to consider when using XHHW that outweigh the cost savings you’d realize from pulling in THHN.

Here are a few of them:

• XHHW-2 is rated up to 90° C in both wet and dry environments.  THHN is rated up to 90° C in dry environments only.  Dual-rated THHN/THWN carries a 75° C wet-environment rating.  The 0.004” nylon jacket on the THHN is hydroscopic (that is, it absorbs moisture), which prohibits its use in wet locations at any temperature.
• XHHW-2 is insulated with cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), which provides a di-electric constant (k) value usually ranging from 2.2 to 3.0 megohms @ 20° C. This is approximately half the value of the PVC/Nylon combination in the THHN product.  This results in  reduced leakage, which provides superior insulation performance.
• As a thermosetting material, XLP(E) has higher stability in varying temperature environments.  It resists flow at higher temperatures and cracking at lower temperatures better than comparable thermoplastic materials such as the PVC (Polyvinylchloride), which is used in THHN.

XHHW is recommended by the electrical distribution industry for commercial, industrial, and institutional building applications. The National Electrical Code (NEC) Article 310 describes the specific applications and installation for this product.

So, make sure that you have both the right product and the best product for the job. Check the job site conditions and the NEC requirements for them.  Insure your job is “First Class” – it will make life easier for you and the customer down the road!

Think you need XHHW? Check out our Building Wire page for Kris-Tech’s product offerings. We have XHHW-2 in 10 (ten) colors depending on your needs, and in both solid and stranded constructions.

Need XLPE control or switchboard wiring? Tinned high-flex stranding is available in both SIS and XHHW-2 products.

You can also fill out a quote request using the form on the right, or contact us directly for a copy of our specification sheet or more information

More discussion on Direct Burial/Tracer Wire and why it’s used

We got a comment on one of our blog posts about Direct Burial Wire, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to highlight our response in the form of a blog post.  The original comment/question was:

“Why do you need to install this Tracer Wire? Do we need to install Tracer Wire for metal pipes? Metal pipe is a conductor already. I understand using this for plastic pipes, but metal pipes? How is this tracer wire installed on buried pipes?”

The response from Dave, our President, is the following:

“[We use tracer wire] To locate buried conduits used in one of many applications such as electrical, water, sewer, fiber, and other (that didn’t occur to us).”

Remember the days of calling the guy with a backhoe, two helpers, a pick and a shovel, and starting your work with “I think that it is over here somewhere…”  This usually resulted in a big, unnecessary trench, and probably some damage to either the conduit or the surrounding area. Thankfully, those days are gone.

Modern locating systems use signals, as opposed to voltage, to locate buried metallic and non-metallic conduit.  The system typically consists of a signal transmitter connected to the exposed end of the tracer/locator wire (usually in a switchgear room or an exterior riser), which functions as an antenna.  In electrical applications this eliminates the need for a contractor to employ an expensive crew to de-energize the electrical system to hook on to the buried lines.  Once the electrical hazard is eliminated, an internal or location-for-hire service can be utilized with no risk.

When deciding whether the cost of the locator wire provides an acceptable return, there are some basic considerations, such as:

• What is the cost of a service outage?  Is it reduced through quicker locating?
• What are the costs of my locating crew – backhoe? Crew? Trucks?
• Should the locator wire be expected to have the same lifecycle as the conduit? (Stay away from nylon-coated THHN – you don’t bury nylon pipe for a reason!)
• Can we improve response time with a locating service? Locating is what they do; they may have recommendations!

How are these locator systems installed?  Depending on your circumstances, the locator wire may be laid in a trench above the conduit, pulled in with a trenches machine, or installed via directional drilling.  Only the end user is aware of the job site and system conditions that determine the method. Different types and sizes of wire apply to each specific method of installation.

Direct burial-rated tracer/locator wire provides a reliable, low cost, low risk insurance policy on a utilities plan for its infrastructure life cycle. ”

How “low cost?” Depending on copper costs and conductor size, the typical copper locator/tracer wire may cost between 10 to 20 cents per foot. So this is one insurance policy that’s worth picking up.

Think you need Tracer Wire? Check out our Utilities & Municipalities page for Kris-Tech’s product offerings, You can also fill out a quote request online, or contact us directly for a copy of our specification sheet or more information.

Looking for our solar products?  Visit our USE-2 Solar Wire page and our Photovoltaic (PV) Wire page.

Photo Credit: Wayne National Forest

The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) recently put out a brief overview of the solar panel market and the copper wire requirements needed to serve that industry.

We took some time to brush up on the current standards for our own PV wire products, and the distinction between PV wire and USE-2 wire in photovoltaic modules.  We thought you might be interested.

In summary, UL says “PV wire has superior sunlight resistance and low-temperature flexibility in addition to a thicker insulation or jacket and a proven level of flame resistance.”

Overall, only wires or cables highlighted in the National Electric Code (NEC) can be installed in modules that will be sold in the US.

Requirements for North American PV module interconnecting wires

• Single-conductor Type USE-2 cable and photovoltaic (PV) wire are both ok to use in exposed outdoor installations.
• Because these installations are usually found in more extreme environmental conditions, the insulation for these conductors must be sunlight resistant and rated for wet conditions, and must be able to handle temperatures of up to 90°C.

The main differences between PV wire and USE-2 wire

• USAGE
  • PV wire is solely used for interconnecting PV modules, and was developed to be able to handle 90°C in wet conditions and 150°C in dry conditions.
  • USE-2 wire is usually used for connecting terminals of service equipment, and is mostly found underground, and is therefore only rated to handle 90°C in wet or dry conditions.
  • Both can be UL rated at 600V.  However, PV wire can also be rated 1000V or 2000V if needed.
  • Both wires can be used in grounded PV arrays, but only PV wire can be used in ungrounded ones.

• CONSTRUCTION
  • PV wires have thicker insulation for added protection.
  • USE-2 is often used in places that don’t require a high level of movement out of the wire, and can therefore be made out of either stranded or solid conductors.
  • However, since PV wire is used only in solar panels, it needs to be flexible, so is only made from stranded wires.
  • The smallest size available for USE-2 wire is 14 AWG, however PV can get as small as 18 AWG.

• TESTING
  • PV wires must go through a flame test, USE-2 does not (since it isn’t usually installed in places where flames would be found). On the other hand, USE-2 must go through various abuse tests that PV wires aren’t subject to.
  • PV wire must go through more strict sunlight resistant tests.
  • Both of these tests are part of the UL 4703 specification requirements.

You can find out more about the solar market on the first page of the report, “Designing UL Compliant Photovoltaic Wire” (.pdf format).

Are you looking for our Tracer Wire? We don’t believe in THHN, so you won’t find it here….

We found this article on an old experiment we did in 1993, but the information still applies.

[This is more or less the original text from 1993!]

Tracer Wire – also known as Locating Wire – is without question underrated and underused. Used primarily by Gas, Water, Fiber Optic, and Sanitation companies, its main use is for locating buried plastic pipes and fiber optics.

Unfortunately, a lot of contractors will mistakenly use THHN for this function, although you’ll see it’s a poor choice for many reasons.

Many times, plastic pipes or fiber optics are buried underground to connect to houses and buildings.  They’re used because of their strong flexibility under adverse conditions such as excess heat or cold, rainstorms, etc.

When one of these is used underground, you’ve got to have a wire that’s durable, flexible, and has strong insulation next to the plastic pipe or fiber optics in case you ever need to locate them (hence the name Locating Wire).  For instance, if there was a gas leak, the gas company needs to dig up the pipe in order to find the exact location of the problem.

Here’s where THHN is problematic. THHN doesn’t have the insulation necessary to hold up over time. Typical underground installations are expected to last up to 30 years. Nylon, the main covering of THHN, is very susceptible to water and moisture, causing additional breakdowns in the wiring under adverse conditions.

This takes a toll on THHN, which starts to wear down and erode, becoming more-or-less useless over the course of several years (fewer years than you’d like). In all likelihood, THHN will often need to be replaced once or even twice over the course of a building project’s life span.

The solution?  Tracer Wire.

With 30 to 45 mils of Polyethylene, Tracer Wire has all the flexibility of THHN, but with far better insulation and protection against underground conditions. Therefore, when the going gets tough on underground installation, Tracer Wire will still be there in the end.

Polyethylene offers a very strong insulation, often double or even triple that of THHN, so it can withstand even the toughest of underground conditions. Just as important, companies will save thousands of dollars and hundreds of valuable labor hours because they won’t have to dig up and replace Tracer/Locating Wire the way they will with THHN.

The only real case for using THHN for direct burial (even

thought it isn’t rated for it) is that it’s inexpensive.  But when you consider future costs to repair and replace it, long-term costs often end up skyrocketing.

In addition, Tracer Wire/Locating Wire is much more affordable than a lot of people think. Even with all the added benefits, Tracer Wire costs only a touch more than THHN, with a huge upside in terms of increased insulation, heat-resistance, and durability.

Tracer Wire saves Fiber Optic, Gas, Water, or Sanitation companies thousands of dollars in the replacement of wire, and also valuable time and energy in the form of labor hours and wasted material. With Tracer Wire’s increased durability over 30+ years in an underground setting, it is by far the better choice long-term for any underground wiring project you might undertake.

Sometimes called simply “vinyl,” Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) provides cables with the ability to resist oils, acids alkalis, sunlight, heat weathering and abrasion.  This range of properties makes PVC a great outer covering for such wire types as underground feeders (UF), control, street lighting, direct burial wires and aerial.

It’s often used as an impervious jacket in installations that require cables to be highly protected.  Most PVC compounds do not have extremely high- and low-temperatures in the same formulation, and usually range from -20°C to60°C.  Different varieties also have different pliability and electrical properties.

PVC can be found on such copper wire products as Machine Tool Wire (MTW), Appliance Wiring Material (AWM) and TW/THW, among others.

The cathodic protection industry is a rugged one, and cables used in CP applications need to be able to withstand extreme soil, water and gaseous environments: brackish water, corrosive liquids, harsh underground conditions.

CP Cables can have several layers of coating on them.  In addition to the HMWPE layer (which can be used alone for CPC), one of the most important layers is fluoropolymer insulation, which is often then covered with an HMWPE jacket.  At Kris Tech, we use two different types of fluoropolymers: ECTFE and PVDF.

ECTFE

Stands for: polyethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene (say what?)
aka: Halar (Solvay Solexis brand)
Description: Semi-crystalline melt-processable copolymer of ethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene.
Attributes:

• Excellent abrasion resistance
• Mechanical properties over a wide range of temperatures
• Chemical resistance to a variety of acids, bases and organic solvents
• Rated for continuous use from cryogenic temperatures up to 150°C and higher
• Good electrical properties
• Fire and Smoke performance
• Excellent weatherability
• Thermal stress-cracking resistance

PVDF

Stands for: polyvinylidene fluoride (that one’s a little easier)
aka: Kynar (Arkema brand), Hylar and Solef (both Solvay Solexis brands)
Description: Semi-crystalline melt-processable vinylidene fluoride based homopolymers and copolymers
Attributes:

• Excellent fatigue, creep and cut-through resistance
• Readily cross-linkable with ionizing radiation after compounding with co-agents
• Chemical resistance to a variety of acids, bases and organic solvents
• Low melting point of 177°C (easier melt process)
• Fire and Smoke performance
• Good electrical properties
• Excellent weatherability
• Low density
• Low cost

We cover both of our products with HMWPE, and suggest Halar as the fluoropolymer of choice.  Both of these insulation types significantly increase the level of durability of the CPC, making them much more reliable once installed in a cathodic protection system.

Are you looking for our CPC product? Visit our Cathodic Protection page for more information and to request a quote.

Are you looking for Direct Burial Wire? Take a look at our Tracer Wire or USE-2 for more information.

Direct Burial rated wire is approved to be run in the earth in accordance with the National Electric Code (NEC), usually without the use of conduit to surround it. The combination of the insulation material and its thickness keeps out moisture and other harsh factors to protect the wires inside.

As long as it’s got the right insulation, it’ll be just fine in the ground by itself.

The most commonly referred to types of Direct Burial wire are USE (Underground Service Entrance) – with a thermoset insulation – Tracer Wire and UF, or “Underground Feeder” – both with thermoplastic insulations.  (Note: you might remember some of these terms from our post on wire abbreviations and wire insulation types).

Examples of use for Direct Burial wire use are running electricity to your home (USE-2),  connecting post lights, locating buried pipes with tracer wire, laying the sprinklers along golf courses (next time you’re playing a game, remember there are sometimes 1,000,000’ of wire running underneath you!), and, if you get fancy in the back yard, hooking up your propane grill to a propane tank in the garage!

Usually, Direct Burial wire should be buried at least 18′ underground, but check with the local enforcement officer (usually the electrical inspector) before laying anything down. Oh, and as always, make sure the power is shut off to anything electrical before working with electrical equipment , devices, or wiring!

If you need Direct Burial wire, you can call us or send in a quote on the form to the right!