Dear Colleagues:

Kindly advise for the following issue:

Normally small opens in XLPE insulated conductors are repaired manually after curing process. Is it a normal practice to repair a big open in insulation along the whole circumference or an open of 10 -20 cm? Will that affect the cable & whats the way of doing so?

Thanks in advance
regards
ms

Hello again,

I have never heard of such repairs in XLPE cables regardless of the size of the fault. There would be just too much contamination.

Presumably this is low voltage XLPE cable (Say 110 volt to 1000 volt) such as is found on building wire and service entrance cables. It could not possibly have inner and outer semi-conducting shields to protect the insulation. Please advise.

Regards
Peter J. Stewart-Hay
Principal
Stewart-Hay Associates
www.Stewart-Hay.com
519 641-3212

Dear Mr.Peter,

You are right since these are LV cables but up to about 10 KV.

I meant by repairs repairing XLPE by melting PE over the open & wrapping by Cu tape for uniformity & then removing the tape
There is only insulation & no semicons

Regards

Hello Again,

XLPE insulated wires are generally specified in those locations where the operating temperatures are higher or where the environment is more severe. The customer therefore expects to receive XLPE insulation because that is what he thought he bought. Your company would be therefore be legally liable if some accident occurred.

While there is a small opportunity for some unconsumed organo-peroxide to migrate into the thermoplastic repair area if it is very tiny and cross-link that material, there is no guarantee of that.

I do not believe that your repair procedure has merit.

Regards
Peter J. Stewart-Hay
Principal
Stewart-Hay Associates
www.Stewart-Hay.com
519 641-3212