just wanted to know what is your preferance for splicing services at the mast. Split bolts ans tape, stripless taps like the isco's, or crimps?

My favorite way is to let the Power Company handle it.

If I did splice it they will come later and replace whatever I do with crimps.

I wish iwire where I am at the power company will only do it if they are bringing a new drop to the home. Also what I put there stays they dont cut it off and replace it with there own so it better last.

Bob, that used to be the way but if you are dealing with Nstar you have to make a permanent connection. They don't redo them anymore unless of course you want to pay. I usually use a but connector or a parallel groove connector.

H-Taps only." H Crimps"

Threw away them parallel bolt POCO connectors long ago.

Dnk....

Working with NStar, just two Fridays ago I was working for NStar.

Got a ton of connectors, insulators, tape and wedge clamps.

I guess I have been out of service changes to long, any services I have done lately have been new and NStar has made the connection.

Home depot sells the big (4/0)butt splicers for $5 each, cheaper than a split bolt and easier to install since you can get the service side all tightened up before working with the hot side. Also keeps the Al & Cu apart. I always leave a note and the POCO leaves them so I can use them over and over. Someday I'd like to get a crimping system but it's a lot of $$$.

I won't tell the union boys.

Don't mean to spoil the party, but have you all checked with your POCo?

Our PoCo requires that either you use their connectors (provided free) or crimp connectors (the big ones that require a hydraulic crimper, of course!)
Their connectors are of the parallel groove type.

How can an electrical contractor's employee make this connection and comply with the rules in OSHA and NFPA70E?
Don

Keep on using those butt connectors, they give us a lot of work every winter, this past winter we had to replace 12 service connections, it appears when the wind blows they loosen up and the connections fall apart, keep up the good work.
We replace with split bolts, no call backs, or angry customers.

Will do.

[This message has been edited by Electricmanscott (edited 06-12-2005).]

Scott.

They made butt connectors back in the 60's that had 4 bit points on each connector, and allen sets, they worked pretty well, I notice, the ones on the market now have only one contact point, and i believe this is weak point.
Our connection is it, utility does not crimp.

H-Taps (parallel groove) here, too.
The tool is expensive, but the connectors are much cheaper than split bolts, and with the snap-on cover, the time spent taping the bugs is also saved.

I like the polaris connectors:
http://www.polarisconnectors.com/black.html

I agree with Active 1 Polaris connectors are what we always use(safety and quality). Granted they are not the cheapest but thats the route I'd go.

if you had to choose between a split bolt or a self piercing tap which would you use. I ordered the compression sleeves but they will not be in for a few days and we have a couple of services to do in the mean time.

Way back, when I was a helper, we used Tomics as temporary splices after a service upgrade, until the POCO got there.

Hey, what did I know?

Polaris IT Series, minimises handeling live connections.

Rob

ya let the power co. do it.
But in the past I've used two screw romex connecters 3/4.
just for temp tell the pco. comes.

LK I don't see how the wind would put stress at the drip loop, the lateral is secured to the riser in such a way there is no tension whatsoever on the connectors. Anyway where I'm at the POCO shows up within 7 days so there only temporary anyway. Of course there are the guys doing un-permitted ones, their connections are final as no inspector shows up to notify the POCO to re connect.

The local poco told me that it's freezing water that pushes the conductor out of the crimp. That's why they usually use crimps with endcaps.

Our local PoCo forbids anyone but themselves to touch the connections at the weatherhead. This applies to cutting them free to begin a service change, temporarily restoring power after a change, or ANY reason. 25 yrs ago they got tough on this, having had enough of the disasterous results of careless clowns who just couldn't treat these connections with the respect they deserved!

Now you call them and schedule...and wait for them on both ends. Sometimes it's 2-4 hrs before the re-energizing, but usually it is quite prompt, within 2 hrs of the inspectors call,

I have been using the butt splice's for years and never an issue. They are cheap and they work well. Cover it with linerless rubber tape and then some "33" and it will be there for years.
I do plan on upgrading to a crimp sytem at some point. I figure I counld have paid for the tool by now by just getting some crimp connectors from the N Star guys when ever you see one.

Yep poorboy, that sounds familer. Good ole CMP