atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Outside Plant OSP Construction Aerial or Underground cable

I have an outside cable that was cut just alittle bit by a chain saw, 25 pair. But enough to knock out 10 phones. I splice it back togethier for a tempory fix. The cable has a hard plastic coding on the outside, then a thin sheeet metal around the 25 pairs, then lots of sitcy pudding inside. What's the best way to fix this cable. Do they make some kind of external splice box or does anymore have any sugestions. Links will be helpful.

Tony:

The filled cable you mentioned is not designed for, nor should it be installed anywhere but in the ground. That's another subject...

Yes, there is a very simple device that can be used to fix this. A small splice closure will take care of it. Does the cable have a steel support strand?

If so, I can help you get what you need. Get me the support strand answer and I will get you straightened out.

Thanks for your input. My company didn't install this cable, We took over the service. It doesn't have steel support strand. But lets make sure were thinking of the same thing. The steal Support Strand in a steel cable that is on the outside of the plastic casing so you can mount it on polls (correct). If that's what your asking then NO it does not have one. But it does aluminum wrap in between the Hard plastic and the 25 pair of wires. Think of it like a ring on a cross cut of a tree.

No, if the cable is installed properly, it will have an external galvanized steel support strand with a stainless steel wire spirally lashing it to the cable. Take a look in the air when driving down the road at the telco's cables between poles and you will see what I am talking about. There is also "figure 8" cable, where there is a steel support strand built into the same black jacket.

The aluminium sheath that you mention is simply a grounding/bonding mechanism and by no means intended to provide physical support. It can be torn with fingertips.

In order to splice this cable properly, there must be some form of support strand since once you cut into the cable (or it gets cut), it is forever weakened. "Icky-Pic" cable, which is what you have described should never have been installed in the air to begin with. It's only designed for buried use since it has no physical strength to support itself.

My other concern is how it is attached at the end points. If it's not supported by a steel strand, chances are that an electrician or someone else unqualified used some form of wedge clamp which has likely damaged the cable there as well.

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you can't fix this cable without callbacks. A job done wrong from day one can't ever be fixed; it has to be replaced using proper materials and methods.

We will gladly offer further assistance in this venture if you decide to go this route, but at this point, there's not much more to suggest.

Tony,

What Ed said is true if it is an overhead installation. But is it? I had a 6 pr. cut by a Sawzall a couple of years ago --- in a pipe riser area. If it is not on poles, get with Ed, he'll know the local supply houses.

If it is overhead, well, you may want to get someone to properly install a proper replacement and remove this one.

No this cable was just laid on the ground. I'll splice the 5 or 6 pairs togethier and put electric tape arpound it before it get replaced. There never going to pay me to have the cable replaced. Is there an Extnernal slpice box. I'll buy some electrical one for home depote if I have too.

I do understand that this is not the way to fix the problem properly but I have no other alternative.

The custmoe is not far from my office so if I have to go there once a year. It won't matter to me.

Sure, you can splice it using a buried splice closure. Once the splice is completed, you simply pour the filling compound in and leave it. These aren't usually rated for exposure to UV (sunlight), so you will probably want to bury it or give it some good outer protection like 2-3 layers of quality electrical tape.

Also, I guess it won't hurt to remind you about the frost level since you are in NY. It is recommended that all buried cable facilities be placed beneath the frost level. This means a minimum of 24" from the top of the cable facilities to final grade.

Thanks for the added input, HJB. The job has been completed for over a month. The cable wasn't buried, it was simply run through the woods atop the ground. Tony knew that this wasn't proper but needed to just get the cable spliced in the best manner possible. He did the right thing with the splice method; the original cable installation leaves a bit to be desired.

I would like to humbly suggest against the use of standard electrical tape in this instance. I have removed,respliced, and/or replaced hundreds of buried and aerial splices and I have never seen electrical tape fair well as a final wrap for a splice. It always breaks down and gets brittle becoming effectively useless within months in some cases.

In my opinion the sleeving from a Kold N Klose kit holds up the best of anything that you can just slap on and go. YOu can wrap this stuff over most anysplice you do and tie it down for added protection.

Kold N Klose (T&B) while looking terrible (making it ideal for buried use) does work when installed properly. It can be installed by anyone that is willing to follow directions and take their time to do it right.

Yes, I prefer MANY other methods of closure to Kold N Klose.Hell, I'm trained for lead repair by IBT. I have bitched about KnK during my career (mostly due to aesthetics) but it does work well in a wide variety of applications.

Just my opinion for anyone that wants to consider it.

A link to T&B information on their product.
https://www-public.tnb.com/pubint/docs/knk_us.pdf