atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Outside Plant OSP Construction Clarification of "real" protectors

Porta makes some good ones also.

does anyone know of a good outside plant cable contractor in the Miami, FL area. i need a 300 pair about 650 feet with protectors installed. thanks

Mike:

I might suggest contacting your local Graybar branch and inquire about anyone who might purchase this type of cable on a regular basis. You might also try contacting Clifford of Vermont (800-451-4381) to see if they have any buyers from your area.

Lastly, we have a "find and installer" category here that might give your request some better exposure.

Protection at subs premises has been practically non-existent here for a good many years. Both the original BT master jack (introduced in the early 1980s) and the current NTE5 network interface incorporate a spark gap tip-to-ring, but that's it -- No series components, nothing to ground.

Here's a copy of an old Post Office training booklet which shows how it used to be done:

Protective devices used in telephone & telegraph lines (PDF, approx. 1.3MB)

Have to ask, Paul. Have building fires increased due to non-protected terminals, or would the 'powers that be' even admit to such a fact? (Just because you are paranoid does not mean someone is not watching your activities!) John C. (Not Garand)

I have installed hundreds of single and multi-line service drops. I totally agree with the following premises:

- Electricity and Lightning follow the path of least resistance to ground. Electricity and Lightning will follow the greatest “potential” to ground.
- Outside plant should be bonded and grounded to the multi ground neutral (MGN).

I have a couple of questions:

1. Why are the non-splice blocks such an issue? The gas carbons will engage when electricity or lightning are detected. With the carbon engaged, the flow of electricity will be directed to the #6 ground. Even if there are a sizable number of cable pairs on the other side of the block, the carbon will shunt the electricity to the ground. The electrical path will want to flow to ground, not the user side of the cable. There won’t be enough concentrated potential to warrant the electricity to flow to the user side. Even with a splice terminal, if there are multiple 100 pair terminals they will only be grounded with a single #6 ground that is common to all terminals. I believe it’s because a #6 ground properly grounded provides sufficient potential to direct lightning/electricity.
When using single pair and six pair drops to the home or business, the drop and the inside wires are connected to the same lugs on the protector. The inside wire is not at risk because when the protector engages it creates a path of least resistance for electricity to flow to ground. I wouldn’t expect that the electricity or lightning would “jump the pins” on a direct 66 block terminal because the gas carbons will engage and direct the electricity to the ground wire with more potential and not the inside wire.

2. Buried Service and icky pic: I said to myself that can’t be true. Icky pic can’t be flammable. I scrapped some off the buried service wire and lit it with a match and it did burn. You’re correct! Then I wiped an icky pic’d drop wire, cleaned it and tried lighting the wire. It burned. Then I grabbed some two pair aerial drop wire–(non icky pic wire) and lit it with a match and it burned! Then I grabbed some 6 pair aerial plant wire and lit it with a match and it burned. Then I grabbed some OSP #22 gauge and lit it with a match and it burned. I would not call the icky pic an accelerant. Icky Pic burned very similar to the PVC wire. I tried lighting an 12 pair buried service outside jacket and it did not burn with a match.
My reason for doing this experiment was that I have installed many 6 pair buried service drops with icky pic. I would think that cleaning icky pic on a block is “good housekeeping” and important for that reason. It is messy. Also, individual service wires are never enclosed in a splice. The individual 6 pair buried service pairs are connected to the protectors themselves. So are 2 pair drops. So are 6 pair aerial drops. There are no splices. Of course with buried service, the metallic sheath of the cable is bonded and grounded (at both ends) and the protectors are grounded. Aren’t proper bonding and grounding the keys here? There is no fire-resistant splice in any these applications. So, why wouldn’t this apply, as well, to the non splice protection terminals? Aren’t the protection carbons and the bonding and grounding more important than the splice?

doctor. How about dropping by the "Phone Booth" and you'll find a thread for new members....introduce yourself.

Enjoy the BB, keep your sense of humor, and have some fun.

EV607797
Ed

I really enjoyed your post. I read every word. I have really enjoyed my short time here with you guys. I was just about to the point of wondering if anyone out there cared anymore about quality in their workmanship.

I started here as a helper to an old retired guys from AT&T. He was a new guy to the business then (only been doing it 35 years) and then came here to help out. I, needless to say wasn't taught shortcuts or should I say how to halfass something. It was this way and thats how you do it period. He was right.

I am having to show contractors that come in here on new buildings how to lay it out right. Most know me and that I am not hard to get a long with if you do it right. But if they come in with the intentions of doing a poor job and taking the money and run. Not good for them.

I am like you guys in the respect i do what i do and take it very seriously. I don't take shortcuts and do my best to do what we do right the first time. I teach my guys the same way I was.

Well said, Mike! :thumb: :thumb:

Even though electrical protection is being discussed, all the end customer really wants and needs is simply quality, reliable service. It's our responsibility to maintain the correct standards and practices. Just my opinion, but it's normally when folks get in a rush, that they decide to cut corners, take shortcuts, etc, usually ending up causing numerous safety hazzards, poor service, etc.

The gas carbons will engage when electricity or lightning are detected. With the carbon engaged, the flow of electricity will be directed to the #6 ground. Even if there are a sizable number of cable pairs on the other side of the block, the carbon will shunt the electricity to the ground.

You are forgetting one thing. When there is current involved such as from lightning or a power cross something has to give. This is why BEPs utilize 26 ga wire in their stubs as fuseable links. Its also why there are sneak current coils or fuses in protectors.

Spark gaps, carbons, gas tubes or MOVs are like a "crowbar" that will short the pair together and to ground when the voltage reaches a certain level. If the current caused by shunting the voltage to ground is large enough any fuses or fuseable links will open. Many times the current is so large that the protector will be destroyed also. (I've seen 5 pin protector covers blown across a room.) Once the protector is gone you now have an open circuit. If the voltage is still sustained (power cross or lightning) on the OSP side there is an arc potential between any exposed point such as a block clip and the other clip or ground. Insulation breakdown voltage factors into this also. This is how fires start.

-Hal