Classic Connectors » ClampStar News

Alabama Power Repairs Hot Splice In 8 Minutes and 23 seconds!

ccostanzo — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:01:02 +0000

Following annual line surveys at Alabama Power, with the discovery of some hot (aged) splices found with IR Thermography, a decision was made to utilize the advantage of a helicopter to quickly and efficiently install ClampStar units over the hot splices to restore their electrical and mechanical integrity. An EHV Live-Line crew from Haverfield Aviation was brought in for the installations, along with some additional work installing some marker balls. A couple of the splices were located in areas where it would have required significant time and funding to access with a bucket truck.

Installing ClampStar CSF-1302-048

The conductor was 1033.5 ACSR, and being energized at 230kV, corona shields were installed on the CSF-1302-048 ClampStar units. These were the first ClampStar units this particular crew had seen, and personnel from Classic Connectors, Inc., were on site to answer any questions the crew might have. The additional photos which follow show how easily the ClampStar units were installed. Complete with a very thorough conductor cleaning, Haverfield installed the CSF-1302-048, complete with corona shields, in 8 minutes and 23 seconds! A number of Alabama Power personnel on hand all had the same statement – “We should have been doing this for years!”

SMUD Uses Helicopter to Install ClampStar Unit After IR Inspection Identifies Hot Splice

ccostanzo — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:43:38 +0000

Jim Wilhelm, Tower Patrol T&D Assets, Distribution Services Lineman for Sacramento Municipal Utility District said “Installation was difficult due to the movement of the helicopter, but allowed us to do this over a deep gorge, not accessible from a bucket truck. Had we not had ClampStar, this would have required a minimum of an 8 hour outage on the line, purchasing wheel (backup) power, letting the line down to the ground and changing out the splice and adding about 150’ of conductor in the “old” conventional manner of repair.

It would have been even easier if we could have worked it with the skid board on the chopper, but because it was the middle phase, it required the work be done suspended 60 feet below the aircraft. It is significantly more difficult to hover steady in this position, as the pilot has no close reference point on which to fix his position.”

Installing ClampStar from 60' below the chopper

“With ClampStar, not only did we save many thousands of dollars and many man-hours but got the extra benefit of having a superior connection, much better than we would have if we had put yet another connector up in place of the one that had already failed!” Click to see photos.

New “CSS” Style ClampStar

ccostanzo — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:51:01 +0000

Due to popular demand, CCI has developed the New “CSS” style ClampStar units for use on Deadends and Suspension Clamp applications! Made with a single conductor leg, the new unit installs in minutes, the same as the traditional ClampStar units that are installed over splices.

: ClampStar CSS Unit Installed on a Deadend

Several applications have given rise to the need for this new design. While the standard “CSF” ClampStar units can be installed on deadends and suspension clamps, it is more difficult than installing them over splices, as the torque nuts must be tightened from above. This new “CSS” design allows the installer to approach from below, with the fasteners positioned downward as well, allowing the same easy access to tightening them as that of a traditional ClampStar over a splice. Read More……

Los Angeles Department of Water & Power corrects failing splices in record time!

ccostanzo — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 02:41:24 +0000

On a recent Tuesday morning at 10:00, two linemen from LADWP, Mike Traweek and Sammy Sempelsz lifted off the ground in their new Altec bucket truck to begin the first round of ClampStar® installations. They completed the first 6 installations in 55 minutes, moved the equipment about ½ mile down the street to the next location, waited a few minutes for someone to move a vehicle that was parked in the way, and installed the next 6 in only 25 minutes. Mike said, “I guess we just needed to get used to them a little bit”.

Crew Foreman, Mike Dario said replacing these 12 splices on energized 795 conductor would normally have taken 7-8 hours in these locations, and basically would have been an all-day job doing it the old-fashioned way with jumpers and come-alongs and it certainly would have been more dangerous. Beginning at 10:00 AM and having both jobs, at two separate locations, completed before lunch, including travel time, Dario was very pleased to have these finished quickly allowing his crew to move onto another project.

Be sure to view the installation photos in the Classic Connectors Photo Gallery.

Dominion VA Power installs ClampStar in Grandy, NC

ccostanzo — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:04:26 +0000

The unit was installed on a 477 ASCR conductor, 34.5kV L-L, 19.9kV L-N, over an automatic splice.

Including the time for set up, and covering/uncovering the adjacent conductors, the install took 25:19. Once the ClampStar® was loaded in the bucket, the actual install of placing the unit over the splice and tightening the bolts took about 3 minutes.