Many Utilities Ban The Use of Automatic Splices

There are estimated to be 250 million automatic splices installed on overhead power lines in North America. The majority of which were installed over 30 years ago.

A variety of reports in the field indicate the service life of automatics is as short as five years up to, and perhaps surpassing 30 years.

A recent event, where an automatic splice, installed for only 5 years, let go and dropped a line on a woman, ultimately resulting in her tragic death. The lawsuit resulted in an award of $105 Million!

Unfortunately, due to the advanced age of the power grid, overhead splice failures are increasing at a rapid rate putting the safety of the unsuspecting public at risk.

Google “Swingset Electrocution” to see a video of an overhead power line that came down on top of a metal swing set. Luckily, no children were in the area when this potential catastrophe took place.

As a result of this steadily increasing problem, many utilities have completely banned the use of automatic splices or are limiting their use only for the purpose of emergency restoration.

Many utilities are also correcting and protecting existing splices and overhead connectors by installing permanent ClampStar® shunts on them. ClampStar installs in a few minutes, is relatively inexpensive, and results in a connection of significantly higher integrity than even that of an original, properly installed connector!

CSR-0325-015 Protect with CS

ClampStar® is intended to correct and reinforce the deteriorated electrical and mechanical performance of hot-running, aged or degraded splices and other connectors.

ClampStar, along with proactive maintenance practices improves safety and prevents unplanned outages. ClampStar is the industry’s only PERMANENT solution for protecting overhead splices and connectors.

ClampStar is the least expensive insurance you can buy!