Low Voltage Heat Shrink Joint as the New Congolese Standard

Over the last several years, TE has sold Medium Voltage (MV) cable accessories to customers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through a Belgian contractor.

In one particular region, the contractor began observing failures of newly-installed EPKT-R heat shrink terminations. TE and its partners collaborated to thoroughly investigate the failed products. It quickly became clear that the termination failures were caused by the faulty installation of the aluminum wire armour connection components that were supplied with the terminations. TE quickly moved to train 10 local jointers and technicians on correct installation methods.   

The installation training remedied the failures in Medium Voltage applications significantly increasing the trust and collaboration between partners. Since the conclusion of the training, no failures have been reported in the Medium Voltage network. However, the training proved to be of even further value. The training uncovered a number of additional challenges that were hampering the efficiency and reliability of several Low Voltage applications. TE engineers realized that there was an additional challenge that Low Voltage Heat Shrink Joints (LVHS Joints) could solve.

The contractor working for the National Utility had the distinct challenge of connecting a 6-core Low Voltage Aerial Bundle Cable (LV ABC) to a 2-core and a 4-core underground feeder cable. Historically, this connection was made using LVHS Joints that relied upon crimping technology. This approach was problematic because crimp connectors require appropriate compression tooling and die to connect various conductor cross-sections, shapes and materials. This equipment is not always readily available to local installers. Because local installers lacked the appropriate installation technology, incorrect installations were leading to unreliable and sometimes unsafe connections. 

In their close collaboration, TE engineers listened to the Contractor  working for the National Utility’s unique challenges, proposing that they use LVHS Joints with shear bolt connector technology. These products cover wider cable ranges and do not require special tooling. Since no crimping tools are required, there is less physical space and  less time needed for the installation. Because there are no fragile  components in the construction of the tubes, there is increased  mechanical protection and extended lifetime and performance of  the entire energy infrastructure. This decreased risk of network failure  provides greater peace of mind for the Congolese installers. TE engineers decided to go even one step further to evaluate the local cable constructions. They determined that the best solution would be to develop a customized shear bolt connector product offering. TE created a special kit with customized LVHS Joints that perfectly met the National Utility’s needs and local requirements.

TE's low voltage heat shrink joints and splices with shear bolt connector technology are the preferred products in the Congolese region. 

More than bringing a tailor made solution to the national utility, TE has been a technical partner that made the difference in stabilizing and optimizing the network performance.