®
TRACE-SAFE
Water Blocking Tracer Wire for underground utilities.
A Chase Corporation Company
NEPTCO – Who are we?
• Subsidiary of Chase Corporation (NYSE:CCF)
– NEPTCO established 1953
– Headquarters in Pawtucket, RI
• Key markets served
– Telecommunication / Underground Utilities
• TRACE-SAFE®, MULETAPE®, Detectable MULETAPE®
– Wire & Cable, Fiber Optic Cable Systems
• NEPTAPE® Shielding Tapes for copper cables
• LIGHTLINE® & FLEXLINE® strength elements for FO cables
– Electronic Packaging
• COVERTAPE & WAFERTAPE®
What is
®
TRACE-SAFE ?
• TRACE-SAFE is a high strength, water blocked,
easy to install and locate tracer wire.
• Per Consolidated Edison, “TRACE-SAFE is the 21st
century technology in tracer wire”.
• TRACE-SAFE is your best option for any tracer
wire application. Why?...
Why
®
TRACE-SAFE ?
• Tracer wire is often damaged during installation or in
service.
– All conventional tracer wires consists of a single conductor protected by a
single insulation.
– The slightest void in the insulation creates a water path that leads to shorting
while locating and corrosion.
• In many cases splicing methods are not durable enough.
• There are no universal standards for tracer wire or connectivity.
– This leads to variability and inconsistent locating results.
• TRACE-SAFE multi-layer construction and simple to use
reliable connectors address concerns that lead to tracer
wire failure.
NEPTCO Listens to Customers
• TRACE-SAFE was designed to outperform the
competition in the following areas:
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Corrosion resistance
Strength
Handling
Abrasion, crush & impact resistance
Lightning
Connectivity
Locating
• TRACE-SAFE is setting the standard by providing
solutions.
• Third party testing includes a report from the Gas
Technology Institute and other industry experts.
See the difference!
4 Levels of Protection Against Corrosion
• TRACE-SAFE stops water penetration before it can get to work
destroying your tracer wire.
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–
–
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Tin plating
PE insulation on the conductor
Water blocking yarns
30 mil HDPE overall insulation
• TRACE-SAFE passes telecom industry standard 3-meter water
head test.
– Required by Verizon , ATT and most underground fiber optic cables.
• Salt spray corrosion testing confirms tin plated copper is
superior to copper and CCS tracer wires. (ASTM B117-03 Salt Spray
Accelerated Test)
Strong & Light Weight
• Tensile strength of 1,800 lbs.
– 12 ga. extra high strength CCS = 1120 lbs.
– 10 ga. hard drawn solid copper = 462 lbs.
• Retains full strength after being kinked.
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–
–
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GTI simulated kink test or wrapping wire around a nail.
TRACE-SAFE = 1,800 lbs.
12 ga. Extra high strength CCS = 440 lbs.
10 ga. Hard drawn solid copper = 443 lbs.
• TRACE-SAFE weighs only 20 lbs./mft.
– 12 ga. Extra high strength CCS weighs 26 lbs./mft
– 12 ga. Solid copper weights 29 lbs./mft
Handling
• TRACE-SAFE is user friendly…
– Flexible
– No spring back
– Stays where it’s put
– No wire stripping
– No special tools required
TRACE-SAFE is durable in service!
• Abrasion tested by GTI, TRACE-SAFE outperforms the
closest competitor by almost double. (ASTM 4373)
• TRACE-SAFE survives potential damaged caused by
crushing and impact during installation. (UL1581)
– It takes less than 500 lbs. of pressure to compromise the
insulation of a conventional tracer.
– A 5 lb weight, dropped from 24” above a conventional tracer
wire will split the insulation.
• And what about TRACE-SAFE?
– It’s takes over 4,000 lbs. of pressure and the drop test does not
breach the insulation.
UL 1581 in Action
The Rock
12 awg Cu.
Wire Exposed
The Rock in Action
TRACE-SAFE®
DOES NOT TRANSMIT LIGHTNING!
• If struck by lighting the 19 gauge copper wire will
disintegrate at the point of the strike.
• The current will not travel down the tracer damaging your
pipe as shown below.
– Plastic pipe using standard tracer after lightning strike
®
TRACE-SAFE
Locating System
• In the same way as, “ a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest
link”, one bad connection can disable your tracer wire system.
• TRACE-SAFE connectors provide “consistent” terminations.
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Insulation displacement connector technology
Gel filled and corrosion resistant
Safe, fast and reliable way to splice or terminate your tracer wire
Eliminates wire stripping
• Any connection can be made in seconds.
– No special tools required
• Connectors available for all situations
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End to End Splices
Main line to lateral splice
Locating clip
Integration to your existing tracer wire
TRACE-SAFE® Locating System
End to End
Main to Lateral
Locating Clip
Locating With
®
TRACE-SAFE
• TRACE-SAFE locate ability is equal to or better
than conventional tracer wires, using standard
locating equipment and techniques. (chart next
slide)
• Easily located at lower frequencies.
TRACE-SAFE® = Accurate Locating
• Electrical Conductivity of Materials*
– Silver
105%
– Copper
100%
TRACE-SAFE
– Gold
70%
– Aluminum
61%
Other than silver,
– Brass
28%
copper is the BEST
– Zinc
27%
conductor to use in a
– Nickel
22%
tracer wire!
– Iron
17%
– Bronze
7-15%
– Lead
7%
– Steel
3-15%
Copper Clad Steel
• *International Annealed Copper Standard
NEPTCO Water Blocking Tracer Wire-The Superior Alternative
NEPTCO RT1801W
FAR END GROUND
12 AWG Cu
Frequency 38KHz
42"
42"
44"
54"
54"
60"
58"
111"
118"
DEPTH IN INCHES
DEPTH IN INCHES
Frequency 512Hrz
45"
58"
60"
97"
102"
111"
118"
0%
20%
40%
60%
% SIGNAL STRENGTH
80%
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
80%
100%
% SIGNAL STRENGTH
Frequency 9.5KHz
Frequency 80 KHz
44"
DEPTH IN INCHES
DEPTH IN INCHES
42"
97"
102"
111"
118"
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
42"
44"
54"
51"
100%
% SIGNAL STRENGTH
1.
RT1801W is a superior locating means:
A) 9.5 KHz, with far end ground
B) 38/80 KHz with or without far end ground
0%
20%
40%
60%
% SIGNAL STRENGTH
2. Far end ground provides best results.
3. 512 Hrz signal is weak, far end ground
improves locate performance.
Directional Boring & Locate Trials performed at:
Staking University|Manteno,Illinois|Mike Parilac--President
NEPTCO Water Blocking Tracer Wire-The Superior Alternative
NEPTCO RT1801W
NO FAR END GROUND
12 AWG Cu
Frequency 9.5 KHz
Frequency 512Hrz
DEPTH IN INCHES
42"
Not Enough Signal Strength
Without Far End Ground
45"
97"
102"
111"
118"
% Signal Strength
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
% SIGNAL STRENGTH
Frequency 38KHz
Frequency 80KHz
42"
43"
DEPTH IN INCHES
DEPTH IN INCHES
42"
70"
68"
105"
118"
58"
60"
97"
102"
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
% SIGNAL STRENGTH
1.
44"
RT1801W is a superior locating means:
A) 9.5 KHz, with far end ground
B) 38/80 KHz with or without far end ground
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
% SIGNAL STRENGTH
2. Far end ground provides best results.
3. 512 Hrz signal is weak, far end ground
improves locate performance.
Directional Boring & Locate Trials performed at:
Staking University|Manteno,Illinois|Mike Parilac--President
TRACE-SAFE® Advantages
• TRACE-SAFE , one product, for all applications.
– Open trench, directional boring, pipe bursting
• Unmatched performance delivers savings during
installation and in service.
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High Strength
Corrosion resistant
Impact, crush & abrasion resistant
Lightning protection
• TRACE-SAFE connectors
– Faster and safer to install
– Gel filled , no stripping, works with your existing wire.
• Fast, accurate and reliable locating results.
• Lower installation costs.
Third Party Test Locations
• TRACE-SAFE is the only tracer wire to be independently tested
to the following:
– Corrosion - ASTM B117-03 Salt Spray Accelerated Test Environment
– National Exposure Testing, Sylvania, OH
– Detection - McGlaughlin Verifier G2 Digital Locater
– Staking University, Manteno , IL (www.underspace.com)
» Mike Parilac: President mike@underspace.com (815-465-7814)
– Lightning - TIA/EIA 455-81-92 , Lightning Damage Susceptibility for
FO Cables with Metalic Components
– Lightning Technologies, Inc., Pittsfield, MA
– Connectors
• UL Grounding and Bonding, UL467-2007
• Standard for wire connectors, UL486A, UL486B – 2003
• Operating salt spray, ASTM B117-09
– Electric Motion Company, Winstead, CT
– Tensile, Abrasion & Corrosion
• Tracer Wire for HDD Applications Report
– Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, Il
– Link to summary, http://www.otdco.org/Documents/OTD_Tracer_Wire_for_HDD_SummaryReport-02-06-2013.pdf
References
• GTI Report
– Dennis Jarnecke , (847)768-0943
– Dennis.jarnecke@gastechnology.org
• Connector testing
– Electric Motion
– John Carrozzo, (860)379-8515, cell (860)480-3708
– johncarrozzo@electricmotioncompany.com
• Duke Energy
– Matt Weber (513)287-2988