Tar filled joint

PrenticeBoyofDerry

PrenticeBoyofDerry

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Just working on little shorting problem, seems water has managed to find it way in to a joint enclosure.
This cables are shorting
The cables have been covered in bitumen tar. It's like a 300mm by215mm solid block.
Not something I have come across before, what's the best method of removing tar that is surrounding cables, without causing too much damage to cables if any.
 
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hammer and chisel is the way I've seen the mains guys chipping it off service heads when re-making them..
do it on a cold day, or try chilling it if you can.. then it should break off like hard toffee..
 
I had a go at chisel and hammer earlier on, some come of good and clean then others bits soft and a right pain.

It's right sod as I'm about 40 foot up off a ladder.
 
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holmslaw said:
you should'nt be working at 40' off of a ladder.
Click to expand...
In an ideal world but needs must, no alternative in the location.

holmslaw said:
The joint is almost certainly a PILC cable which you will not be able to reterminate. I suggest you hand the job over to a cable jointing company such as "creekside", at least ring them for advice.
Click to expand...
It's not lead sheathed but fair point it's an old joint could have been done 40-50 years ago.
 
Are you certain?

I've never seen a tar filled joint on anything other than PILC.

How do you know it is the joint that has gone down? Surely the fact that is tar filled means that it is impossible for it to suffer with moisture ingress, just like modern resin filled joints?

Are you sure it isn't the cable which has gone down?
 
There's a problem at the joint, the factory gaffer likes fireworks and was willing to let them go of to show me.
I opened the box and evidence of water ingress, looks like the roof had gone and recently been repaired. Even after tapping a bit of the tar off, still water pocketing inside the tar.
One cable was not surrounded in the tar (three phase and Neutral, 35mm) but insulation P***ed wet through.
I'm open to ideas
 
Sounds like a strange one.

Any chance you could take a few photos for us next time you are there?
 
absolutely.. if there's space for a ladder to lean against the wall then there's space enough for a scaffold tower..

failing that, first job would be to drill a wall anchor into the wall at the top for the rope to tie onto the safety harness..
 
Thanks guys for your concerns, it's very much appreciated and quite humbling.
I will reconsider the method I am using.
It's a tight squeeze and the ladder was to be honest the easiest method, it was tied up, but I wasn't.
If I think on I'll pick up camara, I'll try get photo of cable, after joint box runs in singles through metal trunking then to DB
 
I agree with holmslaw I did it the hard way. Didn't like the job and refused it. I was told no one else available you must do it. That was the last job I ever did.

Being in pain every day is no joke and it was not worth it either for me or company who had to pay out as a result.

As to tar etc. Diesel will often melt it but I have found never worth removing as 9 times out of 10 you have to cut back cable anyway so often ends up with two Scotch cast kits in the end anyway.

Just had Sky to repair my TV. Right job as the dish was above extension where one could easy stand on extension roof and work on dish safely. That is where they fitted it and it was replaced about a year ago in same place by one guy who was visited by his foreman while he did the job and nothing was said about him standing on the roof.

However now they refuse point blank to go on roof as there is no ridge to hang ladders on. At first kicked back as work at hight and needed special team then the two man team also kicked it back.

In the end they fitted a new dish where there was no need to stand on roof. It seems the regulations for working at hight have been tightened up a lot. Ladders are to go up and down on not to work off.

Yes I have broken the rules but as I said I don't work any more except for the odd job for friends and then I only supervise. Don't make my mistake learn to say no.
 
D

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