COURSE OVERVIEW

The range of voltage and capacity of power transmitted through cables is showing a steady increase over the years. Environmental concerns, aesthetic issues, lack of transmission corridors and difficulty in routing overhead lines in crowded human habitats are some of the reasons for the explosive growth of cable technology well into the new voltage range. Due to physical limits on cable lengths for manufacturing and packaging, joints in cable become inevitable, particularly in the context of the utility sector. The cables need to be also terminated at sending and receiving end equipment, a very wide variety of them, in utility as well as industry applications and these calls for appropriate cable termination accessories.
Cable terminations and joints form the weakest link in any distribution system. Also, a failed joint in an underground distribution system is much more difficult to locate and repair compared to any similar problem in overhead distribution systems. This means that we should do our utmost to achieve a good joint or termination, which can give years of trouble-free service.
The quality of a joint or termination depends to a large extent on the skill of cable jointer/splicer. The aim of a cable jointer/splicer must therefore be to obtain joint which electrical properties are as good as the original cable both in electrical and mechanical terms. The design of cable splicing, jointing and termination accessories is based on this perception. Dependence on operator-skill is sought to be reduced to the extent possible by good choice and quality of jointing materials, though such dependence cannot be totally eliminated.
We will discuss these issues in this course by looking at the fundamental theoretical aspects involved so that the importance of the correct cable splicing, termination and jointing will be brought home to those who attend the course.