MECHANICAL SHEAR-BOLT CONNECTORS

A “Best Fit” Solution for Jointing Cable Conductors

europacable Rue Marie de Bourgogne 58 — B-1000 Brussels — www.europacable.eu — EU Transparency Register ID 4543103789-92
 INTRODUCTION
Cable accessories have many decades of outstanding performance around the world.
The technology for jointing two conductors in cables has changed many times during this
period. Before the introduction of mechanical connectors, experience showed that the
reliability of the conductor connection depended highly on the skill of the installer and the
quality of the tools used.

This paper presents the latest developments in connector technology which lead to improved
reliability in cable accessories and is independent of the skill of the installers and the tools
used by them.

The mechanical connector technology which is the

“Best-Fit” solution for jointing cable conductors is
achieved by using the latest state-of-the-art
technology, having shear-off bolted connectors in
which the head of the bolt shears off at a
predetermined torque and hence not dependent
on the installer’s skill. These connectors are called
“Mechanical Connectors” or “Shear bolt connectors”
and are manufactured from special alloys.

Advantages of these connectors include:

• Wide cross section application range: Three connectors cover the range of conductors
from 25 sq.mm to 400 sq.mm
• Suitable for Copper as well as for Aluminum conductors
• Suitable for all conductor types and shapes
• High clamping forces
• Reduces inventory levels
• Easy installation, requiring no special tools (Hydraulic pump & heads), reducing the total
cost of Ownership (TCO).
• Simple and consistent installation:

Independent of skill levels, this “Best-Fit” connector system of joining two conductors using
a Mechanical Connector is a technology leap in the field of LV and MV Cable Accessories,
enhancing the reliability of networks. An installer no longer needs to determine a cable
specific connector for the jointing task. The three connector sizes provide a simple selection
for ‘best-fit’ jointing of any cable type and conductor size.

europacable Rue Marie de Bourgogne 58 — B-1000 Brussels — www.europacable.eu — EU Transparency Register ID 4543103789-92
 EVOLUTION OF THE DESIGN OF THE CABLES
Over the last few years several new technologies in cable designs have been introduced into
the electrical network.
The emerging trends in worldwide cable design are:
• Reduced conductor diameters (cable cores are progressively compacted retaining the
same cross-section)
• Reduced insulation thickness due to improved manufacturing processes and upgraded
materials
• Use of XLPE instead of paper insulated
cable. Cable end users have also rationalized
and standardized the products they install. These
developments and requirements have introduced
major obstacles for installers who are now facing
daily compatibility challenges when jointing different
sizes and types of conductors together. The solution
is to use mechanical connectors designed to address
these challenges.

Benefits of mechanical connectors

There are a number of benefits in using mechanical connectors. These include a simpler
decision-making process; stock reduction; efficiency in installation time and cost savings. An
installer no longer needs to decide what connector should be used for which cable in the
jointing process: No special crimping tool is required and installation mistakes by not using
the appropriate crimping insert are impossible. Most mechanical connectors perform at a
lower maximum operating temperature compared to crimp connectors. Since the connector
design is based on the largest X-section to be considered, the connection for all smaller cross-
sections is overdesigned providing a major safety margin for the cable accessory and the
network. Stock levels are reduced because of the ability of the mechanical connector to take a
wide range of cables. Three connector sizes provide a simple selection for ‘best-fit’ jointing of
any size and type of cable and conductor. Installation time is minimized because there is only
one method of jointing when using mechanical connectors, and both maintenance and tooling
costs are reduced. The crimp installation tool can be eliminated as a failure source. No special
tools or crimping dies are required. The shear bolt system eliminates installation variance and
improves system performance

europacable Rue Marie de Bourgogne 58 — B-1000 Brussels — www.europacable.eu — EU Transparency Register ID 4543103789-92
 The IEC-60228 standard defines the conductor diameters for conductors from 10 mm² to
630 mm².
So, there is no standard requirement for larger conductor cross-sections; the cable
manufacturers choose the conductor dimensions on their own and it is therefore quite critical
to find the right crimp connector. In these cases, the mechanical connectors are a perfect
solution due to their range taking capability.

Connector description
The mechanical connectors consist of sleeve and lug
bodies, typically made from a high-tensile aluminum
alloy. The internal surfaces of the connectors are
grooved. Sleeves are suitable for underground
applications. Lugs are suitable for outdoor and indoor
applications and are available with several palm hole
sizes. The mechanical connectors have been developed
for use in low voltage, medium voltage and high voltage
accessories.

Bolt design and material: The bolt design is very important

for the reliability. Different manufacturers have different
designs to achieve this consistency in performance and each with patent protection. That’s
why there are a large number of different bolt designs in use. Most of these bolts are shear-
bolts with a special construction to guarantee no excess length over the outer.

Features Benefits
• Only three connectors cover all conductor
cross-sections from 25 mm² to 400 mm²
Wide application range • Can be used for almost every type of conduc-
tor and conductor material, for instance from
10 mm² to 1000 mm²
• Optimum contact properties
High-tensile, tin-plated aluminium alloy • Connection between copper and aluminium
conductors is possible
• Require little installation space and short joint
Compact design
designs, particularly for larger sizes
• Excellent electrical performance
Grooved inner surface
• Conductor oxide film is disrupted
• No torque wrench necessary
Shear bolts with predetermined shear • Head shears off by design at the required
torque, inner or outer hexagon head torque value
• High tensile strength

europacable Rue Marie de Bourgogne 58 — B-1000 Brussels — www.europacable.eu — EU Transparency Register ID 4543103789-92
 CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK
This “Best-Fit” connector system of jointing two conductors using the Mechanical Connector is
a boon in the field of MV and LV cable accessories, enhancing the reliability of networks.

In an era of rapidly changing cable designs there is no better alternative to mechanical shear
bolt connectors. A general conclusion for these connectors for aluminium conductors is not
strictly possible, but this technology is today use by all Utilities for more than 20 years, without
major incidents: mechanical connectors are usually tested according to IEC 61238, which is an
electrical + mechanical test standard, compared to the former dimensional DIN standard of
crimp products (DIN 46235 / DIN 46329). To give a more accurate prediction of life time will
require further study in this field.

Another important point are the newer demands on network design: the development of
smart grids and renewable energy. MV network operators throughout Europe are facing new
challenges. Indeed, in addition to the increase of the average load there is also the demand of
widely ranging current levels. This is especially true for the connection of wind farms where,
for economic reasons, the cables are used close to their current limits when the maximum
power is produced and close to zero loads in the absence of wind. This increasing average load
level and of widely ranging load profiles could lead to expensive failures in networks in future,
if not properly considered by the accessory manufacturers.

© 2016 Europacable Services Ltd, Great Britain - All rights reserved

Photo credits: 3M, Nexans, Pfisterer, Prysmian, TE Connectivity,
Cellpack

europacable Rue Marie de Bourgogne 58 — B-1000 Brussels — www.europacable.eu — EU Transparency Register ID 4543103789-92