The following instructions are recommended by Dossert Corporation for the installation of electrical connectors and fittings

The instructions provide helpful reference information for three types of installation procedures

Copper/Bronze Connectors

1) Bolted
2) Welded
3) Compression

Aluminum Alloy Connectors

1) Bolted
2) Welded
3) Compression

COPPER/BRONZE CONNECTORS

BOLTED CONNECTIONS:

1) Clean all contact surfaces of the connectors and conductor with a stainless steel brush.

DO NOT BRUSH PLATED SURFACES.

2) Contact sealants are not normally required in copper connections. However, the use of sealant is recommended in severe corrosive environments and direct burial applications.

3) Alternatively and evenly tighten bolts with a torques wrench according to the values shown on the silicon bronze hardware table shown below.

COMPRESSION CONNECTIONS:

1) Clean the conductor contact area with a stainless steel brush.

DO NOT CLEAN THE BARREL OF THE CONNECTOR.

Sealant for the barrel is applied at the factor.  Contact sealant is recommended in severe corrosive environements.

2) Fully insert the conductor into the barrel and crimp.  Crimping should begin in the center of sleeve type connectors.  For closed barrel connnectors, crimping should begin at the closed end and work toward the open end.

HARDWARE FOR COPPER/BRONZE CONNECTORS:

Silicon Bronze hardware is standard for both clamping and mounting purposes. Stainless steel or galvanized hardware can be used when required.

Clamping bolts, the bolts that go through the body of the connector and clamp down on the conductor are provided with a nut and lockwasher.

Mounting bolts, for the tounge or pad of the connector should be installed with a flat washer, lockwasher and nut all on the underside of the pad.

INSTALLATION TORQUES:

All Silicon Bronze Bolts (EVERDUR) should be torqued in accordance with the chart sahown below.

If substituting stainless steel bolts, (18-8), Use the following torque values.

BOLTED CONNECTIONS:

1) Clean all contact surfaces of the connectors and conductor with a stainless steel brush. A bright aluminum surface should be obtained.

DO NOT BRUSH PLATED CONTACT SURFACES.

2) Coat these contact surfaces with a liberal amount of contact sealant.

3) Install clamping bolts finger tight.  If sealant does not appear, remove the conductor and add more.

4) Alternately and evenly tighten bolts with a torques wrench according to the torque values on the aluminum hardware table shown below.

5) Excess sealant squeezed out of a joint can be left as is or can be lightly smoothed along the contact line.

6) All excess sealant must be cleaned from the cable insulation.

COMPRESSION CONNECTORS:

1) Clean the contact surfaces of conductor with a stainless steel brush

DO NOT CLEAN THE BARREL OF THE CONNECTOR.

Sealant for the barrel is applied at the factory.  Contact sealant is recommeded in severe corrosive environments.

2) Fully insert the conductor into the barrel and crimp.  Crimping should begin in the center of sleeve type connectors.  For closed barrel connnectors, crimping should begin at the closed end and work toward the open end.

3) Excess sealant squeezed out of a joint can be left as is or can be lightly smoothed along the contact line.

4) All excess sealant must be cleaned from the cable insulation.

HARDWARE FOR ALUMINUM CONNECTORS:

Anodized aluminum hardware is standard for both clamping and mounting purposes.

Clamping bolts, the bolts that go through the body of the connector and clamp down on the conductor are provided with a nut and lockwasher.

Mounting bolts, for the tounge or pad of the connector should be installed with a flat washer, lockwasher and nut all on the underside of the pad.

RECOMMENDED TYPES OF HARDWARE AND INSTALLATION MOUNTING HARDWARE FOR JOINING LIKE OR  UNLIKE METALS                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

KEY:

Si-Br- Silicon Bronze    GS- Galvanized Steel                                                     

SS- Stainless Steel         AL- Aluminum

CU - Copper

(1) Denotes preferred hardware usage.

Note:  Contact sealant should be used between Aluminum to Aluminum and Aluminum to Copper connections. unless other protective measures are taken.

RECOMMENDED TORQUE VALUES FOR BOLTED CONNECTORS

Tightening Force Applied to Hardware: Following are ANDERSON'S recommended initial torque values applying to all clamping hardware used in connectors and fittings.

Note: Care should be taken to prevent sealant from being applied to hardware since torque values will be affected if the hardware becomes lubricated with sealant.

CABLE CONNECTIONS:

1) Remove all dirt, grease, oil, or water from the surfaces that are to be welded.   Clean the welding surfaces of both the consuctor and the connector with a stainless steel brush.

2) Slide the conductor into the weldment cavity of the connector until it is within 1/8" to 3/16" of the rear of the cavity.

3) Before welding the connection, a test weld should be made on an aluminum casting to check the weld settings.

4) Begin welding the inner wall of the casting and moving toward the center of the conductor.

5) Wire brush the original weld if more than one pass is needed.

TUBULAR CONNECTIONS:

1) Remove all dirt, grease, oil, or water from the surfaces that are to be welded.   Clean the welding surfaces of both the consuctor and the connector with a stainless steel brush.

2) Align the tubular bus and connector groove.

3) Before welding the connection, a test weld should be made on an aluminum casting to check the weld settings.

4) It is recommended that the tubular bus be positioned in the weldment cavity and tack welded before final welding.

6) Begin the final weld by burning into the original weld then passing over the entire contact surface.

METHODS OF WELDING

The two most commonly used welding techniques for the installation of these connectors are:

                                                        1) TUNGSTEN-ARC (TIG)

                                                        2) METALLIC-ARC (INERT GAS SHIELDED)

WELDING PROCESS

The reasons that Dossert has selected the metallic-arc inert-gas shielded welding method is that in this process the filler metal can be automatically fed through the welding mechanism and eliminates the electrode holder in one hand and the filler metal in the other as in tungsten-arc gas shielding process (MIG) and Figure 2 shows basic components for the tungsten-arc process (TIG). As it is readily apparent, the basic difference between the two types of welding apparatus is the automatic feeding mechanism for the filler wire.

In both types of apparatuses the electrode holder and the welding gun can or cannot be cooled by water. If welding currents of more than 125 amps are required, both methods will have to have water cooling apparatuses to the electrode holder and welding gun.

WELDERS QUALIFICATIONS

No welding should be done until the operator has had experience with welding aluminum alloys by the methods described above. Persons with previous experience in metal welding should be selected for training in welding aluminum for a period of training of not less than one week after which time the person can be considered to be proficient in the use of the equipment and in the welding of aluminum joints. After this period, there should be no difficulty experienced in welding aluminum alloys. It is suggested, if practical, that welders should practice on actual fittings or buses before proceeding with the welding of the required job.

The following is Dessert's recommended specification for current fittings, wire feeds, gas flows, etc. These specifications are of a general nature to the extent that many factors have to be considered such as:

1. Type of equipment used, whether water cooled or not, etc.

2. The size and mass of the piece to be welded.

3. The position of the weld.

4. And most important of all, the operator's skill.

5. All persons in the welding area should wear the proper shields. The arc is approximately twice as strong as the standard AC welding arc. Extreme caution should be exercised for the protection of eyes.