# underground splices



## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

karl_r said:


> hi guys,
> what's a good splice kit for underground 120V cable? I'm looking for some cold shrink or similar.


What little I know they are pretty cool. They are water resistant...not water tight..


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

What type of cable? 


Sent from my house using 2 cans and a string!


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

3M™ Scotchcast™ Connector 
Sealing Pack 3570G-N

Impervious.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

telsa said:


> 3M™ Scotchcast™ Connector
> Sealing Pack 3570G-N
> 
> Impervious.


It is not impervious.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

there are few options that are truly watertite. i used some last fall, they are bulky, rubber, sealtite, and expensive! ill see if i can find the name.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

found an invoice that says 'ils' i think its ilsco.


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## JW Splicer (Mar 15, 2014)

Call your local 3m rep if you want cold shrink. I would use heat shrink though, 130C 4 layers, 33+ 2 layers, aqua seal, 130 C 2 layers, 33+ 2 layers, and then heat shrink over that. Should last a good while, like longer than the cable while.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I had to do one under a pond one time and for the last layer I had already slid a piece of 2" PVC conduit over the wire. I slid that over the completed spliced and heat shrunk area and filled it with about 3 tubes of silicone. Don't know if it made a difference or not, but it made me feel better.


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## Sprink (Apr 21, 2012)

Underground UF Splice Kit
Part # HST-1300 
This kit will work with 14/8 -2 with a ground, The pic only shows one connector but it comes with three and a holder.

http://www.gardnerbender.com/en/hst-1300

I have installed many of them with no issues. Here is a few things I have learned working with them.
You need a good small flat blade screwdriver for the connectors. A propane /map torch for the heat shrink. Heat from the center out to the end and use a rag to squeeze the same way. Repeat for other side.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

I would not use a cold splice on UF. I use these and have never had a failure. I use a heat gun not a torch and don't touch them until they cool.










Ideal;MFG Part #: 46-400 Uf Splice Kit; Thermo-shrink; Uf Splice Kits; Cable Size: 14 - 8 Awg 





If it's single conductor I use these.











NSI SKAB2 

MFG Name: NSI 
MFG Part #: SKAB-2


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## karl_r (Nov 5, 2012)

Sprink said:


> Underground UF Splice Kit
> Part # HST-1300
> This kit will work with 14/8 -2 with a ground, The pic only shows one connector but it comes with three and a holder.
> 
> ...


I used it today and it worked well but only time will tell if it's really good. 
I live in a small city and I don't have too many options


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## karl_r (Nov 5, 2012)

backstay said:


> I would not use a cold splice on UF. I use these and have never had a failure. I use a heat gun not a torch and don't touch them until they cool.
> 
> If it's single conductor I use these.
> 
> ...


are you suppose to use both tubes or 1 would be enough?


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

karl_r said:


> are you suppose to use both tubes or 1 would be enough?


Both are used.


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## Galt (Sep 11, 2013)

Not the fastest but rubber vulcanizing tape works very well made hundreds of well pump connections with it. Over 100 feet deep.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Galt said:


> Not the fastest but rubber vulcanizing tape works very well made hundreds of well pump connections with it. Over 100 feet deep.


Is that listed for direct burial?


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## JW Splicer (Mar 15, 2014)

130C is self amalgamating high voltage rubber tape.... 130C, 33+, Aquaseal, 130C, 33+, then heat shrink the entire thing.


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## karl_r (Nov 5, 2012)

backstay said:


> Both are used.


 which one goes first, the shortest or longest tube?


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

I'd put the shortest on first, that'd help smooth out the sharp corners on the lug before you slid the longer heat shrink over it.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Cow said:


> I'd put the shortest on first, that'd help smooth out the sharp corners on the lug before you slid the longer heat shrink over it.


Considering the price charged, and the volume production, you'd think the manufacturer would have the moxie to mill off (round over) the sharp, terminal, edges.

The very few times I've messed with such couplings, I've always taken the extra effort to them file off/ round them down.

With all the effort involved, I don't want to come back on a super stupid warranty call.

&&&&&

My other habit is to encase the proximate location of the splice with sand. This tic is largely due to local 'soil' conditions -- if you could go so far as to call the foothills of the Sierras 'soil.'

This &^%* is closer to New England's infamous 'ledge.' ( Break out the shims & wedges -- the nitro -- the dynamite ) Both zones were scarred by glacial ice, leaving behind a 'joke' as topsoil.

Sand backfill works as a permanent marker for the ditch. This offers some protection right off, and makes any warranty work drastically easier. (Starting with: you can find the old ditch right off.)


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

I like the Polaris Blues. They are even submersible. You just buy the size for the size wire you are splicing. They have set screws inside and rubber caps to cover the screw holes. Even have silicone already inside them.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

karl_r said:


> which one goes first, the shortest or longest tube?


Short one first. The two have nothing to do with the lug edges. It gives you two seals of the conductor to have too breach for the splice to fail. Rounding off the lug is not necessarily. I just installed two yesterday.


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## Spunk#7 (Nov 30, 2012)

Illsco makes splicers very similar to Polaris. I been using the Illsco for a long time,never had failure,have had to drop some right back in the water after completing the splice. In my area Illsco is about 2/3 the cost of Polaris. These are not for use with UF. The Illsco and the Polaris are easy on the electrician compared to the others.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

For a single wire I use a hydraulic crimp and shrink sleeve. It I am worried about it I use 2 a short and a long just like that other one. I do not like the set screw idea at all. 
UF,,, I just use the kits


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

sbrn33 said:


> For a single wire I use a hydraulic crimp and shrink sleeve. It I am worried about it I use 2 a short and a long just like that other one. I do not like the set screw idea at all.
> UF,,, I just use the kits


Can't speak to the Illsco splice but if you follow the directions on the Polaris Blues and torque the set screws you won't have a problem. I've never had a call back on them.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

A Little Short said:


> Can't speak to the Illsco splice but if you follow the directions on the Polaris Blues and torque the set screws you won't have a problem. I've never had a call back on them.


A hydraulic crimp is a buck.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

sbrn33 said:


> A hydraulic crimp is a buck.


Not everyone owns a crimper.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

MTW said:


> Not everyone owns a crimper.


My supply house lets us use one for free. I still bought one though.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

The Ilsco is $35


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

sbrn33 said:


> The Ilsco is $35


The splices I use are $16.00


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## Spunk#7 (Nov 30, 2012)

sbrn33 said:


> The Ilsco is $35


 I buy them a lot cheaper than that,maybe it would pay to shop around a little. I typically get 12 at a time.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

backstay said:


> The splices I use are $16.00


The underground rated ones?


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## East Penn (Jul 14, 2015)

Well this is my first post but I have done plenty of underground/inground splicing in my previous job involving 600VDC rail switches. The boxes the switch cyclinders are in get flooded every time it rains and the splices are made inside these boxes so a good seal is important and I never had one fail...

1) Clean both ends of cable to be spliced
2) Make your splice as small as possible, don't use wire nuts, use inline splices
3) If you are using separate inline splices, stagger each one so when they are placed together they are not touching (I usually leave 1/4" gaps), Tape splices with one layer of 130c and one layer of 88 if non insulated splices, one layer of 88 if insulated
4) Tape the whole splice with 2 layers of 130c and 2 layers of 88
5) Heat Shrink ...3M EPS-400 available at Graingers if not found locally. It is Semi Rigid adhesive lined heat shrink and once heated with a heat gun that adhesive is there to stay and seals the splice up nicely.


Now I have also used cold shrink without failure and used the same steps as above with addition of taping the ends of the cold shrink with 2 layers of 88 then applying a generous swath of scotchkote to the tape

Hope this helps


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## JimmyR (Mar 11, 2010)

The 2 part resin in the coffee cup has to last forever, it's like a form of epoxy, I think 3M makes it


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

sbrn33 said:


> The underground rated ones?


Yes. 

2-6 is $16
250-6 is $25


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Nothing like some tape voodoo. :laughing:

Polaris blues, epoxy kit, or heavy wall glue shrink. Quick and easy.


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