Tracer wires provide irreplaceable benefits to buried infrastructure: pipelines and cables especially. They offer detection capabilities for locating critical utilities, which help ensure that they are unimpeded by future construction and able to be swiftly inspected and maintained. As such, tracer wire failures are costly and pose a severe risk to personal health and safety.

The Causes of Tracer Wire Failure

Most tracer wires fail due to improper splicing and water ingress which accelerates oxidation and corrosion. This is because tracer wires are stripped during the splicing process. While the two ends are joined with special components, the remaining jacket will shrink and expose tracer wires to moisture. This process is an inevitability. 

There is another factor to consider. As there is variability from technician to technician and from splice to splice, no two connections are the same. The perfect splice installed by the most experienced technician will eventually succumb to the root cause of oxidation brought on by moisture underground with the resulting corrosion leading the wire to lose continuity regardless of conductor size.

Related Blog: Bigger Tracer Wires aren't Always Better

Better Splicing for Tracer Wires

In a perfect world, we would keep moisture away from the conductor and ensure that each splice is the same regardless of who installed it. So we looked to develop a tracer wire with a water-blocking core and an easy-to-use connector, resolving the root causes of tracer wire failure.

Let's address these two primary issues. 

Protecting Wires from Corrosion

Trace-Safe wires have four levels of protection against water penetration:

1. A durable HDPE outer jacket that prevents water entry through abrasions
2. High-tensile woven yarns with super-absorbent coatings to safely absorb water
3. A second, polyethylene inner jacket
4. A layer of corrosion-resistant tin plating to protect the inner copper core

When these four elements work in tandem, wires are protected from both the strain asserted on them and corrosion/oxidation. Additionally, Trace-Safe uses a 19 AWG conductor which provides better locate accuracy and is incapable of transmitting high voltage from a lightning strike to critical equipment such as re-gen huts. The 19 AWG allows Trace-Safe to be extremely flexible, enabling it to be blown into conduit with the fiber cable while staying strong enough to survive HDD installations.

Safer Splicing with Universal Connectors

While the wire is robust and designed to last, the human element of variability is addressed with easy-to-use, rugged, insulation-piercing polycarbonate connectors. The exterior of the connectors is formed with polycarbonate plastic (the same plastic as bulletproof glass) and includes a water-blocking gel to backfill the holes pierced into the jacket.

Regardless of technician or experience level each splice is identical and can be achieved with commonly available pliers. Simply tie a relief knot into the wire, then securely clip each end with the connector. Please watch our video for a visual guide of this process. 

Neptco is the manufacturer of Trace-Safe and is readily available from a variety of distributor partners, such as Graybar and Anixter, to ensure that the product is available in markets across the country. Product is stocked in our Reno warehouse for 1-day service to the California market; and we have ample, scalable capacity to meet the needs of the global market. Our teams are accustomed to training contractors and routinely host workshops on proper installation techniques in the field.

If you have any questions or would like to speak with our support team, leave a comment below or contact us.