Improving Tracer Wire Performance by Addressing Terminating & Splicing

Causes of Tracer Wire Failure

Most tracer wires fail due to improper terminations, coupling, and splicing. Installing improper connectors, or poorly trained installation crews tops the list above all causes of failure.  Improperly terminated Tracer Wire often results in moisture migration, a decrease in system performance and ultimately system failure.  Unfortunately, the failure can happen over time and long after the install crew is gone. 

Related Blog: Bigger Tracer Wires aren't Always Better

Best Practices: Tracer Wire Connector Termination & Splicing

Choosing a Tracer Wire System vertically integrated with the proper cable and connectors is key along with factory provided installation training.  Neptco’s Trace Safe System provides the ultimate performance in Tracer Wire construction and specific, easy to terminate, direct burial connectors.  Trace Safe also provides hands on instruction in Best Practices of installation and termination. 

The Trace-Safe system is the ultimate high performance Tracer Wire product:

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.

Request A Demo & Training

Our Trace Safe product team is available to work directly with you and your team to provide samples, product overviews, installation training, project proposals, and complimentary products like MULETAPE & MULEGLIDE 

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.