Ellis Patents develops extruded aluminium saddle cleats to restrain high voltage cables

(29/10/2008)

Ellis Patents has developed a range of extruded aluminium saddle cleats designed specifically to restrain high voltage cables up to 400kV with a diameter range of 100 to 160mm.

The Centaur range of heavy-duty extruded aluminium saddle cleats was designed specifically to fill a gap in the market that managing director, Richard Shaw, felt presented serious safety risks.

“At present there are no International Standards that take into account cleats on cables of this size,” he explained. “As a result, those specifying for such jobs are very much in the hands of the manufacturers, who in most cases simply provide warranties for their products.

“The problem with this arrangement is that none of the limited number of products currently available have been short circuit tested, meaning the warranties are based purely on calculations and mechanical tests. As a result, there is no proof the saddle cleats being used will be able to withstand the most testing elements of the job they’ve been bought for.”

Ellis Patents has rectified this issue by putting the Centaur cleat through the most rigorous of testing procedures. Using cable manufactured by ABB in Sweden, the company shipped its Centaur saddle cleats to the Netherlands where the product was tested to 163 kA peak and 63 kA RMS for one second, in both 3 phase and phase to phase fault scenarios.

“The importance of cable cleats has long been underestimated and when you consider their value doesn’t really come to the fore until they are exposed to short circuit conditions it’s easy to see why,” added Richard. “Having already been put through, and passed, the most aggressive of testing procedures, the Centaur range provides the kind of peace of mind that manufacturer warrantied products simply can’t deliver.”

The Centaur range has been put into standard production by Ellis Patents and is available now. Ellis Patents designed and manufactured the new range wholly at its North Yorkshire headquarters.

Related categories:  Industrial   Power    Power distribution cables