[RE-wrenches] Stainless Steel Cable Ties

[Solarguy]

We have used 8" flat  SS ties for years and I have no concern about the wear
on the conductor insulation. They are long enough to circle a standard
Unirac rail and several wires leaving 1" or so tag end. Needle nose pliers
work to twist the end and snug down the tie as tight as you're comfortable
with. The metal tie, once bent around the corners cannot stretch any
tighter, unlike nylon, regardless of how tightly you twist the pliers. As
for the edges, quality ties are not sharp. Or cheap.

 

Jim Duncan

North Texas Renewable Energy Inc

www.ntrei.com <http://www.ntrei.com/>  

NABCEP PV 031310-57

TECL-27398

ntrei at 1scom.net 

817.917.0527

NABCEP Logo

 

 

 

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Jason
Szumlanski
Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2013 8:08 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Stainless Steel Cable Ties

 

There was a recent thread about wire management. Heyco SunBundler ties have
a vinyl coating. I recommended the clips from PV Racking that are stainless
steel coated in rubber. I've had the same concern, and both of these seem
like good solutions to me.

 

Jason Szumlanski 

Fafco Solar 

 

On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 1:20 AM, Benn Kilburn - DayStar Renewable Energy
<benn at daystarsolar.ca> wrote:

Wrenches,

I searched the archives, but came up with nothing on this..

 

I have found a good supplier for reasonably priced stainless steel cable
ties and have been using them in place of black nylon cable ties for
supporting cables, PV wires and micro-inverter wires to the mounting rails
and such.  I feel better knowing the wires under the array are supported
this way rather than with plastic/nylon cable ties, for which I tried but
cannot get a manufacturer to guarantee will last 20+yrs.

 

A colleague is questioning this method (SS ties) with the concern that over
time the (albeit small) movement in the wires and/or expansion/contraction
of the rails could result in the stainless steel cable ties cutting thru the
wire's insulation and then...

I have heard this concern before from others as well.

 

The way I see it is that the very popular stainless steel "S" cable clips
that hold wires to module frames have comparable equal sharp edges as well
and would pose the same risk, but there doesn't seem to be any concern
there.

 

I am wondering who else is using SS ties in place of nylon ones, and if you
are taking additional steps to protect the wire's insulation from the SS
ties?

Common sense abides, meaning don't wrap a wire around the SS ties so that
the wire has tension on the sharp edge of the tie.  Flat edge contact with
the wire only, the same way that you wouldn't run a wire across/around a
sharp cut edge of a rail or anything else.

 

Thanks,

benn


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