[RE-wrenches] Stainless Steel Cable Ties

[Chris Mason]

Make sure you use black cable ties, the white ones fail in UV from sunlight.


On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 11:06 AM, August Goers <august at luminalt.com> wrote:

> I too share the concern about standard plastic zip ties. However, I
> started in the industry in 1997 and have yet to see zip ties that are
> falling apart. Does anyone on the list have firsthand experience with
> failed plastic zip ties?
>
>
>
> Best,
>
>
>
> August
>
>
>
>
>
> August Goers
>
>
>
> Luminalt Energy Corporation
>
> 1320 Potrero Avenue
>
> San Francisco, CA 94110
>
> m: 415.559.1525
>
> o: 415.641.4000
>
> august at luminalt.com
>
>
>
> *From:* re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:
> re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of *Solarguy
>
> *Sent:* Thursday, April 25, 2013 7:08 AM
> *To:* 'RE-wrenches'
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Stainless Steel Cable Ties
>
>
>
> 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
>
> NABCEP PV 031310-57
>
> TECL-27398
>
> ntrei at 1scom.net
>
> 817.917.0527
>
> [image: NABCEP Logo]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [
> mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org<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
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Change email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Change email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
>
>


-- 
Chris Mason
President, Comet Systems Ltd
www.cometenergysystems.com
Cell: 264.235.5670
Skype: netconcepts
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20130425/eda9d4de/attachment-0003.html>