Hubbell Power Systems Blog

Utility brackets for distribution lines are primarily used in two ways. One is for conductor support and the second is to mount equipment, like cutouts and arresters. Because of their constant outdoor exposure, they face challenging conditions including bright sun with blistering UV rays, fires, fierce storms, and wildlife damage. To mitigate some of these concerns, some traditionally-wood distribution products, such as brackets, are now being offered in fiberglass. Here are four advantages of choosing fiberglass brackets:

When securing a fiber line to a pole, building or at mid-span, installers must be careful not to cause undo stress or strain on that fiber line. If they do, it can cause a break in the line, which in turn would cause an outage/disruption in service. Fixing this would be very expensive and time consuming, not to mention a huge inconvenience for everyone involved (contractor, worker, the public and customer).  

Distribution lines can face harsh conditions. If standard products aren’t doing the job and you need more protection for your standoff brackets and guy strains, look no further. Here are four reasons to switch to silicone-coated fiberglass construction products:

CHANCE® meters are used to detect line voltage, determine approximate phase-to-phase-voltage, check DC resistance in protective grounding sets, determine in-or-out of phase relationships, monitor leakage currents, and advise the operating condition of CHANCE hot sticks. Calibration of these meters is important in confirming their accuracy in the field and ultimately in helping to protect line personnel.

Incorrect meter readings could result in undetected or misread voltages that could be harmful to equipment and personnel.

Fiberglass Guy Strains may be installed anywhere along the guy wire to help protect against stray current that may be on the guy caused by lightning strikes or other sources. These fiberglass units serve as a replacement for porcelain insulators or johnny balls, and they extend the insulation length. They offer numerous advantages, including:

• variable lengths
• easy terminations
• resistance to fracture caused by brittleness

No more squinting to read the voltage from the end of the hot stick – or relaying information to the crew on the ground. The new CHANCE® Transmission Multi-Range Voltage Indicator® (TMRVI), lets your entire team accurately monitor transmission voltages on a mobile device or Apple Watch using the free MRVI app with an easy-to-read interface.