1、UL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL NOT AUTHORIZED FOR FURTHER REPRODUCTION ORDISTRIBUTION WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM ULApril 3, 20081SUBJECT 546OUTLINE OF INVESTIGATIONFORCONDUCTOR TERMINATION COMPOUNDSISSUE NUMBER: 1APRIL 3, 2008Summary of TopicsThis is the First Issue of the Outline of Investigation for Conduct
2、orTermination Compounds which documents the test program to beemployed for evaluating conductor termination compounds for use onsplice and termination connections of aluminum, copper-clad aluminumand copper conductors.The UL Foreword is no longer located within the UL Standard. For informationconcer
3、ning the use and application of the requirements contained in thisStandard, the current version of the UL Foreword is located onULStandardsInfoNet at: http:/ 2008 UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES INC.UL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL NOT AUTHORIZED FOR FURTHER REPRODUCTION ORDISTRIBUTION WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM ULAP
4、RIL 3, 2008SUBJECT 5462No Text on This PageUL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL NOT AUTHORIZED FOR FURTHER REPRODUCTION ORDISTRIBUTION WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM ULCONTENTSINTRODUCTION1 Scope .42 Units of Measurement .43 Undated References 4CONSTRUCTION4 Samples .44.1 Conductor termination compound .44.2 Wire 44.3
5、Connectors 5PERFORMANCE5 General 56 Stability of Conductor Termination Compound 67 Stability of Wire and Cable Connections 67.1 General .67.2 Step stress current cycling test .78 Compatibility With Different Types of Wire And Cable Insulation 78.1 General .78.2 Physical properties tests .88.3 High-v
6、oltage arc tracking-rate performance level or high voltage-low current-dry arcresistance performance level testing 89 Characterization Tests .89.1 General .89.2 Qualitative infrared analysis 99.3 Homogeneity testing 9MARKINGS10 General .9APRIL 3, 2008 SUBJECT 546 3UL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL NOT AUTHORI
7、ZED FOR FURTHER REPRODUCTION ORDISTRIBUTION WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM ULINTRODUCTION1 Scope1.1 This outline describes tests for determining whether conductor termination compounds for use onsplice and termination connections of aluminum, copper-clad aluminum and copper conductors whereused to retard o
8、xidation at the conductor/connector interface do not have a deleterious effect on theconductor metal, insulation or equipment when used in accordance with the manufacturers installationinstructions. In Sections 9.1 9.3, this outline also describes analytical methods for characterizing aconductor ter
9、mination compound to provide a basis for identification and for comparison with productionlots to reveal compositional changes.1.2 This outline does not investigate other properties of conductor termination compounds such assolubility, flammability, and toxicity.2 Units of Measurement2.1 Values stat
10、ed without parentheses are the requirement. Values in parentheses are explanatory orapproximate information.3 Undated References3.1 Any undated reference to a code or standard appearing in the requirements of this outline ofinvestigation shall be interpreted as referring to the latest edition of tha
11、t code or standard.CONSTRUCTION4 Samples4.1 Conductor termination compound4.1.1 Approximately 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of the conductor termination compound is required for use in thistest program. At least one of the containers shall be a 1 quart size.4.2 Wire4.2.1 Wire material from all four of the
12、wires described in Table 4.1 are to be used in the Stability of Wireand Cable Connections and Compatibility With Different Types of Wire And Cable Insulation sections ofthis outline. The wires for the testing performed shall comply with the appropriate requirements in theStandard for Thermoset-Insul
13、ated Wires and Cables, UL 44 and the Standard for Thermoplastic-InsulatedWires and Cables, UL 83.APRIL 3, 2008SUBJECT 5464UL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL NOT AUTHORIZED FOR FURTHER REPRODUCTION ORDISTRIBUTION WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM ULTable 4.1WireWire Representing Insulation Operating/ElevatedTemperature R
14、ating (C)Type THHW or Type THW PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) 60/100 (THW) 90/121 (THHW)Type THHN or Type THWN PVC insulation with a nylon jacket 90/121Type XHHW XL (Polyethylene) 90/121Type RHW with a CP outer surface orType RHH with a CP outer surfaceCP (Chlorsulfonated Polyethylene) 90/121RHW or RHH EP
15、 (Ethylene Propylene) 90/1214.3 Connectors4.3.1 The minimum number of connector specimens and specimen types for test are shown in the Table4.2.Table 4.2ConnectorsMinimum Number Of Specimens And Specimen Types For TestClause Test Number of specimens Specimen types6.2 Elevated Temperature 4 Screw-tig
16、htening terminal typehaving a clamping surfacewith parallel grooves7.2 Step Stress Current Cycling 4 1) crimp -type2) direct-bearing set screwtype3) saddle or bolted clamp typePERFORMANCE5 General5.1 The following are the tests employed in this program on both connector samples with conductortermina
17、tion compound and connector samples without conductor termination compound and for physicalproperties evaluation samples of various wire insulations with and without conductor terminationcompound to determine that the conductor termination compound:a) Maintains stable connection performance; andb) D
18、oes not adversely affect the physical properties of the conductor insulationAPRIL 3, 2008 SUBJECT 546 5UL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL NOT AUTHORIZED FOR FURTHER REPRODUCTION ORDISTRIBUTION WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM UL6 Stability of Conductor Termination Compound6.1 Resistance to flow at elevated and low temp
19、erature testing shall be used to evaluate the stability ofthe conductor termination compound.6.2 Elevated Temperature Testing: The grooves of a mechanical connector with a parallel grooveclamping surface are to be filled fully with the conductor termination compound. The clamping screw is tobe tight
20、ened and excess conductor termination compound removed from the outer surfaces of the clamps.The clamp is to be mounted with one end of each groove pointed down at an angle of 45 degrees to thehorizontal in an oven at a temperature equal to the maximum temperature at which the conductortermination c
21、ompound is to be used, for a period of six hours. There shall be no evidence of conductortermination compound dripping out of the clamp when paper located below the clamp is examined.6.3 Low Temperature Testing: A short length, 6 to 9 inches (152 to 229 mm) of Nos. 12, 10 or 8 AWGsolid aluminum cond
22、uctor shall be coated with a layer of the conductor termination compound. Thethickness shall be approximately the same as would be used in an actual connection. The coated samplesis then to be placed in a cold box, at the lowest temperature for a period of 24 hours. The samples shallthen be removed
23、one at a time, and bent 90 degrees around a mandrel having a radius equal to six timesthe overall diameter of the test conductor. There shall be no evidence of cracks forming in the conductortermination compound coating.7 Stability of Wire and Cable Connections7.1 General7.1.1 A step stress current
24、cycling test is used to evaluate the stability of wire and cable connectionsusing the conductor termination compound. The samples tested are to include those provided with theconductor termination compound under investigation and identical samples without the conductortermination compound. The effec
25、tiveness of the conductor termination compound is determined bycomparing the results on samples employing the conductor termination compound to identical sampleswithout the conductor termination compound. This test is conducted on all of the connectors typespreviously indicated unless the conductor
26、termination compound is limited to a specific use.7.1.2 Connector test samples are to be assembled in accordance with the manufacturers instructions inthe “as received” condition, with and without the conductor termination shall be used.APRIL 3, 2008SUBJECT 5466UL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL NOT AUTHORIZED
27、 FOR FURTHER REPRODUCTION ORDISTRIBUTION WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM UL7.2 Step stress current cycling test7.2.1 Current cycling tests shall be conducted in accordance with the current cycling tests in UL486A/486B.7.2.2 Samples of test conductor shall be pre-conditioned, i.e. scratch-brushed if required
28、 by themanufacturers instructions; have conductor termination compound applied and the test conductorinserted into the connector (in that order). Samples of conductor without conductor termination compoundshall not be scratch-brushed.7.2.3 The test shall continuously cycle until a definite differenc
29、e in performance occurs between sampleswith or without conductor termination compound. Connector samples with conductor terminationcompound shall perform at least equal to the samples without conductor termination compound using theacceptance criteria in the Standard for Wire Connectors, UL 486A/486
30、B as a reference.8 Compatibility With Different Types of Wire And Cable Insulation8.1 General8.1.1 Physical properties (insulation tensile strength and ultimate elongation) and High-Voltage ArcTracking-Rate Performance Level or High Voltage-Low Current-Dry Arc Resistance Performance Leveltesting on
31、as received and conditioned specimens are used to evaluate the compatibility of the conductortermination compound with different types of wire and cable insulation materials.8.1.2 The insulations used in these tests will not include those for which the conductor terminationcompound manufacturer reco
32、mmends their product not be used. Such limitations will have to be printedon the container for the conductor termination compound.8.1.3 Specimens of both elastomer and thermoplastic insulations are to be die cut in the form ofdumbbells (see Standard for Wire and Cable Test Methods, UL 2556 for sampl
33、e dimension details) for thephysical properties tests and 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) wide bar specimens (see Standard for PolymericMaterials - Short Term Property Evaluations, UL 746A for sample dimension details) for High-Voltage ArcTracking-Rate Performance Level or specimens with a minimum thickness of 0
34、.125 inches (3.17 mm) forHigh Voltage-Low Current-Dry Arc Resistance Performance Level testing (see Standard for PolymericMaterials - Short Term Property Evaluations, UL 746A and Standard Test Method for High-Voltage,Low-Current, Dry Arc Resistance of Solid Electrical Insulation, ASTM D495 for sampl
35、e dimension details).The samples are to be coated with an approximately 1/64 inch (0.4 mm) thick layer of the conductortermination compound for a period of 7 days (High-Voltage Arc Tracking-Rate Performance Level or HighVoltage-Low Current-Dry Arc Resistance Performance Level and Physical Properties
36、 tests) at atemperature equal to the elevated temperature and 30 days (Physical Properties tests only) at theoperating temperature of the insulation types (e.g. Type XHHW). Similar samples of the insulation shallalso be maintained at these temperatures but without being exposed to the conductor term
37、inationcompound.8.1.4 At the end of each of the exposure periods the samples shall have the conductor terminationcompound wiped off and the cleaned samples shall be kept at room temperature (approximately 25C) for3 days to allow absorbed moisture to evaporate.APRIL 3, 2008 SUBJECT 546 7UL COPYRIGHTE
38、D MATERIAL NOT AUTHORIZED FOR FURTHER REPRODUCTION ORDISTRIBUTION WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM UL8.2 Physical properties tests8.2.1 The dumbbell shaped specimens which have been conditioned with and without compound asdescribed above, shall be subjected to the tensile strength and ultimate elongation tes
39、ts using themethods described in the Standard for Wire and Cable Test Methods, UL 2556.8.2.2 The physical properties of the specimens conditioned with conductor termination compound shall beat least 70 percent of those conditioned without conductor termination compound. A special markingstatement is
40、 required when the physical properties of the specimens conditioned with conductortermination compound are equal to or greater than 50 percent and less than 70 percent of thoseconditioned without conductor termination compound. See 10.1 c). Physical properties of the specimensconditioned with conduc
41、tor termination compound that are less than 50 percent of those conditionedwithout conductor termination compound are unacceptable.8.3 High-voltage arc tracking-rate performance level or high voltage-low current-dry arcresistance performance level testing8.3.1 The specimens which have been condition
42、ed as described above, shall be subjected toHigh-Voltage Arc Tracking-Rate Performance Level or High Voltage-Low Current-Dry Arc ResistancePerformance Level testing using the methods described in the Standard for Polymeric Materials - ShortTerm Property Evaluations, UL 746A.8.3.2 There shall be no r
43、eduction in the High-Voltage Arc Tracking-Rate Performance Level or HighVoltage-Low Current-Dry Arc Resistance Performance Level between those samples which have beenexposed to the conductor termination compound and those which have not. A special marking statementis required when the Performance Le
44、vel Category (PLC) of the specimens conditioned with conductortermination compound are one level higher than those conditioned without conductor terminationcompound. See 10.1 c). Performance Level Categories of the specimens conditioned with conductortermination compound that is more than one level
45、higher (e.g. a PLC of 4 on a specimen conditioned withconductor termination compound compared to a PLC of 2 for a specimen conditioned without conductortermination compound) than those conditioned without conductor termination compound areunacceptable.9 Characterization Tests9.1 General9.1.1 Analyti
46、cal tests are to be conducted on specimens of the conductor termination compound toestablish a characterization for general descriptive purposes and to provide a comparative baseline forrevealing compositional changes in production lots of the conductor termination compound. The choice oftests is to
47、 be based on the composition of the conductor termination compound, with the tests describedin Clauses 9.2 and 9.2 being those typically employed. Other identification tests appropriate for theparticular composition may supplement or replace the described tests.APRIL 3, 2008SUBJECT 5468UL COPYRIGHTE
48、D MATERIAL NOT AUTHORIZED FOR FURTHER REPRODUCTION ORDISTRIBUTION WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM UL9.2 Qualitative infrared analysis9.2.1 A qualitative infrared analysis spectrum of the conductor termination compound is to be generatedas described in the Standard for Polymeric Materials - Short Term Proper
49、ty Evaluations, UL 746A.9.3 Homogeneity testing9.3.1 Five samples of the conductor termination compound taken from different points within the samplecontainer. The samples shall then be transferred into five dry clean 4-ounce containers (marked andpre-weighed to the nearest milligram) making sure that air is not entrapped within the transferred sample.The containers shall be completely filled and the tops shall be leveled using a spatula.9.3.2 The filled containers samples are then to be weighed to the nearest milligram on an
