Rauckman BW-223 Heavy Duty Forged Wrench

When it comes to linework, it’s important to prioritize precision and safety. Whether you are installing or maintaining overhead transformers, it’s critical to have the right tools at hand. The Rauckman BW-223 Heavy Duty Forget wrench is engineered with the lineworker in mind and combines reliability, versatility, and safety.

Insulated Box Wrench Features

The Rauckman BW-223 includes the popular 3/4″ and 9/16″ insulated box wrench combinations, making it available for a number of lineworker tasks, from tightening connectors to adjusting fittings. The BW-223HD model takes it a step further with its heavy-duty, forged construction that stands the test of time.

Rauckman is committed to safety. The BW-233 wrench is crafted with a high-strength, high-dielectric polymer handle that offers electrical insulation, crucial when working with live circuits. A transparent port integrated into the handle also provides you with visual confirmation that the two ends are electrically isolated, giving you another level of assurance.

Additionally, the handle’s unique design provides double the Metal-to-Metal Electrical Isolation compared to other brands. In work environments where visibility is key, the High-Visibility yellow color ensures that the tool is always easy to locate.

Try the Popular BW-233 Heavy Duty Forged For Yourself

Lineworkers need to have confidence in their tools to ensure safety and efficiency on site. With the Rauckman BW-223 Heavy Duty Forget, you can be confident knowing that those standards are not just met but exceeded. The Rauckman BW-233 lineworker wrench ensures tasks are completed efficiently, effectively, and above all, safely.

For more information or to request a quote, please fill out our contact form or speak with one of our representatives.

4-in-1 Insulated Box Wrench BugWrench™

General Information, Product Articles|

ASTM F712 Standard for Electrical Insulating Plastic Guards: An Overview

The ASTM F712 standard, a critical benchmark in the realm of electrical insulating plastic guards, is a cornerstone for safety and efficiency in electrical installations. Rauckman proudly adheres to this standard, ensuring that our products meet the highest safety and performance criteria. This article provides an overview of the ASTM F712 standard, emphasizing its vital aspects and how Rauckman’s products align with these rigorous specifications.

Key Aspects of the ASTM F712 Standard

Applicable Guards and Covers: The ASTM F712 standard encompasses a variety of guards and covers, including:

Conductor Guards and Connecting Covers: This category includes line guards, line guard connectors, insulator covers, dead-end covers, bus guards, and bus “T” guards.
Structure and Apparatus Covers: This category is comprised of pole guards, ridge pin covers, switch blade covers, arm guards, cutout covers, structural barriers, and cross arm guards.

Method A-Withstand Voltage Proof Test: This test is integral to the ASTM F712 standard, ensuring that electrical insulating guards can endure specified voltage levels without failure. It’s a testament to the reliability and safety of the guards in high-voltage environments.

Test Table

Design and Acceptance Tests: The Difference

Design Tests: These tests qualify a specific product design for field use, ensuring that the guard system component meets the necessary safety and performance standards.
Acceptance Tests: These tests involve inspecting a sample from the production lot to ensure consistent quality and compliance with the ASTM F712 standard. While the industry standard is to test a certain number of products from a lot, Rauckman tests every single plastic insulating cover to ensure every guard will protect line workers when used in the field.

Materials Requirements:

ASTM F712 Construction Requirements: The insulating body shells are crafted to meet stringent requirements, including impact strength, water absorption, dielectric strength, and flame retardancy.
Types of Guards: Specifications for different types of guards (Type I, Type II, Type III Guards) include detailed criteria for notched izod impact strength, water absorption, dielectric strength, and flame retardancy.

Testing Methods: Material ratings adhere to specific testing methods, including Test Methods D256, D570, D149, and UL Standard 94.

D149 Test Method: This test evaluates the dielectric breakdown voltage and strength of solid electrical insulating materials at commercial power frequencies, an essential factor in ensuring the safety and integrity of electrical guards.
Test method applications

Application	Test Method
Material ratings for notched Izod Impact Strength	Test Methods D256 – Methos A
Material ratings for water absorption	D570
Material ratings for dielectric strength	D149
Material ratings for flame retardancy	UL-94
Handles of Grade 1 Guards	ASTM F711

Rauckman’s Commitment to the ASTM F712 Standard

At Rauckman, our plastic insulating guards are designed and manufactured with the ASTM F712 standard as a guiding standard. We understand the critical role that electrical insulating guards play in ensuring the safety of electrical installations.

The ASTM F712 standard is more than a set of guidelines; it’s a blueprint for safety, efficiency, and reliability in electrical installations. Rauckman’s adherence to these standards reflects our dedication to providing the best in electrical safety and performance.

One-Piece Tangent Cover

Animal Mitigation, General Information, News & Information|

One-Piece Tangent Covers – Powerline Protection from Wildlife

In utility systems, ensuring safety and mitigating avian-wildlife incidents are critical priorities. At Rauckman Utility Products, we recognize these concerns, and have developed an innovative solution: The One-Piece Tangent Cover, a multi-functional solution designed for power line protection and crossarm extension protection. The objective of a Tangent Cover is to provide animal protection and aid in minimizing animal-related outages, making it an indispensable tool in the lineworker’s toolkit.

Components of a Tangent Cover

Tangent covers serve the purpose of reducing wildlife incidents that involve perching birds and other animals on crossarms of electric utility poles. The Rauckman Tangent Covers are crafted using an engineered polypropylene flame-retardant resin matrix formula. Its self-extinguishing UL94 V-0 flammability rating ensures a high level of safety, which contributes to the goal of minimizing animal-related outages. They feature a one-piece construction, no separating or “drifting” components, and do not require assembly in the field. Tangent covers can easily be installed and removed using rubber gloves or a shotgun-style hotstick and have versatility in its application, accommodating voltages up to 38 kV system voltage, which extends beyond traditional power line protection.

Additives such as flame retardants, UV inhibitors, impact modifiers, and ozone inhibitors enhance the base polymer resins, which result in a robust solution that withstands the mechanical challenges of outdoor environments.

Easy Hotstick Installation

A notable feature of the Tangent Cover is the simplicity of its design. The straightforward installation eliminates the need for springs, and latches, which not only streamlines the hotstick installation process but also enhances the cover’s reliability during field operations. Lineworker tools, such as a shotgun-style hotstick, make installation and removal a breeze, reducing downtime and ensuring efficiency in maintaining the electrical infrastructure.

Mechanical characteristic ratings, as per ASTM standards, underscore the Tangent Cover’s durability, with impressive impact strength, tensile strength, and flexural strength. These qualities not only contribute to its longevity but also ensure consistent performance in safeguarding powerlines against avian-wildlife incidents.

Increased Safety

A Tangent Cover significantly improves safety in electric utility systems by acting as a protective barrier against wildlife incidents related to powerline contact near crossarms.

ULV-0Flame-RetardantMaterial:

Crafted from an engineered polypropylene flame-retardant resin matrix formula, these covers possess a self-extinguishingUL 94 V-0 flammability rating, ensuring they don’t contribute to fire propagation; Flame-retardant Tangent Covers minimize the risk of animal-related outages, contributing to improved SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) and SAIFI (System Average Interruption Frequency Index). You can ensure uninterrupted power flow and mitigate unplanned outages by utilizing tangent covers on your powerlines.

UV-Tested:

The Rauckman Tangent Cover undergoes stringentUV testing according to ASTM standards, which ensures its resilience even after prolonged exposure. This commitment to durability is crucial for maintaining the cover’s efficacy in animal protection and powerline safeguarding over the long term.

By reducing the likelihood of animal-related outages and providing durability against UV exposure, tangent covers enhance the overall reliability of the electrical system.

Learn More

To find more detailed specifications of the Rauckman Tangent Cover, click here to read the Tangent Cover brochure. To get in touch with our team, please fill out our contact form and one of our experts will reach out to you swiftly.

One-Piece Tangent Cover

Animal Mitigation, General Information, Product Articles|

Increasing Safety with Effective Crossarms Extensions by Rauckman

Temporary crossarm extensions, also commonly known as Hot Arms or Extension Arms are an important hotline tool which aid in temporarily holding conductors while utility line workers perform conductor line or insulator maintenance on a crossarm. They allow line workers to avoid cutting off power to the end user during maintenance. Hot Arms are also valuable hotline tools that can be used for moving conductors away from a work area, such as during road widening.

What to Look for When Choosing Hot Arms

When choosing Hot Arms that are ideal for replacing or working on dead-end crossarms, ensure their composition of electrical-grade fiberglass and foam, can safely withstand the rigorous electrical environment they are exposed to when used with live line. To ensure that your temporary crossarms offer exceptional resilience and durability, it is important to make sure they meet ASTM F711 standards.

Hot Arm Durability

Temporary crossarm extensions should meet ASTM F-711 standards. This standard applies specifically to the durability and safety of the fiberglass reinforced plastic rod portion of the arm during the manufacturing process. Durable temporary crossarms are typically constructed using electrical-grade fiberglass reinforced thermoset resins surrounding a uni-cell foam core.

Which Safety Standards Apply to Hot Arms?

Safety for lineworkers is paramount in the development of Hot Arms. Hot Arms should meet ASTM F-711 standards, which shapes the technical attributes for fiberglass-reinforced rods intended for use in live line tools.

Two common questions regarding hot arms are whether they are required to meet ASTM F-3121 or OSHA 1910.269 standards. ASTM F-3121 is for use of hand-held live line insulating tools for in-field care, use, and testing guidelines. This only applies to the fiberglass stick.OSHA regulations cover Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); however, Hot Arms, not classified as PPE, would not fall under the umbrella of OSHA 1910.269 standards.

Customization of Hot Arms

Choosing a manufacturer that offers customization for your temporary crossarms ensures you are covered for specific field tasks. Hot Arm extensions can be customized with a variety of attachments to meet your specific requirements. Whether you are changing insulators, installing or replacing hardware, or stringing new conductors, choosing a supplier that offers versatility in attachments allows you to work safely in various situations.

Hot Arms can be customized using an extensive selection of hotline tool products and attachments. Attachments to the Hot Arm itself include Hot Arm Wireholders, with a generous 1” opening to accept conductors up to 795 ACSR, and Wireholder insulators. Insulators allow for Hot Arms to be used on circuits up to 34.5 kV, rather than the typical 15 kV circuits. In inclement weather or if the arms are left out overnight, adding insulators on the Wireholders is recommended.

Choose Rauckman for Reliable Hotline Tools

Rauckman is a leading manufacturer for electrical utility companies, and we would love to be your product partner. For more information on our Hot Arms, click here. To get in contact with a Rauckman expert, visit our contact page and fill out the form. One of us will get in touch with you shortly.

Universal Hotsticks, One-Piece

General Information, Product Articles|

How to Enhance Power System Reliability with Rauckman’s Bushing and Conductor Covers

In the electric utility sector, ensuring a seamless power supply is a critical concern. Rauckman innovatively addresses this through our bushing and conductor covers, which play an essential role in averting one of the subtler yet frequent reasons for power disruptions: the interaction with wildlife.

Bushing Covers: A Cover-Up Solution for Wildlife-Induced Outages

Rauckman’s Bushing Covers are an essential product in our animal mitigation product line. These covers serve a vital role in preventing animals, such as squirrels and birds, from creating fatal and costly phase-to-phase or phase-to-ground connections on pole-mounted distribution transformers. The significance of this innovation lies in its ability to minimize power outages caused by wildlife, thereby enhancing the overall reliability of power systems, and reducing unplanned service interruption

Engineered for Durability and Safety

The Bushing Cover is not just a cover but a sophisticated piece of engineering. It is crafted from a high performance polymer, specially formulated to meet the stringent demands of the electric utility industry. This material is track-resistant, ensuring that it remains effective over time without degradation in performance.

Flexible polymer material. Photo source: Electronics Weekly

Furthermore, the cover boasts high Ultra-Violet (UV) stability, incorporating Hindered Amine Light Stabilization (HALS) technology. This feature is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the cover under various environmental conditions, particularly under constant exposure to sunlight.

In addition to its resilience against environmental factors, Rauckman’s Bushing Cover is designed with safety as a priority. It possesses Flame Retardant properties, meeting the V-0 criteria of the Underwriters’ Laboratory Standard of UL-94. This certification is a testament to the product’s ability to withstand and inhibit the spread of fire, ensuring a safer power distribution network.

Conductor Covers: Enhancing Safety and Reliability

Complementing the Bushing Covers, Rauckman’s Conductor Covers are another innovative solution designed to improve the reliability and safety of power distribution systems.

Unique Design for Optimal Performance

These covers are made from an engineered formula, chosen for its track resistance and suitability for the electric utility industry’s rigorous requirements. The conductor covers feature a unique pre-slit design with a generous material overlap. This design is the result of a unique manufacturing process that not only ensures the cover’s flexibility but also its ability to retain its shape and characteristics over time.

The conductor features a pre-made slit to ensure stability.

Tested for Endurance

Rauckman’s commitment to quality and durability is evident in the rigorous testing these conductor covers undergo. They maintain all their characteristics even after 2500 hours in ASTM G-154 UV and Humidity test conditions. This level of endurance testing ensures that the covers can withstand harsh environmental conditions while continuing to provide reliable protection.

All Rauckman Utility Products meet ASTM standards.

A Step Towards More Reliable Power Distribution

Rauckman’s Bushing and Conductor Covers represent a significant advancement in the effort to mitigate power outages caused by wildlife. With our specialized design, high-quality materials, and rigorous testing, these products are essential components in ensuring a more reliable and safer power distribution network.

Bushing Cover

Animal Mitigation, Product Articles|

How Smart is a Squirrel? Why Squirrel Intelligence Necessitates Superior Protection

Utility infrastructure forms the backbone of our modern world, powering homes, businesses, and essential services. The continuous and reliable flow of this power is critical. While we often attribute disruptions to weather events or technical issues, a surprisingly agile and intelligent adversary is sometimes at play: the squirrel. Their behavior, as benign as it may appear, can pose significant risks to the utility network, emphasizing the need for superior protection.

How smart is a squirrel?

At a glance, squirrels may seem harmless, but their natural behavior and intelligence can lead to unintentional disruptions. These creatures are adaptors, problem solvers, and possess an uncanny ability to navigate challenges. It’s this very capability that sometimes sees them navigate and interfere with utility infrastructure, leading to unexpected outages or damage.

The Real Cost to Utility Networks

The Need for Superior Protection

Given the costs involved, it is beneficial for utilities to employ advanced protection mechanisms:

Improve Service with Superior Protection

While squirrels are a fascinating testament to nature’s adaptability, their interaction with utility infrastructure underscores a pressing challenge. We understand the profound importance of safeguarding our essential networks from all threats, no matter how small they might seem. Investing in superior protection is not just a financial decision; it’s a commitment to uninterrupted service, safety, and the conservation of natural species.

Stinger Cover

Animal Mitigation, News & Information|