A large percentage of buried 600-V aluminum cable problems start with minor insulation damage. Moisture penetration sets the stage for an electrolytic corrosion process that eventually can destroy the conductor. Southwire's (Carrollton, Georgia, U.S.) SureSeal UD cables contain a material that, in a patented cable design, flows into insulation breaks and blocks the moisture that drives the corrosion process.

To demonstrate SureSeal protection, testers at Southwire's D.B. Cofer Technology Center subjected cables to high-voltage dc impulses. At 130 kV, the insulation blew out. Half an hour later, the SureSeal compound had sealed the hole and the same section of cable withstood impulses well over 70 kV.

SureSeal cables install and handle like conventional UD cables and work with normal splices and terminations. This is because of SureSeal's unique design where the sealant is trapped in channels within the insulation wall. That can be a significant factor in the success of field applications.
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