TRACE-SAFE®

Water Blocking Tracer Wire for underground utilities.

A Chase Corporation Company

• Subsidiary of Chase Corporation (NYSE:CCF)– NEPTCO established 1953– Headquarters in Pawtucket, RI

• Key markets served– Telecommunication / Underground Utilities

• TRACE-SAFE®, MULETAPE®, Detectable MULETAPE®– Wire & Cable, Fiber Optic Cable Systems

• NEPTAPE® Shielding Tapes for copper cables• LIGHTLINE® & FLEXLINE® strength elements for FO

cables– Electronic Packaging

• COVERTAPE & WAFERTAPE®

NEPTCO – Who are we?

• TRACE-SAFE is a high strength, water blocked, easy to install and locate tracer wire.

• Per Consolidated Edison, “TRACE-SAFE is the 21st century technology in tracer wire”.

• TRACE-SAFE is your best option for any tracer wire application. Why?...

What is TRACE-SAFE® ?

• Tracer wire is often damaged during installation or in service.– All conventional tracer wires consists of a single conductor

protected by a single insulation.– The slightest void in the insulation creates a water path that leads

to shorting while locating and corrosion.• In many cases splicing methods are not durable enough.• There are no universal standards for tracer wire or

connectivity.– This leads to variability and inconsistent locating results.

• TRACE-SAFE multi-layer construction and simple to use reliable connectors address concerns that lead to tracer wire failure.

Why TRACE-SAFE® ?

• TRACE-SAFE was designed to outperform the competition in the following areas: – Corrosion resistance – Strength – Handling– Abrasion, crush & impact resistance– Lightning– Connectivity – Locating

• TRACE-SAFE is setting the standard by providing solutions.

• Third party testing includes a report from the Gas Technology Institute and other industry experts.

NEPTCO Listens to Customers

See the difference!

• TRACE-SAFE stops water penetration before it can get to work destroying your tracer wire.– Tin plating– PE insulation on the conductor– Water blocking yarns– 30 mil HDPE overall insulation

• TRACE-SAFE passes telecom industry standard 3-meter water head test.– Required by Verizon , ATT and most underground fiber optic cables.

• Salt spray corrosion testing confirms tin plated copper is superior to copper and CCS tracer wires. (ASTM B117-03 Salt Spray Accelerated Test)

4 Levels of Protection Against Corrosion

• Tensile strength of 1,800 lbs.– 12 ga. extra high strength CCS = 1120 lbs.– 10 ga. hard drawn solid copper = 462 lbs.

• Retains full strength after being kinked.– GTI simulated kink test or wrapping wire around a nail.– TRACE-SAFE = 1,800 lbs.– 12 ga. Extra high strength CCS = 440 lbs.– 10 ga. Hard drawn solid copper = 443 lbs.

• TRACE-SAFE weighs only 20 lbs./mft.– 12 ga. Extra high strength CCS weighs 26 lbs./mft– 12 ga. Solid copper weights 29 lbs./mft

Strong & Light Weight

• TRACE-SAFE is user friendly…– Flexible– No spring back – Stays where it’s put– No wire stripping– No special tools required

Handling

• Abrasion tested by GTI, TRACE-SAFE outperforms the closest competitor by almost double. (ASTM 4373)

• TRACE-SAFE survives potential damaged caused by crushing and impact during installation. (UL1581)– It takes less than 500 lbs. of pressure to compromise the

insulation of a conventional tracer.– A 5 lb weight, dropped from 24” above a conventional tracer

wire will split the insulation. • And what about TRACE-SAFE?

– It’s takes over 4,000 lbs. of pressure and the drop test does not breach the insulation.

TRACE-SAFE is durable in service!

UL 1581 in Action The Rock The Rock in Action

12 awg Cu.Wire Exposed

• If struck by lighting the 19 gauge copper wire will disintegrate at the point of the strike.

• The current will not travel down the tracer damaging your pipe as shown below.– Plastic pipe using standard tracer after

lightning strike

TRACE-SAFE® DOES NOT TRANSMIT LIGHTNING!

• In the same way as, “ a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link”, one bad connection can disable your tracer wire system.

• TRACE-SAFE connectors provide “consistent” terminations.– Insulation displacement connector technology– Gel filled and corrosion resistant– Safe, fast and reliable way to splice or terminate your tracer wire– Eliminates wire stripping

• Any connection can be made in seconds. – No special tools required

• Connectors available for all situations – End to End Splices– Main line to lateral splice– Locating clip – Integration to your existing tracer wire

TRACE-SAFE® Locating System

TRACE-SAFE® Locating System

End to End Main to Lateral

Locating Clip

• TRACE-SAFE locate ability is equal to or better than conventional tracer wires, using standard locating equipment and techniques. (chart next slide)

• Easily located at lower frequencies.

Locating With TRACE-SAFE®

• Electrical Conductivity of Materials* – Silver 105%– Copper 100%– Gold 70%– Aluminum 61%– Brass 28%– Zinc 27%– Nickel 22%– Iron 17%– Bronze 7-15%– Lead 7%– Steel 3-15%

• *International Annealed Copper Standard

TRACE-SAFE® = Accurate Locating

Other than silver, copper is the BEST conductor to use in a tracer wire!

Copper Clad Steel

TRACE-SAFE

NEPTCO Water Blocking Tracer Wire-The Superior Alternative

NEPTCO RT1801W

12 AWG Cu FAR END GROUND

118"111"

58"60"54"54"44"42"

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Frequency 512Hrz

% SIGNAL STRENGTH

DEPT

H IN

INCH

ES

118"

111"

102"

97"

44"

42"

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Frequency 9.5KHz

% SIGNAL STRENGTH

DEPT

H IN

INCH

ES

118"111"102"

97"

60"58"45"42"

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100%

Frequency 38KHz

% SIGNAL STRENGTH

DEPT

H IN

INCH

ES

51"

54"

44"

42"

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Frequency 80 KHz

% SIGNAL STRENGTH

DEPT

H IN

INCH

ES

1. RT1801W is a superior locating means: 2. Far end ground provides best results. A) 9.5 KHz, with far end ground 3. 512 Hrz signal is weak, far end ground Directional Boring & Locate Trials performed at:

B) 38/80 KHz with or without far end ground improves locate performance. Staking University|Manteno,Illinois|Mike Parilac--President

NEPTCO Water Blocking Tracer Wire-The Superior Alternative

NEPTCO RT1801W

12 AWG Cu NO FAR END GROUND

1. RT1801W is a superior locating means: 2. Far end ground provides best results. A) 9.5 KHz, with far end ground 3. 512 Hrz signal is weak, far end ground Directional Boring & Locate Trials performed at:

B) 38/80 KHz with or without far end ground improves locate performance. Staking University|Manteno,Illinois|Mike Parilac--President

118"

111"

102"

97"

45"

42"

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Frequency 9.5 KHz

% SIGNAL STRENGTH

DEPT

H IN

INCH

ES

Chart TitleFrequency 512Hrz

Not Enough Signal Strength Without Far End Ground

% Signal Strength

118"

105"

68"

70"

43"

42"

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Frequency 38KHz

% SIGNAL STRENGTH

DEPT

H IN

INCH

ES

102"

97"

60"

58"

44"

42"

0%10%

20%30%

40%50%

60%70%

80%90%

100%

Frequency 80KHz

% SIGNAL STRENGTH

DEPT

H IN

INCH

ES

• TRACE-SAFE , one product, for all applications. – Open trench, directional boring, pipe bursting

• Unmatched performance delivers savings during installation and in service.– High Strength– Corrosion resistant– Impact, crush & abrasion resistant– Lightning protection

• TRACE-SAFE connectors– Faster and safer to install– Gel filled , no stripping, works with your existing wire.

• Fast, accurate and reliable locating results.• Lower installation costs.

TRACE-SAFE® Advantages

• TRACE-SAFE is the only tracer wire to be independently tested to the following:– Corrosion - ASTM B117-03 Salt Spray Accelerated Test

Environment– National Exposure Testing, Sylvania, OH

– Detection - McGlaughlin Verifier G2 Digital Locater– Staking University, Manteno , IL (www.underspace.com)

» Mike Parilac: President mike@underspace.com (815-465-7814)

– Lightning - TIA/EIA 455-81-92 , Lightning Damage Susceptibility for FO Cables with Metalic Components

– Lightning Technologies, Inc., Pittsfield, MA– Connectors

• UL Grounding and Bonding, UL467-2007• Standard for wire connectors, UL486A, UL486B – 2003• Operating salt spray, ASTM B117-09

– Electric Motion Company, Winstead, CT– Tensile, Abrasion & Corrosion

• Tracer Wire for HDD Applications Report– Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, Il– Link to summary,

http://www.otd-co.org/Documents/OTD_Tracer_Wire_for_HDD_SummaryReport-02-06-2013.pdf

Third Party Test Locations

References• GTI Report

– Dennis Jarnecke , (847)768-0943– Dennis.jarnecke@gastechnology.org

• Connector testing– Electric Motion– John Carrozzo, (860)379-8515, cell (860)480-3708– johncarrozzo@electricmotioncompany.com

• Duke Energy– Matt Weber (513)287-2988