a. Preparation of drop wire.
The end of the drop wire must be prepared for installation. Insulation must be removed and
wires cleaned of insulation to make a good tight connection. The drop wire must be cut down the center
a minimum of 2 inches. Removal of insulation from the wire can be troublesome. To ease the task, use
your side cutters, TL-126 Figure 27, and place the wire between the handles, with the wire near the pivot
point. The squeezing and turning of the wire will crush the insulation and make it easy to remove. You
will have to remove at least 1 inch of insulation. After the insulation is removed, you should use one
blade of the side cutters or a knife and scrape the wires to ensure you have them clean and ready for a
good electrical contact. You must have 1/8 inch bare wire remaining after installing the wires on the
protector.
b. Installation of drop wire at protector.
Installation is relatively easy. After you have removed the insulation, you then have to insert
the drop wire through the holes in the rubber boot, see Figure 35 and 36. To secure the wires correctly
you have one rule to follow. That rule is the side of the wire with the ridge is connected to the ring side,
right side of the protector. The other bare wire is connected to the tip side, see Figure 29. Bend the bare
wire in a small "U" so that it will fit around the bolt between the washers. Wires always go around the
bolt in a clockwise motion. To put the wire on differently, counter clockwise, would make the wire
loose as you tightened the nut.
c. Drop wire installation to ready access terminal.
Now that the substation protector is installed and you have it grounded, you should be
prepared to install the drop wire to the ready access terminal located on the cable. This is where the
signal from the dial central office is made available to the installer. At a location 2" to 4" from the face
side of the protector on a level plain with the boot of the protector you must install a split knob. Use a
drill and prepare the hole for the screw by making a small 1/8 inch hole 1/4 inch deep. Keep in mind the
bottom of the split knob is at the same level as the bottom of the boot on the protector. Begin to fasten
the knob to the surface but not making it too tight. On the side of the split knob toward the protector
you insert the drop wire with a drip loop of 5". This prevents water from coming down the wire and
making contact with the bare wires. On the other side of the split knob place a small piece of drop wire
so that there will be equal pressure when you tighten the screw in the split knob. Be sure you do not
twist your drop wire. Keep the installation neat.
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