Cable Joint & Termination Kits: LV/MV
Kits are selected by voltage class, insulation OD and installation method, not by cable nominal size alone. This page separates the four accessory systems we supply and lists the cable construction data each quoting decision needs.
Start with the position: termination or joint?
Two positions on the same cable need different kits. A termination ends the cable at equipment: switchgear, motor, transformer. It must control the electric field at the cut end of the screen and seal the cable end against the environment. A joint (splice) connects two cable ends mid-run. It must rebuild the insulation across the connection and restore screen continuity through the joint body. If a crew orders a termination kit for a splice position, the kit has no screen-continuity components; the reverse leaves the cable end without field control. Confirm the position count of each type before you request a quote.
Indoor vs outdoor: an outdoor termination sheds water and resists UV. Creepage distance along the surface matters, which is why outdoor terminations are longer than indoor ones of the same voltage class. Joints are buried or in chambers, so sealing against moisture ingress dominates. State the duty per position; kits are built for one or the other, not both.
System voltage context — what the class number covers
Voltage classes on this site follow the U0/U notation: 0.6/1kV, 8.7/15kV and 26/35kV. The accessory kit must match the cable's voltage class, but a kit alone does not qualify a jointed system. The completed joint or termination also depends on the cable construction, the workmanship and the testing of the finished installation. Treat the kit's class marking as a compatibility input, and have the finished installation tested per the project's commissioning procedure.
Cable construction inputs we quote from
Send these per cable type; each one changes the kit or the component inside it:
- Conductor cross-section (mm²) : determines connector size and, for MV kits, the stress-control component range.
- Core count : LV kits ship as single-core, 3-core, 4-core or 5-core sets; the breakouts and the joint body differ per core count.
- Insulation OD (mm) : the sizing dimension. Kits cover an OD range; measure the insulation, not the jacket.
- Screen/sheath structure : screened or unscreened; armoured or unarmoured. Armoured joints need bonding and continuity parts that unarmoured kits do not include.
- Indoor or outdoor duty : sets the termination length and sealing set.
- Jacket material : affects adhesive/mastic selection on heat-shrink sealing components.
System 1 — LV heat-shrink accessory systems (0.6/1kV)
Complete polyolefin-based kits for 0.6/1kV cable terminations and joints, referenced to IEC 60502, service range -50℃~+125℃. Kits are built per core count: the 0.6/1kV heat-shrink accessory sets cover single-core, 3-core and 4-core positions in phase colors, with separate termination and joint configurations. At LV the kit's job is insulation recovery and sealing: adhesive-lined walls bond to the cable jacket, and there is no stress-control layer because the field at LV does not require one. Heat gun installation; crews need a straight section and a clean cut.
System 2 — MV heat-shrink accessory systems (8.7/15kV, 26/35kV)
Above 1kV the electric field at the screen cut becomes the design problem, so MV heat-shrink kits add layers the LV kits do not have: a stress control tube that evens the field at the screen termination, plus insulating and weather-shed components for outdoor positions. The 8.7/15kV heat-shrink kits and 26/35kV heat-shrink kits are multi-layer polyolefin/silicone composite sets referenced to IEC 60502, service -50℃~+125℃, as outdoor/indoor termination and intermediate joint full sets. Installation order matters more than at LV: conductor connector first, then stress control, then insulation, then sealing: each layer recovered before the next goes on.
System 3 — Cold-shrink accessory systems (0.6/1kV to 26/35kV)
Cold-shrink kits ship pre-stretched on a removable plastic core; pull the core and the silicone body grips by its own memory: no heat gun, torch or power source. That makes them the standard choice inside switchgear rooms, manholes, confined spaces, refineries and mining sites where open flame is banned. Silicone rubber bodies, referenced to IEEE 386, service -50℃~+200℃. On this site: 0.6/1kV cold-shrink kits (2/3/4/5-core, indoor/outdoor termination + joint), 8.7/15kV cold-shrink kits (3-core/single-core), 26/35kV cold-shrink kits, plus 12/20kV and 18/20kV cold-shrink sets (12/20kV, 18/20kV) for the intermediate classes. Storage matters: the kits stay expanded on their cores until use, so shelf life and storage temperature rules apply: confirm both at order time.
System 4 — Molded and sealing components
Alongside the kit systems, these components handle the joint's edges, repairs and special positions:
- Heat shrinkable cable endcaps : seal cable ends during storage or before termination; adhesive-lined so the end stays dry on the reel or in the trench.
- Terminal head mould caps : 2:1 recovering moulded caps for ≤1kV terminal heads (IEC 60684 referenced, Φ6–45mm); suit higher-volume indoor termination work where a moulded shape beats a cut sleeve.
- Cable intermediate joint explosion-proof boxes : cast-aluminum housings for buried or chambered MV joints; the box is mechanical protection around a completed joint, not an insulation component itself.
- Composite insulation heat-shrinkable tape : irradiation cross-linked polyolefin with a low-melting glass polymer layer; wraps odd geometries and repairs damaged jacket sections a molded part cannot cover.
- Silicone self-adhesive tape : self-amalgamating, room-temperature cure, -60℃~+280℃ (HTF73 series); used for sealing wraps and high-temperature positions where a shrinking part would need heat you cannot apply.
- Alkali-free wax-free fiberglass tape : reinforcing wrap inside joint builds where mechanical hold during cure or recovery is needed.
- Heat shrinkable anti-breakout boots : adhesive-lined boots over cable breakouts at terminations where multiple cores leave one sheath.
Installation method at a glance
| Method | Heat needed | Typical positions | Watch point |
|---|---|---|---|
| LV heat-shrink kit | Heat gun / torch | 0.6/1kV terminations & joints, phase-colored | Even recovery : overheating burns the wall, underheating leaves a loose seal |
| MV heat-shrink kit | Heat gun / torch | 8.7/15kV & 26/35kV terminations & joints | Layer order: stress control before insulation; prep is longer than the recovery itself |
| Cold-shrink kit | None | Flame-banned sites: switchgear, manholes, refineries, mining; 0.6/1kV–26/35kV | Position before pulling the core : once released, the body grips where it is |
| Tape / self-amalgamating | None (curing time) | Repairs, odd geometries, sealing wraps | Elongation and overlap per the product data; cure time before energizing |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a cable termination and a cable joint?
A termination ends a cable at equipment (switchgear, motor, transformer), and must manage the electric field at the cut end while sealing against the environment. A joint (splice) connects two cable ends mid-run and must rebuild both the insulation and the screen continuity across the connection. They are different kits: a termination kit contains components for the cable end, while a joint kit contains the insulation body, connectors and screen-continuity parts for the middle of the run. Confirm which one you need per position before ordering.
Should we choose heat-shrink or cold-shrink cable accessories?
Heat-shrink kits (IEC 60502 referenced) recover with a heat gun or torch and suit crews already equipped for open-flame work. Cold-shrink kits (IEEE 386 referenced) ship pre-stretched on a removable plastic core and grip by their own memory once the core is pulled out. No heat source, which is the practical choice inside switchgear, manholes, confined spaces, refineries and mining where flame is banned. Installation method, not insulation quality, is usually the deciding factor.
What cable data do you need to quote the right accessory kit?
System voltage class, conductor cross-section, core count, insulation outside diameter, indoor or outdoor duty, and screen/sheath structure (armored or unarmored). The insulation OD matters most: kits are sized by insulation OD range, not by cable nominal size alone. With these six inputs we return the kit part numbers and contents list.
Application deep-dives
Focused pages inside this route, with the published ratings and the inputs we need to quote.
Substation Cable Terminations
Cold-shrink or heat-shrink termination and joint kits from 0.6/1 kV to 26/35 kV, and what the site permits.
Telecom Tower Weatherproofing
Sealing tower-top coax and antenna connectors with no flame and no power at height.
Send the cable schedule
Voltage class, core count, insulation OD, screen/sheath structure, indoor/outdoor duty and quantity per position: we return the kit part numbers, contents list and lead time.