High voltage cables are costly and critical to high-traffic port crane operations. Protecting your cable investment is of paramount importance!  One of the best ways to protect cables is to store them in a trench formed into the wharf. The problem is . .  how to cover the trench yet still allow access the cable as the machine moves? Previous cover solutions involved hinged metal plates that were noisy, prone to corrosion, and limited the crane's travel speed.

The Conductix-Wampfler TrenchGuard^TM system is a better solution! It consists of a formed trench system, specially designed reinforced rubber cover belt, and belt lifting device. The primary components are:

Trench

Trench liners are available in 8 or 10 foot long stainless steel or galvanized steel sections. Standard trench width is 4". Trench sections can be interlocking or non-interlocking. Trench sections have features that aid installation into the poured-in-place concrete wharf. The trench system includes features to accommodate section-to-section electrical grounding. Trenches can also be formed into the wharf without steel liners.

Cover Belt

The specially designed belt protects the cable from weather, debris, and damage. It consists of vulcanized layers of SBR rubber and steel mesh. The resulting belt is rigid enough to withstand traffic and maintain its shape, yet flexible enough to withstand repeated open/close cycles. The belt is attached to the trench sections along one long edge using the supplied stainless steel fixing strips and hardware.

Belt Lifting Device

The lifting device or "plow" is attached to the host machine. It gradually opens the belt as the machine approaches to allow cable access, then gently lets the belt close as the machine passes by.

Cable Vault and Cable Horns

The cable vault is located at the center feed point on the wharf where the cable is connected to the power source. The cable horns within the vault are made at the correct cable bend radius to provide a smooth transition as the cable moves from one side of the center feed to the other. Conductix can provide cable horns as required for the project.

You can download our TrenchGuard Catalog from this site!

Contact Conductix-Wampfler with the details of your project; we would be happy to quote your requirements.