Will Southwires new SIMpull THHN reduce the occurrence of nylon splitting in the field?
Yes. Southwire’s new SIMpull THHN results in less stress on the nylon during installation resulting in less splitting. It should be noted that the major contributor to nylon splitting is installing THHN in cold weather. If installing in cold weather, the cable should be stored in a heated environment overnight prior to installation. Cold temperatures approaching freezing can cause the insulation to become stiff and possibly brittle. Care should be taken to mitigate the effects of cold weather when installing in these situations. The cables should be kept in heated storage for at least 24 hours prior to installation and only removed from heated storage just prior to installation. Cables installed in cold weather should be handled more carefully and pulled more slowly. Even given these mitigating methods Southwire does not recommend installing thermoplastic insulated cables at temperatures below –10C (14F).
