Electrical Materials Company

Electrical Materials Company manufactures, develops, and supplies electrical products for a diverse range of industries. Items available include wildlife protectors, cable enclosures and transformer accessories. The company is also significantly experienced in the fabrication of metals and plastics.

Perch guards for raptor protection in the power industry

The raptor family of birds, such as eagles, hawks, falcons and ospreys, are known for perching and nesting in the tops of dead trees. However, when these are not available, raptors have been known to use the closest thing they can find to a tall tree, which is often a cross arm or a utility pole. This causes many raptors to die every year from being electrocuted, as a result of being in locations they should not be.

To avoid this, EMCO produces perch guards that have been designed for mounting on utility poles or cross arms.

EMCO’s perch guard PG-1 is vacuum formed, has high molecular weight and is made from polyethylene. It has been made to withstand wind speeds of up to 80mph, with each unit thoroughly tested. The perch can be installed directly onto line arms by using #106 fasteners.

The side-mount insulator base cover helps to protect high-voltage equipment from bird life.

The side-mount insulator base cover contains a raptor guard. This item has a secure cover around the insulator base and two UV-stabilized polypropylene ties.

The EMCO squirrel guard is designed to prevent animals and birds interfering with electricity equipment, helping to avoid consequences such as downtime and harm to wildlife.

The WLP-1 is a wildlife protector that is UV-stabilized for long-life operations. It is moulded from track-resistant, high-density polyethylene. It can be locked over the first insulator skirt if required and been used in the field for more than ten years.

The perch guard PG-2 is similar in design; it has an extruded high molecular weight and is made also made using polyethylene. It can be directly installed with #107 fasteners.

Both perch guards are UV-stabilized and grey in colour.

Side-mount insulator covers with live parts plus conductors

The features of EMCO’s side-mount insulator and live parts plus conductors include:

• A momentary withstand value of 30kV
• UV stabilization and high molecular and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE)
• Installation on live lines using a hotstick

Side-mounted insulator base cover

The side-mounted insulator base cover has a momentary withstand value of 60kV and is also UV stabilized and made from HMWPE. It can be installed on a live line, without the need for re-energizing. It has a protection area above 15m both above and below the centre of the side-mount insulator attachment. It can be attached to a pole with an EMC #106 fastener. It provides a protected cover around the base of the insulator base with two polypropylene ties that are UV-stabilized.

Squirrel guards to protect high-voltage terminals

The EMCO squirrel guard has been designed to stop animals and birds coming into contact with high-voltage equipment and getting electrocuted.

The squirrel guard has a flat surface, which ensures that repeated contact with its circular material is difficult. It is made from polyethylene that is high in molecular weight and the material is also UV-stabilized.

When it is installed, with the option of a hotstick, the guard can also be energised and used as a retrofit if required.

Wildlife protectors

EMCO produces a range of products for protecting electrical equipment from wildlife. We provide:

• WLP-1 is made from high-density and track-resistant polyethylene, in addition to being UV-stabilized for a long service life. It can be locked over the skirt of a first insulator if required. It can be installed on new pieces of equipment or retrofitted
• 100-B is made from ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) material, this item has been designed to accommodate a range of connectors. It can be cut to a specified length either in the manufacturing process or on site before it is installed.
• 101-S101A is an item we have been producing for 25 years and has proven reliability in the field. It is moulded from plastisol.