The Bumble Bee® and Yellow Jacket® cable protectors are just two of many product lines part of the Checkers Justrite Safety Group. They are known for their noticeable yellow and black color combination, along with their sturdy construction that can endure high capacity and extreme loads. These cable covers feature the patented Dog Bone® or T-Connectors, which may appear to look alike, but the materials and structures are different in each.
The Bumble Bee® Heavy Duty cable protector is only 21 pounds because of its lightweight “egg crate” construction, which saves on both cost and weight. It is made of Durathane™ polyurethane — a proprietary material revered for its strength — with a tensile strength of 2827 psi. This cable cover features a load bearing capacity per axle that exceeds the maximum legally permitted axle weight, with it able to handle heavy duty, low speed truck and bus traffic. The top-hinged lid makes maintenance easy, while facilitating the addition and removal of cords or cables. It conforms to UL 94V-2 flammability tests and is self-extinguishing per ASTM D635-98.
Yellow Jacket® Cable Protectors are high performance cord covers available at CableOrganizer® in 1, 3, 4, and 5 channels, up to 5 inches in diameter. These cable protectors are also made of Durathane™, and designed to shield cables and cords from up to 48,000 pounds per axle. Their Roman Arch™ construction offers suction that provides maximum tear strength as a vehicle crosses over it. These protectors have 30% more polyurethane than the Bumble Bee®. This extra heavy duty cover can take high speed truck and bus traffic because of that additional weight, and 50% thicker base and lid. The ramp angles are not as steep as those in the Bumble Bee® Heavy Duty cable protector, which is another reason Yellow Jacket® Cable Protectors survives and thrives under greater vehicle traffic. It is constructed with a reinforced fiberglass hinge pin that will not break under pressure.
The Yellow Jacket® Modular Extreme Crossover Cable Cover is considered a nearly indestructible choice. It can safeguard cables and hoses up to 3.75 inches in diameter, while handling a load capacity over 400 tons. This urethane constructed cover weighs 147 pounds, yet comes in a modular design that simplifies transport, installation, and storage. It protects against some of the heaviest industrial vehicles created, making it perfect for the military, mining industry, construction sites, and other extreme environments.
Now that you know about the qualities of some of the Bumble Bee® and Yellow Jacket® cable protectors, below is more information about the importance of cable cover design:
WHY STRUCTURE MATTERS
WEIGHT:
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• Greater weight gives a cable protector:
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o Longer life.
o The ability to be more shock-absorbent.
o A construction that helps keep the cable cover in place.
BASE AND LIDS:
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• Thicker lids and bases can take heavier loads, plus greater wear and tear.
WEIGHT:
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• Construction:
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o Roman Arch™:
- • Offers solid construction.
• Easily handles impact from high-speed buses, fire trucks, tractor trailers, and similar traffic.
• Forms suction to hold a cable protector in place as weight is applied.
- • This design removes material from the ramp.
• Saves weight and costs.
• Handles low speed traffic from trucks, buses, and forklifts.
- o This absorbs the most significant force from vehicle tires.
o A longer leading edge is more resistant to tearing and splitting.
- o Shallower angles make it easier to roll over the cable cover, reducing wear and impact.
WHY MATERIALS MATTERS
TENSILE STRENGTH:
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• The greater a cable protector’s tensile strength, the more stress it can handle.
ELONGATION:
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• This measures how far a product will stretch before breaking.
• A higher elongation rating means there are fewer fractures, which can lead to eventual product failure.
ABRASION RESISTANCE:
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• Measures the resistance to scraping or wearing down by friction because of tires rolling over.
• The lower the rating means the longer the product will wear.
SAFETY RATINGS:
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• Should be conducted by licensed, outside laboratories per national/international standards.
• Industry standard tests for flammability include tests from UL Solutions (abbreviated as “UL,” most formerly known as Underwriters Laboratories), and ASTM International (with “ASTM” the acronym for the former International Association for Testing Materials).
ABOUT LOAD BEARING RATINGS
LOAD BEARING:
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• There are no recognized standards or test methods for measuring load bearing, with the ratings considered subjective. The rating depends on the number of tires the weight is spread over, along with the tire width, tread pattern, tire type (solid or pneumatic), and whether the test is static or dynamic.
Ready to shop for cable cover protection? Order high capacity cable protectors from CableOrganizer® here.
