Auto-loop improvement

The Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con Edison) has developed a computer program that predicts the reliability of auto-loops and optimizes loop design. This paper describes the application of this program to auto-loops in an urban area, the calculation of loop-specific failure data using a Bayesian data update process and the development of strategies for enhancing loop reliability. Reliabilities predicted using loop-specific data are compared to those obtained using generic data. The paper also demonstrates two alternative means of enhancing auto-loop reliability: adding protective devices to a loop; and realigning its main run