Pulling Wire through conduit- tips ?

[Iowachild]

Depending on the length of the run, PVC glued together BEFORE it is put in the ditch will "bow" far more then you would think - even 2" pipe will "curve" so you do not need to use 90's unless you need to turn in a short distance. When you do need a sharper turn, use a "long sweep" when you can or heat the PVC and bend the sweep yourself.

Also, if you can get it, and you are using PVC, use pipe with bells. It will cut down on the number of couplings you need and you would want to install them in the direction you plan to pull.

Anyone that thinks 2" PVC will not bend and bow has never seen a side-boom running 6" or even larger steel pipe into a ditch.

I have never bought PVC conduit that did not have a bell on one end. But than I have only ever bought Carlon brand.

 

[boutym]

exactly, why use soap or talc when you can get something engineered to be friendly to the wire jacket is available and not expensive. In a pinch yes maybe you reach for the dawn dish soap but a quart of Ideal Yellow 77 wire pulling lube is like 6 or 7 bucks. I have never tried threading wire or cable through individual pieces of conduit before gluing them together but I don't think I would even consider it for more than two sections, its just not worth the risk of the glue attacking the cable jacket or wire insulation to me.

I ran wire though individual pieces and glued them after the fact once... Once. Will never do it again. I thought it would be easier than one long run, but it turned out to be more hassle than it was worth.

 

[orezok]

I would highly recommend against pulling wire with any kind of winch or motorized device unless it has the proper gauges for determining pull. A commercial wire puller has an amp meter which determines how much pull is being exerted.

If the pull exceeds the wire's strength it will stretch. What occurs is that a 10ga wire might be stretched at some point into a 14ga wire. This is a recipe for future failure.

When I catch a contractor doing this on my projects, I make them megger the line and many times it fails and they end up replacing the wire at their expense.

Think about a bungee and as you pull it it gets smaller in diameter but longer.

 

[hr3]

I would highly recommend against pulling wire with any kind of winch or motorized device unless it has the proper gauges for determining pull. A commercial wire puller has an amp meter which determines how much pull is being exerted.

If the pull exceeds the wire's strength it will stretch. What occurs is that a 10ga wire might be stretched at some point into a 14ga wire. This is a recipe for future failure.

When I catch a contractor doing this on my projects, I make them megger the line and many times it fails and they end up replacing the wire at their expense.

Think about a bungee and as you pull it it gets smaller in diameter but longer.

How does an amp meter determine that your pulling #10 wire or 500 mcm ??? And another thought,, a megger is only used to check the value of the insulation on the wire not that the copper wire itself is deformed ???

 

[orezok]

How does an amp meter determine that your pulling #10 wire or 500 mcm ??? And another thought,, a megger is only used to check the value of the insulation on the wire not that the copper wire itself is deformed ???

The operator consults the proper table which determines the correct amperage for each type/number of wires.

When the wire is stretch so is the insulation which will be thinner and possible cracked/broken.